myra

07-25-2004, 11:30 PM

Dear Myra,

Thanks for reading the forum. You pose a great question!

The short answer is that you should NOT retake the GMAT. I know you are hoping to compensate for below average work experience and grades, but quite frankly a 750 GMAT already places you in the top 1% of all test-takers. My guess is that your time would be better spent on the other 'variables' in the 'admissions equation' like the selection and coaching of recommendation writers, the drafting of essays, perfection of interviewing skills and the pursuit of some outside coursework (classes to address a weak ugrad GPA, etc.).

Although I would obviously need to know a lot more about your profile in order to give you specific advice, I can confidently say that you should probably look beyond the GMAT at this point. In fact, there are some admissions officers who would actually question your decision to retake the exam and view the action in a negative light (wondering if perhaps you are focusing your time in the wrong area).

Feel free to get in touch via email if you would like to set up a free phone session and briefly discuss other ways for you to combat the weaknesses in your profile.

Best of luck,

Graham Richmond
Clear Admit

I took the GMAT rcently as well. I received a 44Q (73%) and 45V (99%) for an overall 720 (97%). I am shooting for top schools. My grades are around a 3.4 from a top 20 university. My work experience is good...I have several years in I-banking and several years in private equity as an associate.

Would you recommend re-taking the GMAT for an improved quant score or is it sufficient if my recommenders address my strong quant skills in my recs?

Thanks for the help

I can't believe anyone with a 720 and especially a 750 would even think of retaking. You guys really need to understand the whole application process a LOT better than you do now.

I am a prospective MBA applicant and am considering applying to H/W/K. However, I recently took my GMAT and for whatever reason, scored lower than I had been scoring on most practice tests. My total was 680 (split Quant 95; Verbal 60; Overall: 90) How would you measure my overall GMAT score, and my individual Verbal against the schools I am aiming at. I do know that each of these schools have admits with an average GMAT of more than 700. Do I need to retake my test - or would it better to focus on application essays? Are there any alternate ways I can justify my low score. My GPA is well into 3.5 - 4 range.

Any thoughts/ suggestions would be greatly appreciated, Thanks!!!

Hi bound4school,

Thanks for reading the forum!

While your 720 total score on the GMAT is at or above the average of enrolled students at the top programs, you are correct in your intuition that your relatively low quant score might be cause for some concern among the adcom. However, given the analytical nature of your work and the willingness of your recommenders to attest to your quant skills, it's quite likely that you will be given the benefit of the doubt (especially if you've only taken the test one time). The adcom will also be looking to your transcript for evidence of your performance in quant-heavy undergraduate courses - so if you've done well in such classes, all the better.

Rather than channeling your time and effort into retaking an exam on which you’ve already scored very respectably, my sense is that your time would be better spent drafting compelling essays and working on other elements of your application.

If you would like further feedback on your candidacy, feel free to directly contact Clear Admit.

Best of luck,

Alex Kelly
Clear Admit