I just Beat The GMAT!

G'day guys,

I just finished taking the GMAT yesterday and scored 700 (Q41 V45). I am pretty pleased with the verbal score which is 98%ile but not too pleased with my low quants score. I was pretty surprised with my quants score actually. In all my practice tests till date the lowest I'd gone on quants was around 45 but I was usually consistent around 48 - 49. Even my lowest practice test quants score would have boosted my overall score by about 20 - 30 points.

I should not be complaining too much though as my entire GMAT prep consisted of 2 days of brushing up on math, 5 days of working out the OG and 5 days of practice tests. My practice test scores are as follows:

GMAT Prep V2 T1: 730 (Q45, V44)
GMAT Prep V2 T2: 700 (Q49, V37)
Powerprep T1: 740 (Q49, V40
GMAT Prep V2 T1: 750 (Q49, V44)
GMAT Prep V2 T2: 740 (Q48, V44)
GMAT Prep V1 T1: 770 (Q49, V47)

So as you can see, I was scoring in the mid-700's through my practice test with my last one ending in a nice big 770. I really have no idea how my quants score tipped so low. The best part was that in all my practice tests, I would feel that I screwed the quants section yet getting Q48-49. On the real GMAT however, I felt my quants section went really well, and I've got only Q41. Any reason for this surprising result?

And finally, the big all important question: Should I retake the GMAT ?

How importantly do Adcoms weigh each of the sub-scores ? Is the overall score more important or do the sub-scores make a big difference as well ? I would look at applying to top-10 b-schools.

The best part is my profile would indicate that I should be good in quants as I am an Indian doing mechanical engineering with a pretty decent GPA of 8.54 / 10. How heavily would that weigh against me ? or would I be able to carve a niche for my self in the minds of the Adcoms ?

Any help in this decision would be really appreciated. Thanks guys!!

P.S: This is my first post on BTG so forgive me if it was long and rambling.

Glass half full would suggest another way of spinning what you said "I should be good in quants as I am an Indian doing mechanical engineering" to "I have performed well in verbal even though I might not have been expected to."

uwhusky wrote:Glass half full would suggest another way of spinning what you said "I should be good in quants as I am an Indian doing mechanical engineering" to "I have performed well in verbal even though I might not have been expected to."

Dude....love your responses, never afraid to call a spade a spade. I do kinda agree with you.

As for Mr. Sherlock, looking at your practice scores, there is obvious potential in improving your quant score, but you will have answer a few questions:

1) Average GMAT scores of the schools your targeting.

2) How strong is your application apart from the GMAT

3) Do you really want to expend extra effort and money, on another 30 points?

I guess, if you can clearly answer the two questions, that should make it clearer.

Nevertheless, its a great effort to get 700 with 10 days of prep, I myself belong to the Indian IT male demographic, and quite frankly quant is not my forte, moreover I dont believe in these stereotypes, hope to convince the adcom with other facets of my application.