Brazlian 680 GMAT

[luizhprado]

Hi,

I just took the GMAT today. I got a 680 (V35 and Q47).

Here is my profile:

Age: 27 years
Country Brazil
Work Expe: 5 years (3 years on Investment Banking, will be 4 by sep/2010)
Industry: Enterpreneuship and Investment Baknig

I am planning to get into a top 5. Beyound my working experience I have also had 3 international epxrience in college, done social work and have a very untipical background. Should I retake the GMAT???

As I work a in Investment Banking I am afraid of retaking it, getting a worse score and not be able to revert it...

[Paxton Helms - Kaplan]

Hello and thanks for your question. A few thoughts:

- You should probably not "plan" on getting into one of the top five programs; as I tell my clients, at that level, there is a "lottery" element that is simply unavoidable. There are so many outstanding students competing for so few spots that you simply have to have some back up options...

- ...Along those lines: the top five programs don't have a whole lot in common other than top-fiveness. That is a red flag for me. Often times, somebody will apply to two top programs that are strong in finance, two very good programs that are strong in finance, etc. etc.

- I would go ahead and take the test again, especially considering the programs to which you are applying. You are not going to "undo" your test score; the latest does not "replace" the previous, so you're in the clear there.

- On the the other hand...given that you did very well on the quant section, there is less urgency then there would be if you had done very poorly on the quant section, especially since I am assuming that you are not a native English speaker.

I hope this helps. Stay in touch and keep me apprised of your progress--

Paxton