BREAKING: Target Test Prep releases Brand New 2026 On Demand GMAT prep course

Redeem

GMAT Scoring History

Launched April 26, 2006
This topic has expert replies
Post new topic Post Reply
Previous Topic Next Topic
Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts
Posts: 55
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 1:43 am
Thanked: 1 times

GMAT Scoring History

by asamanta » Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:54 pm
Hi,

I just took the GMAT test and scored a 700. I was very happy with my score, but I wanted to know if the overall GMAT scores are getting better overtime ?

I heard that last year the 92nd percentile was compared to a 700 score while on my score report 700 is a 90th percentile.

Please could someone guide me as to whether I need to take the GMAT again because a lot of top schools state thier average GMAT as 700 which makes me an average applicant ?


Also with a strong GPA (3.9) is a necessary to retake the GMAT ?

Thanks,
Regards,
Aditya
Top
Source: — Ask Stacy Blackman |

GMAT/MBA Expert

User avatar
MBA Admissions Consultant
Posts: 3845
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 8:57 pm
Location: Houston, TX
Thanked: 442 times
Followed by:148 members

by Lisa Anderson » Wed Jul 16, 2008 5:32 am
Dear Aditya,

Congratulations on your score! For most programs, it would not be necessary to retake the GMAT. However, it depends on where you are applying and how your overall profile compares to the rest of that school's applicant pool.

Your GMAT score, alone does not define whether you are an average applicant for a school nor do schools make admissions decisions on a GMAT score alone. The percentiles and raw scores do fluctuate as the scoring is based on a complex formula incorporating scores over a three-year period. Over time, the test designers will make the questions more difficult as they see the average score for all tests trending upwards.

Regards,
Lisa
Lisa Anderson
Consultant
Stacy Blackman Consulting

Learn more about me
Top
Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:58 am
Location: London
Thanked: 6 times
GMAT Score:770

by Michael Birdsall » Mon Dec 19, 2011 11:46 am
I know this is an old post, so moderator feel free to delete it if you find it inappropriate, but the question asked wasn't answered. I figured this would be useful if someone found this via google.

Yes a 700 changes over time, and does not mean the same thing as when the test was taken.

Below is a table taken from my website, where I have a post comparing percentiles over the last 30 years. Here is what it looks like for a 700 over time.

XXX -|2011|-|2009|-|2008|-|2005|-|1997|-|1996|-|1994|-|1978|
700 -|0.9 |-| 0.9|-| 0.9|-|0.92|-|0.97|-|0.97|-|0.98|-|0.99|

So a 700 in 1978 would have been in the 99th percentile, in 94 it would have been a 98th percentile, etc.

What is most interesting is that there is actually a change in the percentile within a 5 year period, which is the length of time your score is valid for.

You will notice on most admissions applications that you are asked to enter your score and the percentile. It is important that you report this on your original score report. If you retrieve your score report at a later date the percentiles will change to reflect the current percentiles not what they were when you took your exam. So, using the 700 as an example, from 2005 to 2008 it would have made a difference of 2 percentile. Another way to think of it is that a 700 in 2005 was the same as a 710 in 2008. If you had scored two scores, a 700 and a 710, would you report the 700? This is the same scenario.

(Sorry the table was a little funky. HTML was disabled so I wasn't able to get nice formatting.)
Top
Post new topic Post Reply
• Page 1 of 1