Ask Clear Admit

Hi,

My score is about 40 points below what I expected it to be 680 (Q49, V34). At this point I am left a choice and I need your advice to help decide. The next time I can take the test would be in the 3rd week of December which means I will have less than 2 weeks to apply. Clearly that is not enough to time prepare a decent application. So either I apply this year with a 680 or let go of the dream for now and reattempt next year.

My a quick summary of my background:

Age: 29
Nationality: Indian
Education: Masters in Computer Science from an Ivy League school
Bachelors from a top Indian university (Ranked 2nd in class)
Experience: Strong Leadership exp. about 7 yrs, with a US based Hi tech-consulting firm
Role: Account Manager (one of the youngest account managers in the the company of over 10,000 employees)
Extra-C: Lot of current volunteer and leadership work experience, athlete - won many awards in college, president of clubs, etc

Having said that, do you think I have an above average shot of getting admitted to the top 5-10 schools (Wharton, Duke, Kellogg, Columbia, and MIT). I know its tough (it is never easy, even with a 780 score), but do you think with my profile (might be generic if seen as Indian with IT but hoping the additional details show the difference) does it makes sense to apply this year? Or should I retake it and apply next year at age 30?

Thanks for your help.

Hello,

I am in the same boat you are, although with opposite quant/verbal breakdowns. I am planning on paralell tracking my applications with studying for a GMAT retake. Have you considered doing that? I am curious if others think its too much to do at once.

Best,
LJ

Hi,

Thanks for your post. In the end, deciding whether or not to retake the GMAT in December is a very personal decision. I agree, you won't have time to study and put together your applications. Perhaps you apply this year with your current score and prepare yourself to retake the GMAT and reapply if you don't get in.

Regards,

Stacey