Ask an MBA Admissions Consultant

26 yo female (Asian)
5 years of work experience at time of matriculation
Undergrad GPA:3.2 from southern private school (studied business with some C's)
Career: Human capital + analytics + M&A consulting
Company doesnt sponsor (not sure if this makes a difference)
2 promotions in 4 years
GMAT: 700
ECs: Volunteer/mentor organizational involvement; Undergrad leadership positions
Post MBA goal - return to consulting

What are my chances right now? How can i improve my chances? Should I re-take GMAT?

Thanks!

Hi,
You have got enough strong points in your career - I wouldn't necessarily worry too much about GMAT. Having said that, high GMAT definitely helps, particularly in terms of your scholarship chances. Which schools are you targeting?
Also, a pre MBA and similar post MBA career choice has to be well defended to your own and the admissions committee's satisfaction.
You have a well rounded background and I would say that this puts you in good chance for the top 20 universities. It is also true that most universities at that level do not have as much funding available - so that's another judgement call for you.
Hope this helps,
Let me know if there is any other question you might have.

Thanks for sharing.

The main consideration regarding retaking the GMAT is how confident you are of scoring higher. A higher GMAT score would definitely help and can be a differentiator for you. Thus, if you can invest time and improve on it, this would be worthwhile.

All the best!

Thanks! My top school is Wharton, and given the fact that my GPA is already on the lower side and i come from a Big 4 firm, i thought perhaps a higher GMAT score would at least give me a fighting chance.

I have been taking a few practice tests and have been scoring between 700-720. Given R1 deadlines are a month and a half away, do you think its work investing time in GMAT study over the actual application/essays?

Sorry, I realize i didnt list all the schools im applying to in my original post

Wharton
MIT
CBS
Kellogg

Thanks all

Hi,
In that event, absolutely go for it. Given that you already scored 700, you might need to fine tune your strategies a bit. Also, preparing for GMAT and your application at the same time may work to your benefit - it will provide a bit of variety in your preparation and if nothing, your essays will read better (cross benefit of Sentence Correction )
If you were able to increase your scores by another 30-40 points, it would definitely make a stronger case for you. Focus on areas where you think you are more likely to struggle - start with your break-down of scores. The easiest ones (and quickest ones) to improve are Sentence Correction, Critical Reasoning and Data Sufficiency.
Hope this helps,

First of all, keep in mind that your GMAT score is only a part of the puzzle and your profile is definitely competitive, so if you feel confident in your essay writing skills and presenting your case in general (and if not, there are experts who can help, I can tell you more about what ARINGO does for clients who need help with their applications if you want. If so, just send me a PM), it is not a must to get a higher GMAT score. I say that as ARINGO specializes in candidates with low GMAT scores so we have definitely seen applicants get accepted to the schools you mentioned with scores like yours or slightly lower.
That said, you are targeting the top schools so even a slightly higher score could help. So if you do not think it is a very big deal for you to retake, it might be worth considering.
But it's not a must like I said, it mainly comes down to how confident you are with regards to the rest of the application process. If you do end up retaking and feel you do not have a lot of time to focus on the application itself, consider having a consultant with a good track record with the schools you mentioned look over it. That could get you ready in time even if you spend some time on GMAT preparations, hopefully with a better score!


Good luck!