Update- How are my chances?

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Update- How are my chances?

by briangtsmith » Sun Aug 29, 2010 3:32 pm
I posted this 2 months ago:

Quote:
Hi all,

I am 25 years old, will be 26 when school starts should I get in. My "stats" are below:

3.25 cumulative GPA from The George Washington University, with a major in International Affairs, concentration: East Asia. I studied abroad in Tokyo and am fluent in Japanese.
- During university, interned at The Ritz Carlton
- Accepted into management training program with The Walt Disney Company. Spent 1 year as a Front Desk Manager at 2 hotel properties.
- Left Disney for re-opening of The Plaza in NYC. Took position as opening Front Desk Manager.
- Spent 8 months at The Plaza...decided I was more interested in the development/real-estate side of hotels and left for REDAC, Inc, a Japanese real estate company.
- Promoted after 1 year at REDAC, after proposing a new division be created. Now work as an Asset Manager, as head of that division, managing buildings functioning as extended stay hotels for Japanese corporate clients. Advise on hotel operations and oversee all building aspects, including renovations.

It looks like I will get somewhere between a 630 and 690 on my GMAT, and I have the following schools in mind:

USC Masrhall
University of Maryland
Emory
UCLA
Georgetown
Vanderbilt

My goal is to embark on a career in hotel development.
Since then, I've taken 4 paper practice tests, to the following results:


McGraw Hill 1, 28/37 Q, 35/41 V
Kaplan, 26/37 Q, 32/41 V
Barrons, 26/37 Q, 27/41 V
McGraw Hill 2, 32/37 Q, 36/41 V
McGraw Hill 3, 32/37 Q, 37/41 V


Having a bit of trouble understanding what this is out of 800, but found a scale suggesting 650-720 or so.

How does the above bode for my future?

Thanks as always!
Source: — Ask an MBA Admissions Consultant |

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by Tani » Mon Aug 30, 2010 7:46 am
Hi!

First, the number of questions correct on the GMAT doesn't matter. Your score is based on the difficulty of the questions you answer correctly. People with the identical number of right answers can get scores 200 points or more apart. To really get a score baseline you should take a computer adaptive test. There are several free ones offered online.

The schools you are considering have average scores from 650-710. That is a big spread. You will need to be well within the middle 75-80% to have a solid chance. You can usually get more details about a given school's class profile on line. Since you are targeting some very competitive schools, you should consider a prep course or tutor.

Your background is interesting and should be an asset. Try looking for schools that have strong ties to the Pacific Rim as well as those with strong real estate departments. If you are planning to stay in real estate, there are several schools with real estate concentrations. You should look into Cornell. It not only has a strong real estate program, but is also considered the top hospitality school in the world. Your background should be very interesting to them.

With an "okay" GPA and an interesting background you will need a strong GMAT score. Great recommendations would be really helpful. Think about who you might use, keeping in mind that the critical factor is what the individual can and will say about you, not his or her title.

In summary, it's hard to say with only a paper GMAT. If you score in in the low to mid-600s that will be problematic. if you can get close to 700 your profile will be strong.
Tani Wolff

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by briangtsmith » Tue Aug 31, 2010 7:51 pm
So after 5 paper tests from varying prep-book publishers, I finally took my first CAT version. Selecting Manhattan GMAT's free test, I was nervous my score wouldn't reflect the numbers I had been achieving on the paper exams (650-720).

Good news though!

Ended up with a 680, with the following break down:

39 Q
43 V

I feel good, especially since this was my first try.

But how does it line up with the real GMAT? Am I in good shape?


I plan on taking a few more, and will be reviewing every day until my test (September 24!

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by Tani » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:01 am
Congratulations. That is a strong score. For many people, a sample test score is a great predictor, for others, not. A great deal will depend on how you handle stress on test day. Your best step now is to go over your responses on the sample test (both the right and the wrong answers) to determine where you are on the right track and where you are missing. Look for trends - certain steps you either miss or handle incorrectly as well as things you are doing right. That will direct you how to reinforce your strengths while shoring up your weaknesses.

To be sure your score will hold up, you should see whether there are other CATs available for you to take. A good book such as Kaplan's Premier GMAT 2011 with CD should be helpful.
Tani Wolff