New score evaluation

Dear NewMBAAspirant,

Thanks for your post!

You've asked a number of questions, so let me try to answer each of them below:

1) Is a 680 GMAT score enough for an Indian male, IT/engineer targeting schools like Tuck, INSEAD, ISB, IMD and NUS?
First off, I would really like to know the percentile scores on your 680. Were you stronger in math vs. verbal? Ideally you should be topping the 80th percentile in each section (at least). Looking at the 680 without the percentiles, and given the fact that you belong to an over-represented segment of the applicant pool (and that this segment tends to perform well on the GMAT), it's clear to me that you'd be in better shape if your GMAT result was higher than a 680. This is particularly true for Tuck, INSEAD and ISB.

Beyond the fact that you would be more competitive with a stronger score, part of my urging you to retake is related to the fact that you have plenty of time this spring/summer to do so before the fall admissions deadlines, so it's not as though retaking it would hurt your ability to write essays (as would be the case if you were asking me this question in September).

2) Will the schools see my score if I take the test again and don't report it?
If you take the test again, the schools will see your score. This is because no matter what you report in the schools' application forms (usually the best score only), the admissions officers will also get the official score report from Pearson, and that report includes your entire history (over the last 5 years) with the GMAT exam.

3) Does it matter if one takes the test three times? Does it look bad?
Despite the fact that the schools will see all of your scores, there is no real issue with taking the exam three times. I wouldn't take it 5-6 times, but 3 times is quite common. Sure, it's ideal to take the test once and score 750, but someone who takes it three times and ends up in the 700s isn't going to be penalized.

4) What schools would be good targets with a 680?
I cannot suggest target schools for a 680 GMAT without knowing more about your career goals/future plans and having more information on your profile. You should email your resume to [email protected] and sign up for a free session with one of our admissions counselors if you'd like a more in-depth review of your profile.

I hope this explanation helps you to better understand the role of the GMAT and how reporting of the exam results works.

Best of luck,

Graham