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by Pabs » Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:51 pm
Hi Stacy,

I got a 690 on the GMAT (45Q and 40V) and am not sure if I should take it again. My score was 40 points lower than what I got on the practice test but I felt the actual test was considerably more difficult than the practice test. If I keep studying I might boost it up 10 or 20 points but am not sure if it would be better to spend my time working on the remaining elements of the application process.

I will apply to Stanford, Duke, Columbia, Berkeley and MIT. I am from Colombia so Spanish is my native language and I studied Italian and Portuguese in college. I have a BA in Mathematical Economics from a Liberal Arts College in Colorado and will have 3 years of experience working in the Transfer Pricing practice of a Big 4 by the time I enroll (2011).

I know universities boast about diversity in their programs but I am not sure how much it matters in practice. Would you suggest I keep studying and take the test again? I would greatly appreciate your advice.
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by Lisa Anderson » Tue Mar 09, 2010 12:31 pm
Dear Pabs,

This is a tough question as your score is close to the average, but just under for your target schools. It is certainly in the competitive range and your quant score is solid. I think you have to weigh your resources at this point and make a determination from there. You do not want to sacrifice other parts of your application for a GMAT retake--especially if you don't think you can increase your score by more than 20 points. An increase of 10-20 might not even make a difference in your ultimate decision, but it is hard to know definitively. What I do know definitively is that if your essays, recommendations, resume and interview are not outstanding, you will not have a chance at these schools; thus you much make sure you put the effort into those parts of your application. Assess the rest of your profile--is your GPA above average? have you progressed quickly in your career? do you have evidence of leadership skills?--and then decide if you want to spend your resources (time and money) on the GMAT retake.

Good luck,
Lisa
Lisa Anderson
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