Profile Eval/720 (43Q 46V) - Retake?

[kpcrim]

I recently took the GMAT and scored a 720 (43Q 46V). I am pleased with my score, as I made scoring a 720 or better my goal before I started studying. That being said, I have read on multiple occasions that top 25 schools look for a balanced score (80th percentile or better for both quant and verbal). Consequently, I am wondering whether I should retake the GMAT.

I am rock solid when it comes to verbal. I took several practice tests with Manhattan GMAT and rarely failed to hit the 99th percentile; I'm not worried about scoring any lower a second time around. However, things weren't always so rosy with quant, even though I felt I was making progress along the way. My diagnostic quant was a 38.

I felt like I was struggling mightily with quant on test day. I was almost perfect on timing but in retrospect I think I was making careless mistakes. I actually memorized the final question and--just like you are NOT supposed to do!--reanswered the question in my head during the break and realized I had picked the wrong answer.

In conclusion...my 46V was a 99th percentile score and 43Q landed me in the 64th percentile. 720 was a 94th percentile. While raw scores of 43 and 46 enough, I really don't think 99th/64th is nearly balanced enough--at least not in terms of what top 25 schools are looking for.

Please note that while I took the old GMAT (may 23), I am not worried about preparing for IR--that is, I will take more than enough time to get acquainted with IR. As a result, I'm primarily looking for feedback regarding the discrepancy between my verbal and quant scores. I am certain I would score a 99th percentile on verbal again, and while I am confident I can score higher on quant (my highest quant in practice tests was a 48), I am not quite as certain about my performance as I am with verbal.

I would very much appreciate any feedback as to whether I should consider retaking the test, especially as you might weigh this consideration against my profile:

B.A.S., Political Science (2008)
J.D. (2012)

Two years consulting/legislative analysis (lobbying) work experience
Two years of legal clerking
One year of teaching abroad (English in Shenzhen, China)
One year of studying abroad (Chinese language in Tianjin, China)
Two-and-one-half years as treasurer for a fairly large student organization (oversaw ~$75,000 in transactions)

I would say my Chinese is advanced conversational.

I plan on taking finance/accounting classes over the summer at Ohio State.


As you can see, my background is focused primarily language-focused. Law school greatly improved my analytical skills but, as you can also see, I am somewhat lacking in the quant department.

Any ideas/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[rachel]

Hi! From your note, I am assuming that you have taken the GMAT once. Your overall score of a 720 is strong, but I agree that your quant is on the lower side, which will call into question whether you can handle the analytical/quant work at business school. If you thought you could figure out a way to take the GMAT again, I would go for it. If you were able to get the quant score up even a little bit while preserving your verbal score (or close to it) you would have a great GMAT score. It's not so much the split that you should be worried about - it's that the quant score is well below that 80th percentile range.

Otherwise, you sound like you have an interesting background. One thing that you will have to make sure to explain to the AdCom is why - after receiving a law degree - do you need an MBA and why now. Being able to articulate that clearly will be crucial to your application.

Best of luck,

Rachel Beck

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[kpcrim]

Thanks for the response!

I just have a couple additional questions I'd like to ask. Bear with me, as I'll do my best to provide context (a useful answer to that critical question of "why B-School, and why now?") in as brief a manner as possible.

The reason I went to law school was because I spent my entire life firmly believing that I wanted to be a lawyer. I did not do very well my first year (2.3--ouch!), but graduated with just below a 3.0. Despite the improvement, after my second year I was firmly convinced of exactly the opposite sentiment I had developed over years past: I absolutely did not want to be a lawyer. I clerked at a law firm for two years and, while I very much enjoyed who I worked with, I simply hated the idea of writing cookie-cutter motions and memorandums everyday for the next 40 or so years. (A tad bit oversimplified, but you get the idea!). From the summer after my second year until the end of the fall semester of my third year, I spent a great many hours thinking about what it was that I really wanted to do--that is, what really got me excited.

I landed on two things: finance (primarily trading), and venture capital. I saved up the money for a Manhattan GMAT course and, as it became clear that I was making significant progress, I steadily grew more convinced of my decision. My score on test day more or less lit a fire in me. I felt utterly vindicated.

In light of all this, I was hoping you could answer these questions:

While the story above is the absolute truth, and thus one I will not shy away from as I build my various applications--quite the opposite--I'm wondering how compelling of a reason change-of-heart is on its own merits. It has that monumentally cliche "My one great aspiration in life is to attend _______" ring to it. Do you feel the same way?

Also, I pride myself on my linguistic strengths. However, I am worried these strengths may ultimately work against me. Does my substantially humanities-based background in any way reduce the value of a 99th percentile verbal score?

Sorry for the long-winded response. I certainly am not expecting anything similarly long in response.

Thank you again for your help!

[rachel]

I am not sure the change of heart story will be enough to get you into business school. Yes, people are entitled to shift gears in their career, but going to business school is a significant investment on top of your significant investment in law school. Maybe you could think about what drives you to want an MBA, and where is an MBA going to take you in terms of your career. Are you someone who has always been interested in business? Did you do any work in business in your past career? What will be key to making you into a compelling candidate for an MBA is why you need business school.

As for your GMAT, don't worry about the verbal. They won't hold the 99th percentile against you in any way. They do, however, want to see that you can handle the quant work. Plenty of applicants have gotten into top schools with GMAT quant scores in the 64th percentile - but if you thought you could pull it up, you would be a much more comfortable place. If you decide to not take the GMAT again, consider looking for ways to demonstrate to the AdCom that you have quant abilities. You could take a quant course in finance or stats, or you could highlight any quant work you do professionally.

I hope this helps!

Rachel