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advice needed about GMAT retake

by daniyatom » Sun Aug 31, 2008 10:31 am
I have a question regarding the need to retake my GMAT. I took my GMAT this Sat and received a 620 (was not too happy with my verbal). I am still reeling and disappointed about my score as I thought that I would have gotten at least a 670...but oh well.

I have about 8 years of full time work experience in the development/contracting (building and land development) field in the US. I attended a top 50 engineering program (an average program i guess...Top 50 ain't much) in the US, and am currently a green card holder (don't know if i would be considered an international student for admission standard purposes - i have heard that it is easier to get in as an international student). 3.5 GPA

The schools that I am considering are UCLA (part time), Berkeley (part time), Emory (part time), NYU (part time), Michigan (part time) and Northwestern (part time).

Notwithstanding my essays and rec letters, will my GMAT hold me back? I think the schools that I want to attend have average GMAT scores of around 640-690 (this is the ave scores of their part time programs and not FT which have higher GMAT averages).

Please advise
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by Lisa Anderson » Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:31 am
Dear daniyatom,

Your GMAT score is within range of these part-time programs. If you feel you can do better, then take the test again--a higher score will never hurt. However, I do think it is possible to gain admission with your current score if you have a strong application otherwise.

It is not easier to get in as an international student--it is much harder. However since you are a green card holder, you are at an advantage as you currently live and work in the US with minimal restrictions. Consequently, there are very few international applicants to part-time programs and your application should be viewed with interest. What will be important is for you to explain why part-time versus full-time and how you will manage attending school if the program is not where you currently live.

Good luck,
Lisa
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by daniyatom » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:24 am
Dear Lisa

Thanks for your response. I am leaning towards doing another retake, with the aiming of raising my GMAT score - looking to hit the 670-680 mark. I had some focus issues, and that's maybe why I missed my target or maybe I just need to accept the fact that I am bad test taker, but I won't know until I prepare further and take the test again in about 4-5 weeks. But it's good to know that my GMAT score (even though I do worry about it as it is about 40 points lower than the combined average of my target schools) won't hold me back if I have an otherwise strong application.

With respect to the part time programs, which are the better ones in terms of allowing me to do a career change (I would like to eventually do corporate finance - right now I am doing a combination or project management/engineering)? And which part time programs are viewed more favorably by recruiters? I have read that in some cases, recruiters don't recruit as actively at part time programs as they do at full time programs (I am talking about top 20 schools here and not about part time programs that you can do at Devry etc). Can you suggest a few schools that might help me obtain that career switch that I am looking for? Please advise.

I currently live in the DC metro area, and I plan to either move or commute (say if I can get in to NYU's weekend program) to those schools.
Btw, do you know of any good local part time programs - I know that Maryland has a program but it is not as good. UVA doesn't have a part time program but has an executive MBA, and Georgetown is in the same boat I think.

If I do move, I will have to look for a new job in my current field at the city where the school is located. While I do understand that I won't get to partake in a lot of the school's activities and socialize with my classmates (if I were to attend a FT program), I just can't afford to miss two years of work and suffer the lost opportunity cost and loss of earnings. At the same time, I would like to make sure that I am able to achieve my goals if I pursue a part time MBA.


Thank you so much for your time.
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by Lisa Anderson » Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:39 pm
Dear daniyatom,

Part-time programs are designed for people who plan to stay on their current career path or stay within their current company/industry. They are generally not designed for folks looking to make a career change, and as such, many schools do not provide much in terms of career services. That is not to say you can't make a career change after a part-time MBA program, but you should understand that it might not coincide with graduation but take another year. The best thing you can do is research what career services are available to part-time students, if they can participate in on-campus recruiting, and what career services are available to alumni.

You are correct that many recruiters do not view the part-time programs as equivalent and restrict their activities to full-time programs. Whether or not that is the case comes from the companies not the schools and is mainly seen in traditional MBA recruiters like investment banks and consulting firms.

I think if you do a little research on career services for the part-time programs you will have an idea of which schools should be at the top of your list.

Good luck,
Lisa
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by daniyatom » Sat Jan 17, 2009 12:56 pm
Lisa,

I have a question about career goals that I will need your counsel. I am still trying to choose between a part time and full time program, and I have concerns with regards to career goals. I am currently doing development/contracting work, and while my goals are to change careers (moving towards either banking or consulting), how or do I convey that to the admissions committee? - I know that part time programs are generally geared towards current career advancement, and I do not want to jeopardize my chances by informing them (via essays or interviews) of my intent to change careers. And, at the same time, I don't want to mislead them by indicating that my goals are career advancement, and this notwithstanding the fact that goals could and do change as one progresses through an MBA program. What's the best way to handle this? Please advise.

In addition, what's the chances of getting aid at full time US programs? What's the ave aid package? And what is the percentage of students that received aid? As indicated before, I am an LPR.

Also, I am 30 at the moment - with that said will I still fit in at US schools which have a younger group (mean age -27-29) of students or do I fit better at Euro schools which have an older group of students. I know that each applicant is different with respect to career goals upon graduation, and with that I said, I would appreciate a general answer from you.

I recently retook my GMAT and received a 730 (49Q 40V). I am grateful for the score increase and thankful that hopefully, my GMAT will not be a negative factor with respect to admissions. I am a little late, but I am hopeful that I can still apply in Round 3 for FT programs, otherwise I will apply for the Fall of 2010 intake. My main concerns now are financial aid for FT programs, and the career change issue for the PT programs.

I would really appreciate your counsel and feedback.

Thank You.
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by daniyatom » Sat Jan 17, 2009 1:29 pm
also, please advise about the ability to obtain financial aid at PT programs. Is aid uncommon?
My target schools are NYU, Georgetown, UVA and Emory (and maybe HEC-Paris).
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by Lisa Anderson » Sat Jan 17, 2009 9:40 pm
Dear daniyatom,

Congratulations on your new score! It will definitely make you more attractive in the last round of applications. Your age is not an issue as you are well with in the mid-50% range of any program.

If you want to make a significant career change, then you need to apply to full-time programs. It is not a good idea to say what you think the admissions committee wants to hear--you need to be truthful and apply to the appropriate program for you.

With regards to aid, it is important to specify if you mean loans or scholarships. Scholarships are generally not awarded to students in part-time programs as those students are working while in school. The amount of a scholarship award varies greatly by school; some school's only offer awards between 5 and 50% of tuition and others offer up to 100% tuition. Even with a 100% tuition scholarship, students still must cover fees, books, and other living expenses.

Loans are an individual choice by the student and between you and a financial institution. While schools have a financial aid office, they are there to work with you on identifying options for loans. However, as a permanent resident, you might need to have a U.S. citizen co-sign your loan for a U.S. bank to loan you the money. You will need to check with either the financial aid office or with any bank to determine whether you need a co-signer. Most MBA students, regardless of full-time or part-time program, take out loans to pay for business school.

Good luck,
Lisa
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by paulfrank » Sat Mar 21, 2009 1:21 pm
Hi Lisa,

I just took the GMAT for the 3rd time and only got 670 (Q48 V34, 85th percentile). The previous 2 scores were both 640. I'm very concerned about the score as I'm planning to apply to MIT Sloan, UCLA Anderson, and Haas for 2010 admission.

What is your opinion in my chance of gaining acceptance in at least one of these schools? Should I retake the GMAT again for the sake of breaking the 700 mark? Will re-taking college classes that have low grades increase my chance of admission?

Here's my profile:
Work Experience: 3.5 years in a fast growing medium-sized technology company
Country of Citizenship: Indonesia
Volunteer Activity: A mentor in Big Brother Big Sister since 2008

Thank in advance!
Paul Frank
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Should I re-take the GMAT - strategies to improve

by lind0923 » Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:19 pm
Hi Lisa and Stacy,
I'm hoping one of you can give me some sound advice. I took the GMAT this morning and scored a 650 (40Q, 39V). I am very disappointed with my score. I studied for several weeks and took 8 practice tests as preparation. My official GMAT score is lower than 7 of my practice test scores. Furthermore, I took the official GMAT practice test last Sunday and scored a 710 (47Q, 41V).

Here's a breakout of how I think the test went today:
Essays - I think I aced the essays. Felt very confident, essays were well written.
Quant - Felt very strong for the first two-thirds of the test. New the content and felt confident that I was answering correctly. However, I got stuck on one tough question for about 3:30 minutes without realizing it. As a result, I felt a bit hurried for the last third of the test and wound up guessing on 2 or 3 questions and was not able to answer the last question before time ran out.
Verbal - Found myself thinking about my quant performance for the first 4 or 5 questions. Question 5 onward, I felt like I was mostly able to regain my focus.

I am targeting top 10-15 schools only (for 2010 admission) and feel that my score of a 650 is too low to be competitive. In terms of my background, I finished undergrad with a 3.6 / 4.0 GPA. I currently work in retail planning (supply chain mgmt) and have held both analyst and management positions. Additionally, I have extensive volunteer experience. At age 26, I've already served on the board of directors for a non-profit, completed several non-profit consulting projects and also have some non-profit fundraising leadership experience.

Should I re-take the GMAT? If so, how long should I wait to re-take it and how do I better prepare so I don't run into the same problem on the next one?

Also, I should add that I took the GMAT once before. However, I woke up sick on the day of the test and since I couldn't reschedule, I decided to take it anyway and see how I felt about the results at the end. I didn't feel well during the test so I cancelled the score instead of reporting it. Will this look bad if I have a 'sat for the test', a 650 score and then re-take it one more time?

Thank you so much for reading my post. I will greatly appreciate any advice you can give me!
Alicia :D
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Should I re-take the GMAT - strategies to improve

by lind0923 » Sat Mar 21, 2009 2:19 pm
Hi Lisa and Stacy,
I'm hoping one of you can give me some sound advice. I took the GMAT this morning and scored a 650 (40Q, 39V). I am very disappointed with my score. I studied for several weeks and took 8 practice tests as preparation. My official GMAT score is lower than 7 of my practice test scores. Furthermore, I took the official GMAT practice test last Sunday and scored a 710 (47Q, 41V).

Here's a breakout of how I think the test went today:
Essays - I think I aced the essays. Felt very confident, essays were well written.
Quant - Felt very strong for the first two-thirds of the test. New the content and felt confident that I was answering correctly. However, I got stuck on one tough question for about 3:30 minutes without realizing it. As a result, I felt a bit hurried for the last third of the test and wound up guessing on 2 or 3 questions and was not able to answer the last question before time ran out.
Verbal - Found myself thinking about my quant performance for the first 4 or 5 questions. Question 5 onward, I felt like I was mostly able to regain my focus.

I am targeting top 10-15 schools only (for 2010 admission) and feel that my score of a 650 is too low to be competitive. In terms of my background, I finished undergrad with a 3.6 / 4.0 GPA. I currently work in retail planning (supply chain mgmt) and have held both analyst and management positions. Additionally, I have extensive volunteer experience. At age 26, I've already served on the board of directors for a non-profit, completed several non-profit consulting projects and also have some non-profit fundraising leadership experience.

Should I re-take the GMAT? If so, how long should I wait to re-take it and how do I better prepare so I don't run into the same problem on the next one?

Also, I should add that I took the GMAT once before. However, I woke up sick on the day of the test and since I couldn't reschedule, I decided to take it anyway and see how I felt about the results at the end. I didn't feel well during the test so I cancelled the score instead of reporting it. Will this look bad if I have a 'sat for the test', a 650 score and then re-take it one more time?

Thank you so much for reading my post. I will greatly appreciate any advice you can give me!
Alicia :D
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by Lisa Anderson » Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:45 pm
Dear paulfrank,

Congratulations on your new score! While you did not score over 700, a 670 is a strong score and within range for your target schools. You still have a shot, but you will need to have a compelling, strong application to convince the admissions committee to offer you a seat. Be sure to convey your successful leadership and teamwork experiences in your essays as well as a solid rationale for getting your MBA in relation to your past experiences and future career goals. You could also try to take the GMAT one more time to get closer to the schools' average. Finally, you might want to add 1-2 safety schools to your list. While you have a good shot at one of your top 3, it is always good to have a backup plan.

Good luck,
Lisa
_______________________________________________________________

Dear Alicia,

Since you have only taken the test one time for a score, I think you should try and retake the exam. Your score is low for your target schools, so if you can increase your score at least 30-40 points, you will be in a better position. How long before you take the exam is up to you on when you feel prepared. You do have some positives to your background, so be sure to highlight what makes you unique. Likewise, be sure to convey your successful leadership and teamwork experiences in your essays as well as a solid rationale for getting your MBA. These are all things that will strengthen your application.

Good luck,
Lisa
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