GMAT Strategy

I just finished the GMAT after preparing for a few months and scored a 700 with quant score of 46 (71%) and verbal of 40 (90%).

I am currently looking at schools such as Northwestern, Duke, Michigan, Georgetown, Carnegie Mellon. I have been working for about 3 years at a large financial services company and graduated from a top 10 engineering school with a 3.1 GPA.

I think Northwestern is probably a reach and I am wondering if a higher GMAT score may help? Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

Edit: On practice tests I was scoring between 700 and 720 so this result was not unexpected. I am hoping with a few months I can raise it higher, but is it worth it?

Hi sknarla - first off - congrats on the 700! That is indeed a good score, even if it's lower than the average at many of the programs you're interested in.

The short answer to your question is yes, a higher GMAT score (particularly a higher quant) will help at all these programs, but it may not be necessary. We've had plenty of clients make it in to every school on your list with scores similar to yours. It all depends on the entirety of the profile and on how you put your pitch together.

That being said: The quant score is lower than we like to see for schools like Kellogg especially. It's not impossible, but you're adding an obstacle that you could potentially skirt with a higher score (particularly with the lower GPA). Also, candidates from a finance and/or engineering background tend to have higher quant scores, so you're at a bit of a disadvantaged when compared to some of your peers.

Since we're still in May, then we sorta would encourage you to try the GMAT again. If you loathe the test (and we don't blame you if you do!) then you could apply with this score and see how it goes, as long as you're comfortable with the possibility that this process may take two years.

We talk about this issue on the EssaySnark blahg - here's one post of many: https://essaysnark.com/2011/09/what-is-a ... al-answer/

Let us know if you have other questions - it's an important part of the strategy and it's good that you're thinking about all of this as you are.

EssaySnark

I agree that a higher quant score is likely necessary. With a quant background and a low GPA, you need to show that you have a higher ability in quant for the top schools...

jim: how would your feedback change for someone WITHOUT a quant background (such as myself)? what would you say is the min quant score i need? kellogg is my top school as well.

sknarla: congrats on your score; currently i can only dream about being where you are currently. good luck which ever way you end up going...