Did what I didn't think I could do--730

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Did what I didn't think I could do--730

by rsriniv24 » Thu Dec 21, 2006 5:28 am
730
47 scaled quantitative (82 percentile)
44 scaled verbal (97 percentile).

I'm 40, traditionally have tested in the 90th percentile or so on SAT (1983) and GRE (1989). I've been married 13 years, have daughters ages 8, 10 and have been juggling a full-time job (copy editor at the local paper), a weekly fantasy sports column (about another 10 hours or so) and studying for this puppy for the last two months.

I used McGraw-Hill's GMAT with CD and the GMAT freeware from MBA.com--a total of 14 sample tests.

Yesterday morning, I took the final GMAT prep and got a 670. I figured I was due for a 620-650, a fine score, but nothing brilliant.

I was wrong. Each time I took a sample test, the kids would be yelling, the wife would be asking for something off the honey-do list, the works. It was bloody frustrating, and I was so distracted that I figured I'd never do a great job. I was wrong.

I think some Divine Intervention was involved, but part of that could have been the duress under which I had to practice. Once in the cocoon of the actual testing conditions--where I was left alone and had silence and time to concentrate, I got into the zone.

I "underwhelmed" mathematically--because I was testing higher--about the 90th percentile--on math at home, but I had been having major problems with the verbal because a lot of the sample sentences are in gibberish (no person on Earth should write in such a nonsensical fashion!), and they often ask you to turn a sentence with seven commas into a sentence with six! Hey, how about turning that sentence into three sentences so the layman can understand it? Sheesh, but that's another song for another album. Anyway, on that final sample GMAT, I got a 55 percentile on verbal. So I went from 55 in practice to 97(!) three hours later in real life.

Needless to say, this is a test I don't plan on taking again--I see that a 730 is 97th percentile, and theoretically that score is good enough for any school in the land.

I had an awful undergraduate record (2.1 GPA). I went to grad school for journalism for two years (finished all my academic work, but didn't hang around to finish my thesis) and had a GPA around 3.55, so perhaps a top-notch school will overlook my bad grades from 20 years ago because I had good grades as a grad student.

Still, it's really hard to get into a great school.

If Harvard, Yale or MIT doesn't want me, that's fine. I've learned over the years that you have to work for what you want, and if I go into even a fourth-tier school, that's OK, because once I get hired, I'll have to earn my salary every day. My 730 isn't going to help me teambuild or improve morale in a sagging department.

Cheers and happy holidays to you guys, good luck to you all, and perhaps we'll meet in class or in the world!

:)

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by career_switcher » Thu Dec 21, 2006 12:36 pm
That's a fantastic score, excellent in fact because I got the same score. Congrats!

Now, if you want the bad news, scroll down . . .





















Your quant score might be too low for some of the top flight schools. Quant score is the best predictor for 1st year success.

Also, depending on what you want to do after MBA, your age and marital/children status will harm your chances. It is expected that a new MBA who is married with children cannot put in the 80 hour work week that a 27 yo single person can. Your gpa is very weak. I'm sure it was a long time ago and no way reflects your abilities, but a top school that accepts you will need to accept some high gpa's to offset your low gpa. You may need to take additional courses to boost your gpa.

One thing I've learned in this crap shoot of MBA admissions process is that there are no guarantees. Also, a low GMAT will keep you out of a good school, but a high GMAT will not guarantee your acceptance either.

Good Luck!!!

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by beatthegmat » Thu Dec 21, 2006 3:46 pm
Hi rsriniv24:

Congratulations on your great score! You should be very proud of yourself!

There are definitely some challenges you'll have to overcome to get admissions at the top-flight schools. I recommend asking Stacy Blackman to get her take on what strategy you should have in your applications.

Best of luck to you!
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by aim-wsc » Thu Dec 21, 2006 7:24 pm
great accomplishments. :)
congrats.

An editor and such low score in V during practise test is very rare.... but then as you said you didnt have suitable environment.
... :)


would love to hear that song or whole album in fact , we will have a healthy argument :lol:
ATB AND happy holidays. :)

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Thanks to all

by rsriniv24 » Mon Dec 25, 2006 7:59 am
Thanks to everyone for the advice and encouragement. I'll definitely be contacting Stacy B.

Career switcher, question for ya,

You don't think two years of 3.55s in a masters' program can negate my rotten undergrad GPA? I was kind of hoping this would be the case as it's been 20 years since I was an undergrad, nearly 15 since postgrad, and my resume is pretty good for my experience level.

Thanks again,