Profile Evaluation -- should I retake the GMAT?

[leah.fotis]

Hi there,

I'm trying to figure out if I should retake the GMAT, and I'd love to hear your perspective on my score and profile. While I think I can probably improve my quant score, I scored worse than usual on the verbal, and I think there's definitely room for improvement. I'm interested in attending a top tier business school, ideally one with a social and environmental focus.

Here's a bit on my background:
- GMAT 710 (47, 77% quant; 40, 89% verbal)
- 5 years of work experience with social innovation and entrepreneurship in Asia, US, Europe
- Undergraduate degree in languages and communications, GPA 3.9

Do you think it's worth retaking the test to be more competitive?

Thanks for your direction!

Leah

[mbamission]

Hi Leah,

Thanks for writing in. While you don't mention exactly which schools you are targeting, my high-level assessment is your strong GMAT and academics, and potentially unique work experience, make you a competitive top-10 candidate. Your GMAT would be a a touch below the average at Harvard/Stanford/Wharton, but those schools may also be receptive to your work experience and post-MBA goals. My inclination is to spend your time focusing on essays and a great "why MBA" story. If you ace that portion, an extra few GMAT points are unlikely to matter anyway.

Good luck!
Daniel Richards
http://www.mbamission.com

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