I see 'Should I Retake GMAT' questions posted on this site quite frequently. After painstaking search i came across this helpful post which i would like to share with you. Here's a brief overview on the same :
Situations when you probably SHOULD retake:
* The difference of your GMAT and GMAT Prep score is 50 points or greater
* The difference between estimated GMAT Score and GMAT is greater than 50 points.
* Your target school's average score is 50 points higher
* You have used second rate prep materials
* You have a significant score imbalance. For example Q50, V25, resulting in 640
* You are shooting for a scholarship (several schools award scholarships partially based on GMAT scores)
* You have an extra 1-2 months and the best use of that time to improve your admissions chances is not writing essays/applications but studying for GMAT 3 hours/day
Situations when you probably SHOULD NOT retake:
* You are within 50 points of the school's average GMAT score (in this case time is best spent on applications)
* You have exhausted all of the prep materials and resources
* You are short on time (rather spend it on applications than GMAT. Most top 10-20 schools do not put a significant weight on GMAT score
* Already have a 700+ score
Recommendations and Resources for GMAT Retake:
* Get a schedule on a calendar and write out what you are planning to do and when. Set goals and achieve them!
* One of the keys to a successful retake is to regain your test confidence - don't try to tackle the hardest hurdle first, focus on small victories to help motivate you to climb higher hills. Rome was not built in one day. Small victories will win the war. Thus, even though you have 45 Quant and 28 Verbal, it may be a better idea to get your Quant to 48 or 49 (and get your confidence back) before tackling the harder verbal questions.
* Find the best study pattern for you. If you are a single tasker - focus on quant/verbal first for the first few weeks. Then, put your attention on the other area and do a deep dive. Consider joining a study group here on GMAT Club. Some thrive in collective environment.
* Do not move on until you feel comfortable with the section and you feel you understand the entire section in your book
* Sign up for a GMAT Prep course that has a money-back guarantee such as Knewton, which offers 50-point improvement or money back. (you are not losing anything except your time)
* Make sure you have thoroughly covered your existing books
* Books - Make sure you are using best and most effective books for your prep (gmat books, math books, verbal books)
* Dedicate a larger portion of your day/life to methodically covering GMAT math and GMAT verbal
* Get a better lifestyle - sleep more, party less, exercise - give it a shot for a month
* Start reading more (books, magazines, etc - it helps a lot with RC and SC)
* Start using Error Log - one of the easiest ways to get your score up is to use an error log and then focus on your weaknesses
* Try "teaching" others on the forum pages and learn more than you would ever have
Hope this helps : )
Situations when you probably SHOULD retake:
* The difference of your GMAT and GMAT Prep score is 50 points or greater
* The difference between estimated GMAT Score and GMAT is greater than 50 points.
* Your target school's average score is 50 points higher
* You have used second rate prep materials
* You have a significant score imbalance. For example Q50, V25, resulting in 640
* You are shooting for a scholarship (several schools award scholarships partially based on GMAT scores)
* You have an extra 1-2 months and the best use of that time to improve your admissions chances is not writing essays/applications but studying for GMAT 3 hours/day
Situations when you probably SHOULD NOT retake:
* You are within 50 points of the school's average GMAT score (in this case time is best spent on applications)
* You have exhausted all of the prep materials and resources
* You are short on time (rather spend it on applications than GMAT. Most top 10-20 schools do not put a significant weight on GMAT score
* Already have a 700+ score
Recommendations and Resources for GMAT Retake:
* Get a schedule on a calendar and write out what you are planning to do and when. Set goals and achieve them!
* One of the keys to a successful retake is to regain your test confidence - don't try to tackle the hardest hurdle first, focus on small victories to help motivate you to climb higher hills. Rome was not built in one day. Small victories will win the war. Thus, even though you have 45 Quant and 28 Verbal, it may be a better idea to get your Quant to 48 or 49 (and get your confidence back) before tackling the harder verbal questions.
* Find the best study pattern for you. If you are a single tasker - focus on quant/verbal first for the first few weeks. Then, put your attention on the other area and do a deep dive. Consider joining a study group here on GMAT Club. Some thrive in collective environment.
* Do not move on until you feel comfortable with the section and you feel you understand the entire section in your book
* Sign up for a GMAT Prep course that has a money-back guarantee such as Knewton, which offers 50-point improvement or money back. (you are not losing anything except your time)
* Make sure you have thoroughly covered your existing books
* Books - Make sure you are using best and most effective books for your prep (gmat books, math books, verbal books)
* Dedicate a larger portion of your day/life to methodically covering GMAT math and GMAT verbal
* Get a better lifestyle - sleep more, party less, exercise - give it a shot for a month
* Start reading more (books, magazines, etc - it helps a lot with RC and SC)
* Start using Error Log - one of the easiest ways to get your score up is to use an error log and then focus on your weaknesses
* Try "teaching" others on the forum pages and learn more than you would ever have
Hope this helps : )
