GMAT 720 - Retake?

[groundandpound99]

Dear Sir,

I've scored 720 on the GMAT.

Score: 720 - Q47 (76th percentile), V41 (94th percentile)

Profile:

GPA: 4.0 - Top Student - Ranked 1st on Faculty
Work Experience: 2 Years - Management Consulting Top 4 Firm

Below are my concerns for my MBA application:

1) Does my low Quant score raise any concerns for adcoms (at Top 5 schools)? i.e., Do schools consider GMATscores seperately, and if yes, do they place more weight on Quant than on Verbal?

2) Does my low GMAT score kill my chances of getting a scholarship (again at Top 5 schools)?

I've consistently score 750-780 on all prep exams (Q48 to Q51; V41 to V 48). This was my lowest score in both Quant and Verbal. Bad stretch i guess :).

Please advise if i should retake the GMAT, in order to of 1) improve my chances of getting admitted and 2) get financed.

Thank you.

[george.kourdin]

thinly veiled brag post......

[groundandpound99]

I've supported myself through scholarships my whole life. Had to work as a porter when i was 13 to support my family while studying.

The only way i could go to b-school is if i get funded.

Thank you for your smart comment. Please don't troll in my thread.

[george.kourdin]

thats great.i am happy for you..... if you are in nyc i'll buy you a drink or 4. no hard feelings.

look i think that nobody will be able to give you the answer that you are looking for. you seem smart enough to understand that, which is why i posted my first commentin the first place. there is a ton of noise about GMAT on the internet and to my knowledge, there are no definitive answers. people with perfect 800s get rejected from top schools (true story) and people with 650 get it (true story).

i am in the same boat as you so take it with a grain of salt, but

1) does your quant score raise concerns? do they consider gmat separately? honestly...nobody knows. you seem to have top GPA and strong work experience. that should alliviate some concerns regarding your score (that is assuming admissions were concerned in the first place). some will tell you that quant slightly more important than verbal, others will tell you that top schools just want to see 80%+ on each break and a third group will tell you that as long as you break 700 you are in the clear. as i said....lots of noise. there are other parts of your app that carry a lot of weigh and i am sure that you know that.

2) i doubt it literary kills your chances. your gpa will certainly help here.

cliff notes: i think its not as black and white as you seem to imagine. you seem to have all the right elements to back up (GPA+work exp) whichever doubts admissions may have regarding your score. you have to decide whether the EV of taking the test is worth it. how confident are you that you can significantly improve your score? there is a non-zero % chance that you may do worse. consider the impact of that on your app.

hugs

[tarek.rida]

Not worth the risk.

[groundandpound99]

George,

Thank you for your reply. This is very helpful/ helps filter some of the noise I've read online.

As for improving my score, I'm quite confident i can score in the 760+ range. The Quant and Verbal scores i got today are below the floor of my preps. The last time i scored this low was 2 weeks ago, on my first prep exam, and before i started any (serious) preparation.

Getting a lower score is a possibility, especially considering that i will have to retake the GMAT on a work week--i.e., with little to no sleep. That would make me look ridiculous. I agree.

Therefore, i am inclined not to retake the exam/ risk again, unless someone convinces me otherwise and proves that there is considerable benefit to commensurate the effort and risk.

As for drinks, maybe in a couple of years; I am from the Middle East.

More opinions would be appreciated,

Thank you.

[mbamission]

Hi groundandpound,

Thanks for writing in. While I can tell you're disappointed in your score compared to your practice tests, keep in mind it is well within the range of all the top schools and while it's good when both sections top the 80 percentile mark, you're probably just 1 question away on Verbal. Your academics are strong and if you use quant skills regularly in your consulting work, you can mention that in your essays. You can also ask your recommenders to reference your quant skills in their letters, if they've worked with you on analytical projects.

1) Schools definitely look at your performance on each section, but only within one test. You can't mix and match your best Verbal with your best Quant. As I said above, they will probably notice where your Quant score is, but it is unlikely to have a significant impact on your application if you address it in other ways, like I mentioned above

2) It's hard to say the direct impact this will have on scholarships. Scholarships are managed differently at individual schools and usually run by the Financial Aid office.

A 720 is a very good score. A 750+ is an excellent score. It really depends on how many schools you plan to apply to, your availability to study for the GMAT, and overall motivation to prepare for the test. Retaking it can't hurt you, but it may be that the time is better spent working on essays and other parts of your application.

Best of luck!
Daniel Richards
http://www.mbamission.com

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[mrinal_k]

Hi groundandpound,

I just gave the GMAT two weeks ago and I'm now in the same boat as you were when you started this thread. I scored a Q47 V40 (overall score 710). While I'm satisfied with my Verbal score, I'm somewhat disappointed with my performance on the quant section. I sat for 3 practice tests and scored 49-50 on all of them.

I would like to know what you decided to do finally, and what was your reasoning for the same? I've read about the 80-80 balanced score requirement at quite a few places and that's pretty much my only motivation to retake the exam.

Thanks
M