where can I apply with a 640?

Mary hi,

Its very hard to score above 700 on the GMAT so don't feel a 640 is the end of the world. You are not alone. You do have some important things going for you (gender and nationality) and you might be competitive at the best schools - it's hard to say without more details - but asking what schools would be good for you is not the approach to take. You would be foolish,and probably unsuccessful, in applying to any good school without truly knowing why you want to be there. You should be looking closely at curriculums and deciding which would be best and most interesting for you. Then you can tie that information in to almost every aspect of your application and use it to be a convincing candidate. A 640 GMAT will not necessarily put you out of the running if the rest of your application is exciting and confident, but you must decide what it is you want to get from an MBA and only then will you be able to make it happen.

Hi Mary,

Technically, with a 640 you can apply to any school you like. I have a lot of experience helping people with low GMAT scores or low GPAs (usually not both) get into top schools.

Some stories of hope: I got into HBS and HKS (Harvard Kennedy School) as well as waitlisted at Stanford with a 620 GMAT. Two seasons ago, a client of mine (Asian-American male in his 30s) got into Ross with a 620 GMAT, and before that, a client of mine (Mexican-American male in his 30s) got into Kellogg with a 640 GMAT.

When your GMAT is low, it's imperative that you have outstanding essays that clearly communicate why you want to go to the school (personal, professional, and academic reasons), what you bring to the school in and outside of the classroom, why NOW is the time for you to go to b-school, and all the reasons why your low GMAT score (or for others, a low GPA) is not indicative of your ability to handle the quantitative rigor of the business school classroom.

Rather than pigeon-holing yourself into a group of schools based on your score, use it as a reference point. Apply to 2-3 reach schools where your score is WAY out of range, 3 scores where your score is closer to their target range, and 2 schools where you have a very high chance of being admitted.

It sounds like you could use some encouragement and guidance. I invite you to visit my website to see if I might be a good match for you.

Best of luck with your process!

Warm regards,
Kaneisha

https://theartofapplying.com

Thank very much for your answers.
Do you think I need to explain my low GMAT in the optional essay? My score qualifies as a low GMAT for top MBAs right?

Thanks!

Hi there,
In my opinion, 640 is not that bad, and even if it's not good enough for top 10 programs, you cam aim for the area of top 20-30, especially if your profile is good as you said.

Thanks very much for all your answers. I have a good idea of where to apply now. Hopefully will get good news next year!
thanks!!