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GMAT Retake?

by dashdiva » Mon Nov 10, 2008 12:33 pm
Hi all--thank you in advance for reading my post and responding thoughtfully.

My major concern is whether it is worth it for me to take the GMAT over to improve my quant score. I've been reading alot of blogs, articles and such regarding adcoms wanting to see 80/80 in the quant and verbal percentiles. Here's the quick and dirty profile:

1. 3.0 GPA; Molecular Biology Major; Top Ivy League undergrad; GMAT - 710(92%)/ Q(43/68%); V(42/95%); AWA - 6.0 (First and only try)

2. 5 years-large national non-profit marketing experience; 2 years-start-up business owner (started off well, currently meeting some barriers); Moving into the luxury & retail (specifically fashion & beauty) industry.

3. Af-Am Female, 30 y/o, mother of 1; Heavy community service - Af-Am Small Business panelist for various groups, High-school/Middle school keynote/panelist, started H.S. minority female empowerment group in Philadelphia--looking to bring to NYC where I'm now located).

4. Top choice NYU Stern (considering Columbia, Yale, Wharton & HBS)

Any thoughts? Again trying to see how competitive I am now, whether it is worth it to retake GMAT to raise quant score.

THANKS!
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Re: GMAT Retake?

by Linda Abraham » Mon Nov 10, 2008 2:15 pm
dashdiva wrote:Hi all--thank you in advance for reading my post and responding thoughtfully.

My major concern is whether it is worth it for me to take the GMAT over to improve my quant score. I've been reading alot of blogs, articles and such regarding adcoms wanting to see 80/80 in the quant and verbal percentiles. Here's the quick and dirty profile:

1. 3.0 GPA; Molecular Biology Major; Top Ivy League undergrad; GMAT - 710(92%)/ Q(43/68%); V(42/95%); AWA - 6.0 (First and only try)

2. 5 years-large national non-profit marketing experience; 2 years-start-up business owner (started off well, currently meeting some barriers); Moving into the luxury & retail (specifically fashion & beauty) industry.

3. Af-Am Female, 30 y/o, mother of 1; Heavy community service - Af-Am Small Business panelist for various groups, High-school/Middle school keynote/panelist, started H.S. minority female empowerment group in Philadelphia--looking to bring to NYC where I'm now located).

4. Top choice NYU Stern (considering Columbia, Yale, Wharton & HBS)

Any thoughts? Again trying to see how competitive I am now, whether it is worth it to retake GMAT to raise quant score.

THANKS!
A higher quant score could only help, but let me ask you a few questions before I respond::

1) How were your grades in quant classes as an undergrad?
2)Was here a trend to your undergrad grades?
3) Have you taken any classes -- quant related or not -- since graduating?

Best,
Linda
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Re: GMAT Retake?

by dashdiva » Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:26 pm
Linda Abraham wrote:
A higher quant score could only help, but let me ask you a few questions before I respond::

1) How were your grades in quant classes as an undergrad?
2)Was here a trend to your undergrad grades?
3) Have you taken any classes -- quant related or not -- since graduating?

Best,
Linda
Hi Linda,

Thank you for responding so quickly.

Well molecular biology is a "relatively" quantitative bio science---not as much as straight chemistry but requires a deep understanding of statistical analysis/calculation and calculus (which is why they are both required for degree in the department). Calculus (2 courses), Stats, Physics (calculus based) (2 courses), Biochemical Engineering -- are just some of my quant courses---I realistically averaged about a B+/A- in these courses. Despite getting a 5 on my AP Calc exam going into college and therefore officially passing out of it, Princeton made the error of forcing me to take Freshmen Calculus--I got an A+. The remaining quant courses were far more rigorous (among the junior level engineers and math majors) and I held my own getting mostly Bs and a few A-'s.

My GPA doesn't really tell the tale of my time at Princeton. I started off super strong but of course I wasn't working then either. Started working full-time (obviously out of necessity bc who in their right mind would do that at a school like Princeton lol) and slowly but surely my grades suffered. I recovered in my final year and half (still working full-time but with a better sense of how to "navigate" Princeton's system) This was also 7-10 years ago. Obviously, I know GPA is looked at but I don't feel remotely like the same person I was back then. Nonetheless, I am proud of my GPA because I know what it took to get it--hopefully I convey this in my essays. So, no upward trend or downward trend---just a superstar start -->mini-breakdown smack in the middle-->respectable recovery.

I haven't taken any classes since graduating college. As a marketing professional, however, data analysis and synthesizing the analysis into a lay-man's report was much of my job. It really required some serious numbers crunching and much of my success came from my quant thinking. In truth, most of my friends would probably have guessed my Quant/Verbal breakdown would be reverse. I don't know about reverse--but it is the lowest quant score I've gotten in terms of my practice exams. I lost track of time and I do believe if I retook I could score better.---however, I am just not certain I want to hold up my application in order to do it (first deadline for Stern is this Saturday, 11/15/08 ).

Thanks in advance for your help.
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Re: GMAT Retake?

by Linda Abraham » Mon Nov 10, 2008 10:11 pm
dashdiva wrote:
Linda Abraham wrote:
A higher quant score could only help, but let me ask you a few questions before I respond::

1) How were your grades in quant classes as an undergrad?
2)Was here a trend to your undergrad grades?
3) Have you taken any classes -- quant related or not -- since graduating?

Best,
Linda
Hi Linda,

Thank you for responding so quickly.

Well molecular biology is a "relatively" quantitative bio science---not as much as straight chemistry but requires a deep understanding of statistical analysis/calculation and calculus (which is why they are both required for degree in the department). Calculus (2 courses), Stats, Physics (calculus based) (2 courses), Biochemical Engineering -- are just some of my quant courses---I realistically averaged about a B+/A- in these courses. Despite getting a 5 on my AP Calc exam going into college and therefore officially passing out of it, Princeton made the error of forcing me to take Freshmen Calculus--I got an A+. The remaining quant courses were far more rigorous (among the junior level engineers and math majors) and I held my own getting mostly Bs and a few A-'s.

My GPA doesn't really tell the tale of my time at Princeton. I started off super strong but of course I wasn't working then either. Started working full-time (obviously out of necessity bc who in their right mind would do that at a school like Princeton lol) and slowly but surely my grades suffered. I recovered in my final year and half (still working full-time but with a better sense of how to "navigate" Princeton's system) This was also 7-10 years ago. Obviously, I know GPA is looked at but I don't feel remotely like the same person I was back then. Nonetheless, I am proud of my GPA because I know what it took to get it--hopefully I convey this in my essays. So, no upward trend or downward trend---just a superstar start -->mini-breakdown smack in the middle-->respectable recovery.

I haven't taken any classes since graduating college. As a marketing professional, however, data analysis and synthesizing the analysis into a lay-man's report was much of my job. It really required some serious numbers crunching and much of my success came from my quant thinking. In truth, most of my friends would probably have guessed my Quant/Verbal breakdown would be reverse. I don't know about reverse--but it is the lowest quant score I've gotten in terms of my practice exams. I lost track of time and I do believe if I retook I could score better.---however, I am just not certain I want to hold up my application in order to do it (first deadline for Stern is this Saturday, 11/15/08 ).

Thanks in advance for your help.
Given what you wrote above and your URM status, I recommend focusing on the applications at this point. You can even retake the GMAT after you submit and then send in the improved score. For now, focus on the applications.

Best Linda
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by dashdiva » Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:06 am
Thanks Linda. I didn't realize I could submit and still retake.

I will definitely consider this option. I appreciate your feedback!
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by Linda Abraham » Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:26 am
dashdiva wrote:Thanks Linda. I didn't realize I could submit and still retake.

I will definitely consider this option. I appreciate your feedback!
You can. The risk is that they come to a decision before seeing your new score. They usually will not reconsider once they come to a decision.

Best,
Linda
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submitting after the deadline

by drabblejhu » Tue Dec 02, 2008 4:57 pm
Hi, Linda,

Just to tag onto your last response--Stanford GSB says that it will take your score if the test is taken on the day of the submission deadline. If I've already taken the test and sent the score, but I submit a second score a week or so after the deadline, it will still be looked at in addition to my first score?

Does policy vary by school?

Thanks!
JH
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Re: submitting after the deadline

by Linda Abraham » Tue Dec 02, 2008 5:53 pm
drabblejhu wrote:Hi, Linda,

Just to tag onto your last response--Stanford GSB says that it will take your score if the test is taken on the day of the submission deadline. If I've already taken the test and sent the score, but I submit a second score a week or so after the deadline, it will still be looked at in addition to my first score?

Does policy vary by school?

Thanks!
JH
Policy varies by school. You can ask them if they will consider the second score at all. Again, I strongly doubt if they will reconsider your file if they already evaluated it based on the first score.

Regards,
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by Jay Allen » Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:15 am
I agree fully with Linda. The only input I'll add is that there is a magic number that many people talk about: getting an 80 percentile on each component of the GMAT.

I've heard from several Admission Officers that this is true--they basically see anything over an 80 percentile as passing. They are also very quick to point out the empirical range of their admitted classes includes many applicants that have one component below 80%. I addition to retaking the GMAT, you can also sign up for MBAMath.com and tell the adcom that you are determined to arrive at bschool prepared for the quant challenges.


Hope that helps,


Jay
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by radz » Fri Dec 26, 2008 2:42 am
hi ppl,
i took my gmat on 16 dec and scored 600. 27 verbal and 47 quant.
i have abt 6 + experience.
wat are my chances of getting into a good B-School?? Shd i tk GMAT again.

Thanks.
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by Linda Abraham » Fri Dec 26, 2008 12:07 pm
radz wrote:hi ppl,
i took my gmat on 16 dec and scored 600. 27 verbal and 47 quant.
i have abt 6 + experience.
wat are my chances of getting into a good B-School?? Shd i tk GMAT again.

Thanks.
What do you consider a good B-School?
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by radz » Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:56 am
I don't mean any fancy schools when I say good B-School. Its just that the applicants this year has increased and so has the competition. With a score like mine it seems tough to me. :(

I can probably make it to a low rank or a no rank school but I don't want that. There's no point of getting into a school just for the heck of it. I want my 2-year to be fulfilling not an obligation.
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by radz » Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:58 am
and thanks Linda for such a prompt reply. :)
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by Linda Abraham » Mon Dec 29, 2008 11:23 am
radz wrote:I don't mean any fancy schools when I say good B-School. Its just that the applicants this year has increased and so has the competition. With a score like mine it seems tough to me. :(

I can probably make it to a low rank or a no rank school but I don't want that. There's no point of getting into a school just for the heck of it. I want my 2-year to be fulfilling not an obligation.
I think you have answered your own question.

You have only taken the GMAT once. I think it makes sense for you to prepare again and retake the GMAT. At least try to raise it. The range of schools where you will be competitive will change significantly if you can raise your verbal score such that your total score goes up 50 points, not to mention if you raise it beyond that. And clearly from the breakdown, it's the verbal that you have to focus on.

Best,
Linda
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