540 (Verbal 32/63%) and (Math 32/33%), AWA 5.5

[shouldhavestudied]

To be fair, the extent of my studying was an hour of reviewing basic math concepts and a 2.5-hour practice exam taken the night right before the exam.

What I can't understand is how my Verbal score (32) was the same as my math score? I considered myself much better at the verbal portion (I've been a bookworm since kindergarten) than the math - yet why are my scores the same?

Also, would schools look at my AWA score of 5.5 and be impressed enough to admit despite my low overall score? I doubt it, but I want to hear what others think.

Thanks!

[jpnguyen]

A 540 would barely suffice for a state/local mba program. And I would only recommend going to such a school if you were working fulltime and only due for a promotion by earning an MBA. Many state/local university MBA programs are weak when it comes to recruiting on campus. Especially at the MBA level.

My recommendation is to retake the GMAT and aim for a 650+ to get into a decent full-time program. Flagship state/Upper end programs will typically require about a 650-690 gmat.

If you're looking for prep material, its easy, Manhattan GMAT + Official guides. That's 2 months of prep covering every topic on the test. And it would cost you less than $250.

[GMATTERS2Me]

Hey don't get disheartened by the score. It is clearly not a reflection of your true ability since you didn't really prepare for the exam.

Even though your raw score is the same, your percentiles are significantly different. You scored 63 percentile on verbal but only 33% on quant. So, as you can see, your verbal score IS better than your quantitative score.

Nguyen is right. 540 is barely enough to get you into a local, unranked MBA program. What I would add to it is that you should study according to the score you want to achieve. What I mean is if your target is 600 then you should formulate a study schedule to meet that target. However, if your target is 700 then your study schedule and study strategy will differ significantly from your study schedule for a score of 600.

Also, besides the OG, MGMAT is the best. Don't waste your time and money on other resources for prep.