Retake the GMAT?

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Retake the GMAT?

by guttinga » Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:20 am
Hi,

I just took the GMAT today - I got a 660. 42Q, 40V.

My goal is to apply this year. My top schools are CMU, Darden and Georgetown.

That GMAT score puts me below the average for all of those schools. I'm happy with my verbal (90%) but concerned about math (60%). This is particuarly troubling because I am a Liberal Arts graduate with minimal coursework in quant heavy subjects.

Here is the rest of my application information:

- Liberal Arts graduate. I majored in history at a top 20 liberal arts college. My undergraduate GPA was 3.7. I did an honors research project my senior year (100 page thesis)

- currently 2.5 years of work experience. For the first 1.5 years I worked for a top fifteen accounting firm. I will have a recommendation from the managing part of that firm (I worked on firm administration/internal projects).

- For the past year I've worked at a government consulting firm. I'm the only onsite representative for my company... The consulting work is Project Management/Information Technology capital planning/budgeting. I think this might help with my general weakness in quant.

- Leadership: I've had the chance to take some leadership roles at work, and I also had a leadership position while at college. I'm currently the president of my regional alumni association.

- I've taken an introductory Accounting course at a community college ... I got an A.

Is it worth retaking the GMAT in the next month? Or should I just focus on my applications... my goal is to apply by Round 2.

Also, an additional question - are my chances better if I submit an application by say Dec 15th as opposed to Jan 10th (assuming the deadline is Jan 15th)

Thanks
aog
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also

by guttinga » Mon Nov 03, 2008 11:23 am
24 yr old white american male

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Re: Retake the GMAT?

by Linda Abraham » Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:03 am
guttinga wrote:Hi,

I just took the GMAT today - I got a 660. 42Q, 40V.

My goal is to apply this year. My top schools are CMU, Darden and Georgetown.

That GMAT score puts me below the average for all of those schools. I'm happy with my verbal (90%) but concerned about math (60%). This is particuarly troubling because I am a Liberal Arts graduate with minimal coursework in quant heavy subjects.

Here is the rest of my application information:

- Liberal Arts graduate. I majored in history at a top 20 liberal arts college. My undergraduate GPA was 3.7. I did an honors research project my senior year (100 page thesis)

- currently 2.5 years of work experience. For the first 1.5 years I worked for a top fifteen accounting firm. I will have a recommendation from the managing part of that firm (I worked on firm administration/internal projects).

- For the past year I've worked at a government consulting firm. I'm the only onsite representative for my company... The consulting work is Project Management/Information Technology capital planning/budgeting. I think this might help with my general weakness in quant.

- Leadership: I've had the chance to take some leadership roles at work, and I also had a leadership position while at college. I'm currently the president of my regional alumni association.

- I've taken an introductory Accounting course at a community college ... I got an A.

Is it worth retaking the GMAT in the next month? Or should I just focus on my applications... my goal is to apply by Round 2.

Also, an additional question - are my chances better if I submit an application by say Dec 15th as opposed to Jan 10th (assuming the deadline is Jan 15th)

Thanks
aog
Considering your liberal arts background, relatively low level of experience (for Darden and Georgetown)s) and the quant score on your GMAT, I recommend preparing for and retaking the GMAT. If necessary, push off your application until next fall. But if you want to have a good chance at these 3 programs, raise your GMAT.

If you don't want to retake the GMAT and have not had calculus in college, then you should take it. IF you haven't had he pre-reqs for calc, take those first. Accounting is good, but it is not as mathematically demanding as calc.

Best,
Linda
Linda Abraham
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