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GMAT strategy (high verbal vs lower quant for 700)

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GMAT strategy (high verbal vs lower quant for 700)

by Sci45 » Mon May 22, 2017 3:48 pm
Thanks to my professional experience, I do much better (in my practice CATs) on verbal than quant...

I obviously need to work on improving my quant scores but I am also wondering what if I really improve on the verbal part (which to me sounds doable)...

From what I understand I can get to 700 with about 45 verbal and 41 quant...I got 36Q on my last practice CAT so it does not sound extreme.

I am wondering though if b-schools would look down somehow on an applicant with higher verbal scores or does it not really matter?

Thanks.
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by DavidG@VeritasPrep » Mon May 22, 2017 5:17 pm
Sci45 wrote:Thanks to my professional experience, I do much better (in my practice CATs) on verbal than quant...

I obviously need to work on improving my quant scores but I am also wondering what if I really improve on the verbal part (which to me sounds doable)...

From what I understand I can get to 700 with about 45 verbal and 41 quant...I got 36Q on my last practice CAT so it does not sound extreme.

I am wondering though if b-schools would look down somehow on an applicant with higher verbal scores or does it not really matter?

Thanks.
A score imbalance is only a problem if you're not exceeding a certain critical threshold on whatever portion is lagging. The number I keep hearing from admin folks as a good floor for quantitative is 45. (This is for top-15 schools.) If, for example, your score were Q45/V46, your verbal would be about 30 percentile points higher than your quant, but your composite score would be 700+, and you'd have no cause for concern. A Q41, however, might be a problem when applying to competitive schools. This isn't to say that no one gets in with that score, but I'd suggest aiming a little higher.
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by [email protected] » Tue May 23, 2017 11:01 am
Hi Sci45,

While focusing more on the Verbal than the Quant could certainly lead you to a higher overall score, you have to consider how Business Schools will view your overall PROFILE. Many Business Schools consider the Quant Scaled Score to be a measure of how an applicant might handle the academic 'side' of the Program. If your Quant Scaled Score is relatively low and/or there are any issues with your GPA - then that might hurt your application. In that same way, highly competitive Programs tend to place a greater emphasis on the Quant Scaled Score, so if you're planning on applying to any Top10 Programs, then you do not want to have a relatively low Quant Score (unless you have such a strong overall profile that the Business School Admissions Committee does not care about your GMAT). With a Q36, you have the potential to pick up a lot of points that won't require any advanced math skills or knowledge - but you will have to learn the necessary content, patterns and Tactics.

1) How long have you studied so far?
2) What study materials have you used?
3) How have you scored on each of your CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)?
4) What is your goal score?
5) When are you planning to take the GMAT?

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Rich
Contact Rich at [email protected]
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by ceilidh.erickson » Mon Jun 05, 2017 5:56 pm
Sci45 wrote: I am wondering though if b-schools would look down somehow on an applicant with higher verbal scores or does it not really matter?
Schools do look at the individual subscores as well as the overall 200-800 score. The weight that they place on those depends on the program and on your background. Programs outside of the US or with an international focus might look for higher verbal scores. Programs in the US (esp. top 15, as David mentioned) usually view a Q45 as "good enough."

That said, if you've taken quant courses in undergrad or if you've worked in highly analytical roles, schools might be willing to overlook a lower quant score.

The best thing to do is reach out to the admissions departments of the schools you're interested in and ask specifically. It's also worthwhile to schedule a free consultation with an admissions consulting firm. I particularly recommend mbamission.com
Ceilidh Erickson
EdM in Mind, Brain, and Education
Harvard Graduate School of Education
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