GMAT Retake?

[pf9my]

I recently took the GMAT and scored a 700. Q42 / V42. Although the verbal is high (95th percentile), the 42 quant score was very disappointing at around the 65th percentile. Is this quant score low enough to keep me out of top 10 programs? Should I retake the GMAT if I want to get into Tuck/Sloan/HBS?

Candidate Profile:
- 3.5 GPA undergrad (BA, English)
- 3.7 GPA grad school (MA, International Affairs)
- 2 years work experience in government consulting (national security, foreign acquisition, intelligence analysis)

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated; Thanks!

[Lisa Anderson]

Dear pf9my,

700! Great job!! I do not think you need to retake the test. There is no guarantee if you increase the quant score that your total score will increase (it could, but no guarantee). If your total score is lower, then this test will not help you at all as it would not be used in your evaluation. More importantly, the quant score is just not that low--if it was your total score would not be a 700. Based on your GPA, I'm assuming you scored well in your quantitative undergraduate coursework. You should also highlight your quantitative and analytical work experience as both the work experience and GPA demonstrate your quantitative aptitude.

Ultimately, you need to feel comfortable with your score, so if you think you should retake the test, then you should. It is merely my opinion that it is probably not worth your effort. I think your energy would be better spent on putting your application package together.

Best of luck,
Lisa