So I sat for the GMAT today and scored precisely what my GMATPrep tests were showing...600
However, I was only hoping for a mid-600 score as most of my target schools have avg GMAT scores between 620-640.
Now, for the tricky part- all of my GMATPrep showed me being very strong in verbal (high 30 scaled scores) and weak in quant (low 30 scaled scores). Today I scored a Q44 and V28 so needless to say I am surprised in both a good and bad way.
I finished each essay with about 5 extra mins and feel like those should come back with OK results. In math I started worrying about after giving a few questions too much time and running short on time. I figured though that I could make up my 'guesses' in the quant section on verbal and was very calm going into verbal and throughout. I felt like my verbal was going very well and I actually finished this with lots of time leftover. However, I saw my final score and was very surprised with both. I was happy with the quant but upset with verbal. Now I am not sure what to do.
I want to go International for my MBA and have targeted RM Erasmus in the Netherlands and GISMA (Purdue) in Hanover. Their respective mean GMAT scores are 630 and 620. I am wondering now if it is worth it to try and bump up to at least those averages or if I should focus on R1 applications and make the remainder of the application very strong? I am also worried my quant would not come in as high again and the loss there would not help overall.
The rest of my 'credentials'
2+ yrs of WE in market and political research (project management of research projects in many countries and with budgets of all sizes-deal particularly in the B2B industry with F500 clients).
UG GPA of 3.81 from what is considered a Tier 4 school by US News. However, the degree is in Business from a B-School that is continuously awarded quality awards, including the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recently.
Additional info: have spent a few different seasons coaching youth hockey. Spent a lot of time traveling (with a Student Exchange) and have been learning German for 8+ years now (minor from UG as well).
I am torn on whether or not boosting my GMAT will help me for these schools or if I should focus on remainder of application...any ideas?
Complete reversal of scores!
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- Ian Stewart
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Congrats, unc- that's an excellent Quant score, and it looks like all the work you've put in has paid off. I don't know enough about the specific programs to which you're applying to give much advice, and you'd probably be best off directing your questions to a specialist in Admissions Consulting. That said, bear in mind that if a school advertises a mean GMAT of 620, roughly half of the applicants they accept will be below that number. In addition, be sure you look into the WE expectations of those programs, if you haven't already; European programs may expect more WE than American ones. Anyway, others on this forum are far more expert in this area than me- hopefully they can help. Good luck!