I just Beat The GMAT!

Hi,

Just back from the test center.... disappointed to say the least. Have been preparing really well over the past 3 months targetting a 740+ score to break into the league of the good b-schools as well as to open up avenues for a decent scholarship. Though happy with my quant score, but got done in by the verbal, as would be the case with many. Have been hitting 40s consistently in the practice tests (MGMAT/GMATPrep), but the actual exam turned out to be much tougher! RC & CR alike, I could feel stuck between two equally eligible choices in most of them. Considering the nature of cut-throat competition expected this year, really feel apprehensive of my chances with such a score!

To throw some light on my profile, I am working for a well renowned Indian IT company for the last three years, with the last one year at an international customer location in UK. Have a decent (not extraordinary) extra-curricular exposure at undergraduate college level and a GPA in the range 3.0-3.5 in Computer Engineering.

Assuming that I can present a strong case of 'quality' work experience and work on my application by rigorous research on the schools of my choice (UNC, CMU, Indiana, Texas) in the next one month before I hit the deadlines for the second rounds in these schools, do you people still suggest that it is worth another go at the GMAT to improve my scores?

~abhi84

What were your gmatprep scores?

i think you should be fine for those schools.

i'd take it again if u were looking at top 15 ranked schools, since you are in the Indian IT background pool.

EDIT - i'm a product of the Kelley (Indiana) ugrad program.

I wouldn't spend too much time and effort on your GMAT now, but rather focus on my application materials and research. Good luck to you.

Thanks for your replies guys.

niraj_a & agraju84 - Glad to know that one of you hails from the school of my interest. Even I felt that, in the context of the schools that I am applying to, 700 may not be too less and that if I can work on the other aspects of the application, then I still hold a good enough chance to get through.

But it all comes to a halt when I think of the cut-throat competition that I am being forced to be a part of, this year in particular. I hope to not land up in a situation where in, however strong my application as a whole may be, I get rejected on the basis of not good enough a GMAT score!

~abhi84

HEY. How did you manage with your score? Did you end up taking it again? I am in the same position right now. Took the GMAT yesterday and got 700(Q49,V36) and I am seriously thinking about doing it again, esp since i left the last verbal question blank.

Its sad that No Moderator's or experts have contributed to this post. I'm sure a lot of beatthegmat members end up in this position.

My view is that you work on the improving your score, provided that you add new techniques and strategies for saving time on test day or that you take a professional test prep course or hire a tutor. Dont just follow the same strategy

I would like to hear more opinions on this matter as well, since I am preparing to take my GMAT in the near future. But I would like to perhaps expand the scenario to include a worst case, which is to end up with an even lower score. This will almost certainly result with re-taking the GMAT for the 3rd time, and spend another 2 months in the process. How do schools regard a 2nd/3rd attempt score that's lower than the first?

Btw, hi everyone! First post from Seattle.