I just Beat The GMAT!

So I took the GMAT yesterday, and scored better than I ever had on any practice tests (44Q and 51V, so a 760). Mostly I'm thrilled, but I'm a little nervous about that Quant score for the programs I'm targeting (top 20, a couple top 10s). I've heard about the apocryphal 80/80 percentile cut-off for top programs, so will a 66th %ile Quant kill me if I'm 99th %ile Verbal?

By way of background, I'm from a Humanities background, elite Liberal Arts undergrad (3.7 gpa 6 years ago), finishing a Masters in Political Economy (3.9 gpa). Classic "poet" profile. I've demonstrated a little bit of Quant chops, I got an A in a graduate-credit level stats class I took via Continuing Education at a very fancy local university last year, and was asked back to serve as a grader the semester after. So I have something to show on the quant front, but it's still pretty thin. Not sure if it can offset that Quant score in the eyes of a top 10 adcom.

The Math 44 frankly wasn't that abnormally low for me. I had a couple practice tests up in the 88th and 77th percentiles, but I also had some where I bombed out and ended up below the 50th. Needless to say, math is not my strength. The verbal, though, has never been a problem. I've consistently been scoring in the 99th percentile on all CATs since the diagnostic, so I have no doubt that I could boost my current overall score by retaking if I were to do more math studying.

I just wonder if I'm crazy to even consider retaking the test, and investing yet more time into the GMAT, rather than spending that time on the rest of my app. Opportunity costs, trade-offs etc etc.

Any advice?

Thx

Congratulations~! 760 is a amazing score and that's the 99 percentile. Remember only 1 out of 100 test takers score more that 750. I really dont think you need to retake the exam anymore. I would focus more on the application if I were you.

If you are applying to a program that is quant intensive then take the exam again. You have scored a rare 51 in verbal. 51. You have demonstrated mastery in your area of expertise. That's awesome. Congrats.

Congrats on the awesum V51.
Just wanted to knw as you took the the test yesterday, you must have had the integrated reasoning section too.
how long was it and at the section was at the end right? (just to reconfirm)

V51 score is rare...simply fantabulous....how did you prepare for the verbal?

I don't think the integrated section is part of the GMAT just yet, it wont be added in until 2012.

Congrats on your score, especially verbal. IMO, its not necessary to retake, because I think your score is high enough to be competitive. I would focus on my essays/resume.

mriiidula wrote:I don't think the integrated section is part of the GMAT just yet, it wont be added in until 2012.

Congrats on your score, especially verbal. IMO, its not necessary to retake, because I think your score is high enough to be competitive. I would focus on my essays/resume.

hey,

i very well knw abt that. thanks anyways.
but all test takers who take their test between july 5tth and aug 9th are supposed to test out the new section -it wouldnt be scored obviously.

btw nice blog there

rohu27 wrote:

mriiidula wrote:I don't think the integrated section is part of the GMAT just yet, it wont be added in until 2012.

Congrats on your score, especially verbal. IMO, its not necessary to retake, because I think your score is high enough to be competitive. I would focus on my essays/resume.

hey,

i very well knw abt that. thanks anyways.
but all test takers who take their test between july 5tth and aug 9th are supposed to test out the new section -it wouldnt be scored obviously.

btw nice blog there

Oh I apologise, I didn't know that actually.
But that's interesting, Joel, how was it?

And thank you

Thanks for the replies everyone.

As for the new integrated section, I did indeed do one of those afterwards. It was very different from the other sections, with two basic question types:

One was a big decision flow chart type of thing, with questions asking you to dig into it and answer some logic questions. ("If A, then B, C or D?")

The second looked a bit like the reading comprehension sections, except that instead of a block of three paragraphs of text, you saw a short text and then a couple of tabs you click on to reveal tables of data. The questions here were asking you to compare the data ("which of the rows has the following ratio between columns A and B?") Interestingly, that one required some calculation, but the software had a calculator for you to use.

Hey Joel,
Congrats on your awesome score. Verbal score is insane Any tips on Verbal section would be appreciated. I would just echo what the above expert has posted. Retake it only if you are sure you can reach at least 47 in Quant.

Good luck!

Congrats on the great score man....Verbal score is awesome...

It would be helpful if u can write about your preparations (and any tips) w.r.t. to the verbal section for all the preppies out here

Good Luck with the applications man...

I think you are crazy if you consider a retake.

760 is an awesome score!

Don't even think about retaking unless you are applying to a quant-heavy program and you are sure you can improve your score to at least a 47

JoelCairo wrote:So I took the GMAT yesterday, and scored better than I ever had on any practice tests (44Q and 51V, so a 760). Mostly I'm thrilled, but I'm a little nervous about that Quant score for the programs I'm targeting (top 20, a couple top 10s). I've heard about the apocryphal 80/80 percentile cut-off for top programs, so will a 66th %ile Quant kill me if I'm 99th %ile Verbal?

By way of background, I'm from a Humanities background, elite Liberal Arts undergrad (3.7 gpa 6 years ago), finishing a Masters in Political Economy (3.9 gpa). Classic "poet" profile. I've demonstrated a little bit of Quant chops, I got an A in a graduate-credit level stats class I took via Continuing Education at a very fancy local university last year, and was asked back to serve as a grader the semester after. So I have something to show on the quant front, but it's still pretty thin. Not sure if it can offset that Quant score in the eyes of a top 10 adcom.

The Math 44 frankly wasn't that abnormally low for me. I had a couple practice tests up in the 88th and 77th percentiles, but I also had some where I bombed out and ended up below the 50th. Needless to say, math is not my strength. The verbal, though, has never been a problem. I've consistently been scoring in the 99th percentile on all CATs since the diagnostic, so I have no doubt that I could boost my current overall score by retaking if I were to do more math studying.

I just wonder if I'm crazy to even consider retaking the test, and investing yet more time into the GMAT, rather than spending that time on the rest of my app. Opportunity costs, trade-offs etc etc.

Any advice?

Thx

Thank you for your post. I am good at math but very weak at verbal. Moreover, I am a non native. I wish to ask you somthing which is important to my preparation.
I want to know what you read, what subjects you study in your undergraduate program. Could you describe the subjects taugh in your undergraduate program.
For example, you study literature so what fiction books required which you read.

the purpose is that I want to read the topic and text similar to what you study . Many person in the gmatclub forum recommend me to read fiction books and I see very effective doing so. Now I can read 2 or 3 passges on the test days. Before I can not read a passage.

besides litrature, what more do you study? Do you study government policy, class in the society or economics. Please, list the all the subjects you study, and discribe briefly the subjects. my bacground is in mechanical engineering and so I do not know about humanity.

I think you get what I want to know. I need to read a lot. And I do not know what I should read. ok, Please, list the subjects and description of the subjects.

Thank a lot.