This is my last response, as I think that is just a waste of air at this point, but when you have a score in the 60th percentile, for the top 5-6 programs, there will be a question about the score–and that is pro forma.
The only reason I am being persistent is that there are kids like our OP, who could be reading this and getting confused by what you are saying.
From Manhattan Prep:
One of the most interesting data points is really just psychological. The top quant score of 51 is now the 97th percentile and the next possible score, 50, is the 89th percentile. In other words, the only way to score in the 90th+ percentile on quant now is to earn the top score of 51.
Did I just cause your heart to start racing? There’s no margin for error! You have to get a perfect score on the quant!
No, I promise, you don’t. : ) The business schools are well aware of these changes and they are actually adjusting accordingly. In 2006, the skills associated with a quant score of 45 were strong enough for any business school. The same is true today, even though that same score reflects a lower percentile ranking. You can still do the work and the schools do know this.
What about the 80/80?
Everyone seems to “know” that the top schools want to see 80th percentiles in both quant and verbal. I’ve heard this many times myself. I looked for a primary source (a business school admissions director who said this on record) but couldn’t find anything. So I started asking questions. I called up Jeremy Shinewald, founder of the admissions consulting company MBA Mission, who told me:
“Our feeling is that the 80/80 threshold is becoming less and less important, as the percentiles spread. The percentiles might move gradually over time, but the raw scores maintain their meaning year after year. Because a specific raw score represents a level of ability that has been “studied” by the schools, the schools can back-test data, look at a candidate’s scores, and predict how he/she will do in their program.”
Jeremy also spoke recently with an admissions director from a top-10 business school (who wanted to remain anonymous). This director said:
“We tell candidates that if they can get to the 60th percentile or above, that will serve them well. We have taken people whose percentiles are lower, but ideally you’d want to be at or above 60th percentile.”
There are no typos—the quote is from a top-ten director and this person quoted sixtieth percentile as the threshold in each section.
MBA Mission also spoke with Amanda Carlson, Assistant Dean of Admissions at Columbia Business School. When asked about the 80/80 “rule,” Ms. Carlson said:
“That is not accurate and not the way we do things. People do not have to have this 80/80 type of a breakdown to be admitted. I can’t be emphatic about that enough.”
https://www.manhattanprep.com/gmat/blog/2013/07/22/gmat-percentiles-update/
Sorry, I still stand by what I say. One, as I have actually been in the room of an adcom making these decisions, and stats, actually say something all together different. See: https://www.quora.com/Business-School-Admissions/What-is-an-acceptable-GMAT-score-to-get-into-Harvard-or-Wharton-as-an-Indian-male-engineer
Summarily, even under the best circumstances, (and this makes a bold assumption of having a good experience added to the CV) OP currently has about 18-20% chance of admission relative to his scores and grades. Further, it stands to reason, if you looking at schools in the top 5, the selection is going to also tethered to both scores in the top 10-15%–period (although there are exceptions and outliers) I will again preface, that he has a solid application, but its’ weakness is his quant score, and in fact, if that score were raised, he chances for admission grow by 20-30 percent–and stats prove that out.
Did you not notice that they are talking about Indian Male Engineers? In other words, lopsided people with very high Math scores, but unusually low verbal scores for a top program. How else could a person with a 50 plus Math score earn 710 or 720 on the GMAT?
The take away is they don’t get in. The verbal score is very important.
You’re missing the blue side of the graph, which is “non-Indian” applicants, which reinforces my point.
Thanks for sharing. I think this data still suggests that Verbal score matters more after 44 Q is reached, there is no evidence of a 50 plus Q threshold and B Schools are not looking for low Verbal Quants.
If adcoms were interested in Quants more than balanced people then percentage of admitted Indian Engineers with 700 GMAT would be higher and those with 800 GMAT a little lower, in line with the American data.
Acceptance rates:
Low verbal, high Quant (Indian Engineers with 700) … 3%
Balanced Indian Engineers (with 800) … 9%
Balanced (American with 700) … 15%
High GMAT scoring Balanced (American with 800) … 30%
Yes, it is interesting that balanced Americans with 700 GMAT get admitted at a higher rate (15%) vs. balanced Indian Engineers with 800 GMAT at a rate of 9%. However, we would be going off topic.
Yes, it’s a digression, but rather interesting in its comparison.