Multiple Attempts on the GMAT

[Aman verma]

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[Osirus@VeritasPrep]

From what I've heard when I went to presentations, only retake the GMAT if your score will go up significantly. They never define significantly though. I would say, if you're fairly confident you can crack 700, retake it. Do not schedule it until you are scoring over 700 on fresh CATs though.

[mehravikas]

I think it also depends on B schools. Some schools look at your highest score, some consider all of your scores.

[DanaJ]

Most consultants say it's best to go for three, four takes tops. However, if you're absolutely certain that you can do much better, then go for it! A good sign of the fact that you're ready is to have had at least 2 mock tests with scores at or over your target score.

And yes, if you're at a 610 now, a 750 is of course doable. But I'm thinking that you need to give yourself at least two or three months of solid practice to reach that target.

[FC]

Sorry for my honest response, but nobody can claim that he or she is able to increase from 610 to 750. There are a lot of posts like this one and I believe sometimes it is better to get a "slap on the face". To say that you can increase such a great amount of points, first of all you must prepare yourself to score 750+ on practice tests. Otherwise you will continue to fool yourself. It is a waste of time, money and chance to get admitted into a top MBA program if you take the GMAT without decent preparation and, most important, without any score on the GMATPREP. I hope I have enlightened something for you.

[sars72]

Sorry for my honest response, but nobody can claim that he or she is able to increase from 610 to 750. There are a lot of posts like this one and I believe sometimes it is better to get a "slap on the face". To say that you can increase such a great amount of points, first of all you must prepare yourself to score 750+ on practice tests. Otherwise you will continue to fool yourself. It is a waste of time, money and chance to get admitted into a top MBA program if you take the GMAT without decent preparation and, most important, without any score on the GMATPREP. I hope I have enlightened something for you.

well said. Your 3 scores do show sizable improvement but they also show that you don't manage your time/ efforts/ resources well. Taking the GMAT before having prepared sufficiently is forgivable once. But the adcom will see your scores and think "this person just jumps at the test without being fully prepared. He doesn't appear to realize when is the right time to go for it or if he has prepared sufficiently. If he can't manage the GMAT, that what guarantees do I have that he will manage our rigorous MBA program.

So, while I believe you when you say you can score 700+, be prepared to answer the reason for multiple failures on the GMAT both in your essays and in the interviews. This question will definitely pop up even if u score 800 on the next take.

[Osirus@VeritasPrep]

The thing I've never understood about the admissions officers discouraging multiple takes is this. If you take it 4 times or so and get under 650 each time, would it really be better to stop than to take it the 5th time and get over a 700? The answer is no. Before you get the score that won't negatively affect their rankings, you would have been borderline at best anyway. I don't get why they act as if one can have too many attempts when they need high gmat scores to have a high ranking.

[Aman verma]

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[money9111]

I would like to know if you were scoring in the 700+ range on your CAT exams. If this is the case then there is another issue that we all need to tackle to figure out how you can have those scores translate to the actual test environment.

Also... depending on where you're thinking about applying, do you really need that 700+ score? I'm trying to think of this from the perspective of the adcom and not as someone who is aiming for that higher score. They're going to see over a 2 year period... [490, Canceled, 540, 610] - yes they will see that you canceled your score. If a 610 falls within the 20-80% score range for the school.. then you're set.

[Aman verma]

I would like to know if you were scoring in the 700+ range on your CAT exams. If this is the case then there is another issue that we all need to tackle to figure out how you can have those scores translate to the actual test environment.

Also... depending on where you're thinking about applying, do you really need that 700+ score? I'm trying to think of this from the perspective of the adcom and not as someone who is aiming for that higher score. They're going to see over a 2 year period... [490, Canceled, 540, 610] - yes they will see that you canceled your score. If a 610 falls within the 20-80% score range for the school.. then you're set.

[money9111]

Given that information I will say the following...

If this were the future and we were all looking back and saw that you scored a 750 on the exam in your 5th try... we would all congratulate you and not think too much of it.

If you say that you have a normal profile... then I don't think that a 750 on your 5th try will get you that admit into your dream school. There are extenuating circumstances of course...

What I would do in your situation is... focus my time on the rest of my application and try to accomplish something that would set you apart.

Honestly... if you have a normal profile and a 750... you're still very normal in the applicant pool... but keep in mind I don't know what your dream school is, but if you need a 750+ to get into it.. then it must be 1 or 2 in the world, (and even those you don't NEED a 750)

[mehravikas]

Can you give some guidance to me also please?

I scored 540 on my first attempt, on my second attempt I was scored 680+ on all the practice exams i.e. GMAT Prep, MGMAT but I was not able to convert those scores on the actual GMAT. Scored 580 on my second attempt.

Please advise.

Vikas

Given that information I will say the following...

If this were the future and we were all looking back and saw that you scored a 750 on the exam in your 5th try... we would all congratulate you and not think too much of it.

If you say that you have a normal profile... then I don't think that a 750 on your 5th try will get you that admit into your dream school. There are extenuating circumstances of course...

What I would do in your situation is... focus my time on the rest of my application and try to accomplish something that would set you apart.

Honestly... if you have a normal profile and a 750... you're still very normal in the applicant pool... but keep in mind I don't know what your dream school is, but if you need a 750+ to get into it.. then it must be 1 or 2 in the world, (and even those you don't NEED a 750)

[money9111]

mehravikas I assume you're going to take the exam again right? maybe your nerves got to you... one thing they've said in my MGMAT class introduction is to plan on taking the exam twice from the get go. I think people underestimate how nervous they become during the exam. if you know that you're going to take the exam twice, then it kind of relieves the tension off the first one, subsequently making you more relaxed.

since your first exam is over, I wouldn't worry too much about it now since you can't change it. just prepare for the next sitting

[mehravikas]

yeah thanks mate i am trying my best to not to get over excited or nervous. at the end of the day it's just an exam

mehravikas I assume you're going to take the exam again right? maybe your nerves got to you... one thing they've said in my MGMAT class introduction is to plan on taking the exam twice from the get go. I think people underestimate how nervous they become during the exam. if you know that you're going to take the exam twice, then it kind of relieves the tension off the first one, subsequently making you more relaxed.

since your first exam is over, I wouldn't worry too much about it now since you can't change it. just prepare for the next sitting

[beatthegmat]

Moving this thread to the Research MBA Programs section