Retake GMAT?

[chandlerbing]

I took the gmat and received a 690 (88th percentile) -- Math Raw 47, 76th percentile; Verbal Raw 38, 83rd percentile. I was disappointed that I did not break my 700+ goal and want to know if it is worth retaking. I mismanaged my break before verbal and cut into about 15 seconds of my time. The night before, my test anxieties got the best of me and I couldn't sleep. I know I can improve on verbal if I retake, but my raw score in quant is higher than all practice test scores, so I’m afraid that my quant score would go down. I don’t plan on applying for another few years, as I just recently graduated from undergrad. When I do apply, I’ll be aiming for the top 15 schools. Should I retake? Thanks!

[rachel]

Hi!! The good news is that your score is within the range of many top schools. The question that you have to ask yourself is whether you could get the same score on the quant again, because that is what they will focus on more than the verbal. Many schools will let you submit your best score, so if you give it a go again and don't improve, then you can still submit the score you have.

As for when you should apply, most schools look for applicants with at least 3 years of work experience. You should look at the stats for the schools you are interested in attending, and see the breakdown for the recent incoming class.

Best of luck,
Rachel Beck

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[chandlerbing]

Thanks for your quick reply!

Do you think my quant score is strong enough, or should I work to improve that as well if I choose to retake the test?

Thanks again!!

[rachel]

Hi! Many of the top schools like to see the quant score come in at the 80th percentile or higher. While you are below that, it isn't by much. If you could pull that up, too, it would only help your candidacy.

Rachel