Blog Archive Mission Admission Retaking the GMAT

Blog Archive Mission Admission Retaking the GMAT Mission Admission is a series of MBA admission tips; a new one is posted each Tuesday. “Is my GMAT score too low?” In a competitive environment, we hear this question quite regularly from candidates who have scores in the 90th percentile and higher. So, what constitutes a solid GMAT score? With regard to top MBA programs, an overall score of 700, with an 80th percentile standing on both the quantitative and verbal sections, is generally considered “safe.” However, if your score is lower than this benchmark, this blog post should not be a source of anxiety. We have seen many candidates with sub-700 scoresand more than a few with sub-600 scoresget into top programs. As admissions officers are at pains to tell candidates, the GMAT is but one metric that schools consider and must be viewed relative to other indicators, such as grades/GPA, professional experience, community leadership, international experience and personal accomplishments. Candidates who  are concerned  that their scores may be too low should consider them in comparison to their target school’s GMAT average and distribution. For example, Yale’s Web site states that its Class of 2012 has a GMAT average of 722 and that the mid-80% of that class scored between 680 and 770. So, 680 and 770 form a range for candidates with low to average scores to consider. Taking this range into account, a male investment banker with a 640 score and limited community experience, for example, might consider retaking the GMAT. By contrast, a male investment banker with a 710 and significant community experience might be better off working on his applications instead. The key pointand the one that is most often missed amid GMAT hysteriais that candidates must be confident that they can improve  their scores, otherwise retaking the GMAT is senseless. If your actual score is higher than your pre-tests had indicated, then  you  might assume that test day was  your best attempt and  thus focus your energies elsewhere going forward. On the other hand, if you are confident that you underachieved on test day and can boost your scores by at least 20 points (or more) without compromising your work on the rest of your applications, then you should consider taking the test again. Share ThisTweet Mission Admission Blog Archive Mission Admission Retaking the GMAT Mission Admission is a series of MBA admission tips; a new one is posted each Tuesday. When candidates ask us whether they should take the GMAT again, our instinct is always to reply with this key question: “Do you think you can do better?” If the candidate does indeed believe that he/she can improve, the next question we get is inevitably “What do the business schools think of multiple scores?” Fortunately, MBA programs do not frown on candidates taking the test more than once. Many applicants feel that they have to be “perfect” the first time and that any subsequent test they takeâ€"particularly  if they receive a  lower scoreâ€"might be damaging. This is not the case. In fact, Dartmouth Tuck, for example, anticipates that applicants will take the test more than once and openly states its  willingness to accept and then “fuse” candidates’ highest Verbal and Quantitative scores, if they occur on separate tests. Meanwhile, other programs have been known to call candidates and tell them that if they can increase their GMAT scores, they will be offered admission. From an admissions perspective, accepting a candidates highest GMAT scores is in an MBA programs best interest, because doing so will in turn raise the school’s GMAT average, which is then reported to rankings bodies (Bloomberg Businessweek,  U.S. News World Report, etc.) and could positively influence the schools position in the surveys. So, do not be afraid to take the test two or even three times. It cannot really hurt you. It can only help you. Share ThisTweet Mission Admission