Low GMAT- Way to go ahead?

[Rachit88]

Hi

My name is Rachit and this is how my profile looks

About me
Age-24 years, Indian Male

Academics
Undergraduation in Commerce from Delhi University, passed first class- 3.5 GPA
Among the top rankers in third year of my undergrad.
Part of college cultural committee and won prizes in college wide events

Work experience-

4 years with Infosys BPO ( An Indian MNC )- Started as a campus recruit
3 promotions in the last 4 years, Have traveled for international projects- 2 months
Experience in diverse areas of business.
Numerous awards and strong recommendations.
Last Designation held- Associate Consultant ( Business Development or Solution Design )

LEFT INFOSYS in Sep'12 and will be working for 3-4 months in setting up the online operations for a very small company starting Jan'13

Social Work- Have worked on AIDS Awareness campaign for 5 months, was very active in company CSR and Eco activities.


GMAT- Gave it yesterday and scored 570. Will give it again in another 40 days.
Colleges where scores were sent- Booth, Notre Dame, UCLA, NYU STERN, Illinois University

I aspire to be in the consulting side of business and would like to work with companies like Mckinsey, BCG, Deloitte Consulting

Questions

1. Am I aiming for the right colleges with my profile and career aspirations
2. I will give GMAT again and aim to score 700+ but can the first GMAT score of 570 become a problem while my profile is being reviewed by colleges?

Please help
Rachit

[Stacey Oyler]

Hi Rachit88,

Thanks for your post. Please see my response to your questions below:

1. Am I aiming for the right colleges with my profile and career aspirations

I think you have a great mix of schools. In general it's best to apply to between 4-6 programs with a mix between reach, target and safer options.

2. I will give GMAT again and aim to score 700+ but can the first GMAT score of 570 become a problem while my profile is being reviewed by colleges?

This is a great question. It's fairly common for applicants to take the GMAT multiple times. The general rule of thumb is to avoid taking the exam more than 3 times. While some schools specifically ask for your last 2 or 3 scores, they really are simply looking to see if there was an improvement with each exam. You won't be judged or evaluated based on your 570, but rather based on your top score. Study hard and aim for a 700 and you'll be in good shape!

Best,

Stacey