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Did I Beat the GMAT?!?

by acameron05 » Tue Jan 22, 2013 7:04 am
Hello,

I took the GMAT for the first time back in December. I did not take any classes and I consistently scored 680-690 on practice tests. I applied to Tuck and Darden (easily my top 2 choices), but I am concerned the just-shy-of-the-average nature of my score will not suffice. Should I be studying for a retake (and emphasis on Q), or is the 700 handle that I have heard so much about enough - especially when considering the risk/reward profile.

700 (Q47)/(V39)

Thanks for your feedback.

A.
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by Bschool2013 » Tue Jan 22, 2013 8:09 am
I applied to both schools with a 700 and was wait-listed by both. That being said, I'm pretty confident that my GMAT score wasn't the deficiency. Some people get admitted with a 700, some even below, and some get rejected with scores above 720. There are a lot of other factors at play.


Depending what industry you want to go into, it may be worth while to re-take the GMAT if you think you can signifcantly improve your score as top consulting firms like to see 720+ or even sometimes 740+.

Also, if you're proactive and take it again, that's something you can always update the Adcom with should you get wait-listed (both schools accept updates, and I'm not sure if they will allow updated GMAT scores after the application deadline). However, re-taking the GMAT may have marginal returns if you're already at the 700 level. Re-taking the GMAT while on the waitlist tends to benefit those who had a score outside or on the low-end of the 80% range, or a weak quant score.
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by Tommy Wallach » Tue Jan 22, 2013 9:57 am
Hey Acameron,

I definitely teach a lot of people in your situation. The big issue is how the rest of your application checks out. If you think in every other way, you're above average, then having a 700 shouldn't be a any problem at all. Yes, the average score at a top 10 school is a 720, but 700 is still a fantastic score. However, if you think your GPA or work experience or below average, then every little bit helps. You can't make your GPA better at this point, but you can bring your GMAT score up.

Also, never be afraid to make a quick call to any admissions department to make sure you know the average GMAT score/GPA of incoming students. That can help you make a decision as to whether you're a stand-out candidate.

Hope that helps!

-t
Tommy Wallach, Company Expert
ManhattanGMAT

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