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GMAT attempts: optimal quantity

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GMAT attempts: optimal quantity

by 4meonly » Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:39 am
Hi everybody!

On the Chicago GSB site there is an information that Chicago GSB considers best score but do not recommends to take GMAT more than three times.

How do deal with this recommendation? Are there any schools that also have such restrictions?

I scored 510 at my first attempt and 620 at second. I want to take 3rd attempt and to score 700 (+/- 10). May be this is not best score but I think that for my non-financial background this is a good score. Also GMAT is my first standartized test in life (in Russian education tests are not used). Chicago GSB is the school of my dream.

what do you think about several attempts to get a good score?
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by Graham » Wed Dec 17, 2008 5:54 am
Dear 4meonly,

Thanks for your post!

Chicago's main point here is as follows:

1) They will take your best GMAT score

2) If you haven't hit the mark after three tries you may want to focus your efforts elsewhere - since taking the test 4, 5, or 6 times may not be a worthwhile exercise

Regardless of Chicago's statements on their web site, it's important to understand that with a GMAT result of 620 your chances of admission are quite low at this point. As such, you should absolutley take the exam a third time and aim to improve your score. I am particularly curious to know more about your score breakdown; are you weaker on one section than the other? What are your percentiles? Some of these may play in a role in your strategy with the application(s) going forward.

As to your question about other schools, most of them simply state that they will use your best GMAT score - and do not suggest limits in terms of how many times you should take it. Having said that, many schools will ask for more than one GMAT result (if relevant) in the application form, and all will see your full record of test results when Pearson submits the official score report. As such, I do think that some admissions officers might - on the margin - be more impressed by the candidate who took the exam once and got a 750 vs. the candidate who took it 4 times and got a 620, 660, 700 and 750.

Just to reiterate, I do not know of schools that set limits on the number of times you can take the exam. I view Chicago's comments more in terms of helpful advice, rather than an all-out restriction. In other words, my suspicion is that they've admitted some students in the past who took the test four times - it's just likely not in anyone's interest to spend that much time on the exam.

The key thing for you to focus on going forward is boosting your 620 up to 700+ on this third sitting. Doing so will allow you to put the GMAT fully behind you and to move on with your applications.

Best of luck,

Graham
Graham Richmond
Clear Admit, LLC
[email protected]
215 568 2590

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by 4meonly » Tue Dec 23, 2008 9:59 am
Dear Graham, thank you for reply.

As per your question about my GMAT results:

1st attempt: 510 (38Q/23V),
2nd attempt: 620 (47Q/28V).

As you see, I improved my Quant but need to improve Verbal considerably.
I am not an English native speaker and never used English in my work. My last English lesson was 10 years ago.

Now I am working on Verbal and trying to improve Quant.
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