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GMAT

by mr032123 » Fri Dec 10, 2010 8:34 am
Hi there,
I have my second GMAT scheduled for Monday (3 days from now) but I am still wavering on whether or not to go through with it.
I took it a month ago and scored 720 (Q45 -72% V45 -98%). Overall was 94th%ile. AWA 5.0.

I haven't studied much since then but I felt that the math very extremely hard (relative to my tons of practice) and think it's possible that I can go up a couple Q points just by trying a new set of questions. In other words, I think the 45 score could have just been due to fluke/chance regarding the questions I got. My max is probably 48 though - on a very good day. Realistically I could do 46 or 47.

I'm applying to 3 schools: Harvard, Wharton and Columbia. I had a 3.9 undergrad and have an interesting work background, but none of it has been quant-related (got an A in stats and microeconomics, and a B in precalc, but that's ALL I took). I know they'll be looking for evidence of my quant skills and my 72% is a red flag, but is it a deal-breaker?

Also, I know this is silly but the 5.0 AWA bothers me because my job is in communications and a large part of what I do is writing.

Taking the test won't take away from essays at this point...I'm just weighing it against the chance that I might go down (on Wharton's app you need to report all scores). Is it worth the risk to get a 77% or so percentile in quant?


Thanks!
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by humblebee » Sun Dec 12, 2010 12:37 am
I reckon go for it. You have more to gain than to lose. You're applying to highly quant schools, you need to show them you are a numbers person. And the magic 80% would I guess do it.

Worst case scenario, you get a lower score - you've already got a 720. As long as you dont score substantially lower e.g. 650-700. Then the question in my mind is that you flucked it the first time.

If you're asking how getting a lower score will be perceived by the ad com - the answer is I don't know. I suspect given your 'interesting background' that the 72% won't be a deal breaker.

This feels like a poker hand, you're wondering whether to go all in. I'm a pretty gung-ho person and believe fortune favours the bold. But as I said, you have to be prepared to live with the consequences of getting a 650. If you can live with a lower score, go for it. If you can't, sit the test, and if you feel super confident you did better this time, press the report button at the end. If not, walk away. You've already paid for it.

Good luck.


PS. I also gamed it, going from 600 to 740 in a space of a month with less than 15 hours of studying.
wannabe business school consultant