Please evaluate my brief profile... GMAT 680

[undead_tiger]

Dear Madams/Sirs,

I just took the GMAT yesterday and scored 680(Q:50,V:30). That's a big disappointment since I aimed for a 700+ and my first GMAT score (9 months ago) was also 680 (similar detailed score).
I planned to apply to Harvard this summer, along with some top MBA programs: Ross, UCLA, Haas.
I do not know what to do now, should I retake the test or just accept that GMAT is somewhat my weakness and I have to work out better in other preparation sources? This is my first and my most important question.

Actually, I believe that my verbal skill is not bad as it is in GMAT Verbal, I strongly think that I can fit into the program's language requirement. My problem, in my opinion, is that I sometimes lost consciousness in the end of the test - which is the most crucial time for Verbal.

Further information about me: graduated with excellence (top 5% of a 800 students department) in the best technology university in my country. However, its name is not popular enough to earn appreciation from Adcom, I think, so my grades and percentiles do not support me much. Extra activities: captain of university soccer team and captain of local tennis club.

Although I do not have much work experience (only 2 years), I achieved lots of respects from my colleagues and have been promoted many times, for now I am a deputy director (deputy CEO) of a $80-million- company specialized in real estate. One advantage of mine, as I have just figured out 10 minutes ago, is that I come from a respected family and my father owns one of the biggest corporations in my country - a developing country in South East Asia. Besides, I may have the recommendations from some highly-respected people, a minister, for example. But is it good to use a recommendation from someone who is not directly related to my work? That's my second question.

Last question: Assuming that I do not retake the GMAT, how do you think about my possibilities to get accepted in my aimed programs?

Thanks in advance, I really look forward to receiving feedback from your insight advices.

[mbamission]

Hi there,

Thanks for writing in, it seems like there could be some really interesting parts to your application. Still, you are aiming for high-caliber schools and your GMAT will be a liability. I suggest doing a little more practice work and seeing if it looks like you could add 20+ points to your score.

As for your recommendations, you want someone who can speak to your personal experience and professional/personal development. Just because someone has an impressive title does not mean they should be your recommender -- admissions offices can usually see through that.

With your current GMAT, I think you are on the outside cusp of those schools, but I would want to know more about your work experience before making that judgment. Your current role could potentially impress those schools, but I would want to learn more about the context of the role and how you've achieved success so quickly. Of course, the schools may also wonder why you are seeking an MBA if you are on the path to success already, so you'll need to make sure that answer is clear in your essays.

Good luck!

Daniel Richards
http://www.mbamission.com

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[undead_tiger]

Dear Daniel,

Thanks for your advice. I took the GMAT again last week and score a 750.
I believe that I have crossed the hardest part of the admission process, as English is not a mother language to me, haven't I?
Thanks again for your insightful sharings. I will take care of those points in my essays.
So, Daniel, any further suggestion for my particular case? Anyway, I owe you a beer, buddy...

[mbamission]

Hi again,

Thanks for following up! And congratulations on an amazing GMAT score !

Now that you have the GMAT credentials, you want to emphasize your great early career progress, and of course why you are seeking an MBA. My word of caution is to be wary of over-confidence. Your GMAT score will certainly get notice, but is not a guaranteed ticket to admission. You still need to submit a clear, cohesive story via your essays as to why you want to attend these schools.

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

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