GMAT - Should I take it again? And other advice...

Graduate School Business School - MBA
1

Hi, I’m a senior studying computer science at the University of Alabama, and I’m considering pursuing an MBA upon my graduation in May 2016.

I just took the GMAT for the first time, and my instant score was 730 (I won’t receive my official score for a few weeks). Initially, I was satisfied with this, but now I’m wondering whether I should go ahead and take it again. This is because my quantitative score was pretty low - 45 (62nd percentile), but my integrated reasoning and verbal scores were very high (8 and 45, 92nd and 99th percentiles, respectively).

I have read that top business schools are looking for quantitative scores above the 80th percentile, hence my concern. On the other hand, I have maintained a 4.0 in my undergraduate studies (this will surely go down a bit before I graduate, but not much) and have a decent amount of real-world experience in quantitative areas.

For whatever reason, I find the questions in the quantitative section very difficult, despite my CS schooling and experience. I do struggle with test taking in general, and that may be a contributing factor. Nevertheless, I think that I could probably do at least somewhat better if I take the exam again, after reviewing those pesky math topics I haven’t seen since 8th grade (I’ll admit I didn’t really do any prep for the exam, as I’m not dead-set on getting an MBA, or even going to graduate school).

So my first question is whether I should take the GMAT again?

Second, I am wondering whether I should also consider taking the GRE. As I mentioned, I’m not dead-set on getting an MBA, and might do better on the math sections of the GRE.

Essentially, do you think I would have any trouble getting into top business schools given my low quantitative score? If so, is my best course of action to just retake the GMAT with a little more prep, or to work on other areas of interest to graduate programs?

2

I assume you realize that all top MBA schools and many others require a minimum of two years post bachelor’s work experience. Instead of fretting over your 730 GMAT score, which will not keep you out of any school, you should concentrate on getting a good professional job after graduating from Bama.

3

I knew that many of them did, but I was under the impression that some programs existed for more recent graduates. Either way, I appreciate your advice. I do have one more question, though - if I were to work for a few years then go back and apply for schools, how much would ranking really matter, say within the top 35 schools?

Edit: I just did a quick search and it seems that many of the top business schools (including several top 15 schools) don’t require work experience. So if I wanted to get into Harvard or Booth, etc., with or without work experience, should I even be concerned with the low quantitative score? I know, this seems like a silly question, but the GMAT and graduate applications are quite expensive in my current financial situation, so getting a little more information on how these things work could save me some ramen money this semester, ha!

4

Also, as I mentioned, I’m not dead-set on the MBA, though any graduate school I do will likely be in business, so the GMAT score will be relevant.

It may also be worth noting that my goal in graduate school is simply to gain business knowledge (ultimately I’d like to run my own business), so I am open to suggestions for other degree programs that may be more appropriate. I’m pretty unfamiliar with what’s available (I know, I know, I’ll do the research as soon as possible).

5

I know others might beg to differ, but Bschools, in the top 10 or so, do place a premium on higher quant scores, think plus-50 as the threshold. Now, that would be coupled with several years of relevant work experience.

6

The average GRE scores at the Yale MBA program in 2013, were 760 Math (160= 80 percentile?) and 660 Verbal (164 = 94 percentile?). You could try taking the GRE and see if you can score 760+ in Math and 660+ Verbal before spending a lot of time prepping for a retake of the GMAT.

7

Yale SOM, while a very good b school, is not historically thought of as a top 10 b school.Further, it has what many consider to be a more holistic educational approach to a MBA program.

8

The point was that a 760 -770 Math on the GRE puts one in the top 80 percentile rank too.

9

A GRE score of M770 and V660 is the equivalent of GMAT 710

https://www.ets.org/s/gre/flash/bschool/comparison/17302/800/index.html

10

And my point is that Y SOM is a bit less rigorous on their GMAT scores compared to the top end schools. By way of example, average GMAT at Stanford, Wharton, HBS and Booth is closer to the 728-730 range.

11

Here is a list of 10 MBA programs with highest GMAT scores

http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/the-short-list-grad-school/articles/2015/03/26/10-b-schools-with-the-highest-gmat-scores

12

OP, I’m in the same camp as TomSrOfBoston. I agree with him, 730 will not keep you out of any school. The 45 (62 percentile) Quant score is fine at most top 10 MBA programs. You should focus on good LORs, strong work experience and good grades. If the 62 percentile rank in Math makes you uncomfortable, take the GRE. However, wasting lots of time prepping and retaking the GMAT to score 49+ is insanity, unless you took the GMAT without any prep at all. In which case you can spend 50 to 100 hours in prep and try it one more time, if you want. I believe most students do spend about that much time in prep. for these type of tests.

13

You just restated what I just submitted. But, let my clarify, there is a thought in some b schools, that subscribe to an 80-80 profile, that is to say, percentiles near 80 and for both quant and verbal. I still think he has a solid app, not factoring his work experience, which is more or less a prerequisite for top b schools.

14

OP, even as recently as 2006, 45 was 78 percentile. Adcoms know this and they also know that math scores in the US are generally flat. So, nothing has changed and 45 continues to be an acceptable score. Historically, it is a red flag only when math scores fall below 44 at elite MBA programs.

So what is the story behind the drop in math percentile ranks? There seems to be a consensus that Math percentile ranks have been dropping (and verbal percentile ranks rising) because top math students in India and China with poor English verbal skills take this test with no intention of attending graduate school here in the US. The evidence is pretty compelling since more than 50% of GMAT test takers now reside outside the US.

15

Not exactly. You were giving the impression that, plus 50 was a new threshold for GMAT Math because that is 80 percentile:

I am suggesting that 45 in Math is safe and passes the so called, 80-80 rule. The red flag goes up at 43.

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16

I tacitly agree, although, I think, that score, would be the weak link, (assuming otherwise solid work experience) in his otherwise solid application, for schools in the top 4-5.

17

If 50 plus were the new threshold, average GMAT scores would not be in the 720 - 730 range at the top 5, it would be in the 780 to 790 range. After all, to get 730 with a 50+ Q score, one would have to do quite poorly in the Verbal section. Yet, it is hard to believe that America’s businesses are being handed over to quants with low Verbal scores at the top 5 programs. If anything, admission would be given to those wth equally high verbal scores as the rest of the top programs, but with higher math scores.

18

One can reach that conclusion without even knowing what adcoms at top programs (Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Yale etc) are saying and without knowing what the average GRE V and Q scores were at some of these schools.

19

One, as I previously stated, Yale SOM, is not considered a top 10 programs, although it is making strides. Two, I had a former appointment at SOM, so I have a tad of insight to what they are trying to emphasize. Three, my point, which was rather clear, but I will reiterate, is that the applicant, sans work experience at this point, has a solid application, but relative to its other elements, his quant score, which is the lowest of all his scores, will be the item that adcoms take extra time to make evaluation.

20

Like I said before, average GMAT scores would be in the 780-790 range at top programs if 50 were the threshold. Take the example of OP, if he scored 50 on quant his GMAT what would be in the 780+ range.

You seem to be suggesting that top programs are looking for lopsided candidates with high Q and low V scores if their average was 730 and the threshold for Q was 50 at the top programs.