<p>I just took the GMAT today and performed relatively poorly - I scored a 720 with a 46quant, 42 verbal. Verbal was terrible - I was so stressed out that I rushed it and spent more time thinking about getting it over with than properly answering the questions. I finished the section with 30 minutes to spare. I scored around 47 verbal in practice.<br>
I am applying to MBA and Masters in Finance - I am afraid that with this GMAT score (which is too low in math for the finance program and not enough above average to offset my zero experience for MBA programs) I will not get in anywhere! Most apps are due in March, with some in February. Oxford recommends 90th percentile quantitative for their MS Financial Economics (my 1st or 2nd choice), which is a scaled score of approx. 49. I only prepared for 2 weeks. Any suggestions? What will schools think of me taking it again? My target would be 760-770 (49q, 47v).</p>
<p>So you have 0 work experience and you prepared for the GMAT in 2 weeks? I'd recommend not rushing things.</p>
<p>You are right - I probably won't get any good advice on this forum because everyone seems to believe that only people with 5 years experience get into business school on here. Too bad the dean of Stanford's business school said 10-15% in the next class will have NO work experience, guess they are confused.</p>
<p>Source? Or is this just something the dean told you?</p>
<p>Told by the dean.</p>
<p>IMO, a 10-15% of attending business school students w/o work experience indicates that the school recommends work experience except in extreme circumstances. This is most likely due to the fact that one's work experience is usually the best example of leadership ability. If the dean told you this it was to indicate that such admittance is rare, and whether he was implying that you (rockofeller) fell into this case is not for us to judge.</p>
<p>However, if you are not going to take recommendations, then why not bother applying to Oxford despite their recommendations?</p>
<p>Stanford has the following to say about seniors in college who apply to its MBA program:</p>
<p>
[quote]
You know best when the time is appropriate to pursue an MBA education. We accept outstanding studentsand that includes students who enroll directly from an undergraduate or graduate program without full-time work experience.</p>
<p>College seniors who go straight to business school usually have an extensive record of extracurricular leadership, as well as superb academic credentials. These students are mature and self-confident and can also effectively articulate the reasons why they wish to attend business school now. Those students we accept are expected to enter Stanford the year they are accepted (deferrals are granted only at the discretion of the Director). We may waive the application fee for college seniors currently receiving financial aid. </p>
<p>If you are a college senior interested in pursuing an MBA education immediately after obtaining your undergraduate degree, and you believe you have a strong casewe encourage you to apply.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>
[quote]
How To Prepare for the MBA Experience</p>
<p>If you are currently enrolled in school, here are some suggestions:</p>
<p>Take the GMAT in your senior year. (The GMAT is required for application but we will make exceptions for alternatives such as the GRE. Please contact the MBA Admissions Office for more information.) The GMAT and the GRE scores are valid for 5 years. You can take the test more than once and most schools will consider your highest score. </p>
<p>Do well in school. Apply and challenge yourself. </p>
<p>Take classes outside of your area of specialty. For liberal arts students, consider preparing yourself quantitatively by taking a math/calculus, economics, or statistics class. For technical or science students, consider taking a humanities or social sciences class. </p>
<p>Get involved outside the classroom. Seek out activities that interest you and opportunities to take leadership roles. </p>
<p>Explore your professional pursuits by doing summer internships; cultivate relationships with supervisors and mentors; seek out challenging opportunities that will teach you new skills. </p>
<p>Do your business school homework. Request materials and visit websites of programs that interest you. Visit the campuses and meet students, faculty, and staff. Seek opportunities to interact with MBA graduates.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>That said, Stanford also indicates that the members of the class of 2008 have between 0-11 years of full time work experience, with a median of 4 years of experience. Sixteen percent of its current students have other post-graduate degrees. Thirty-two percent of the class of 2008 are women and thirty-seven percent are international students. </p>
<p>My best advice is that if you plan to apply to MBA programs immediately following college, don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Have alternatives in case you aren't one of the small number of students admitted. In addition, prepare yourself for a challenge in the job recruiting process when you have to compete against classmates with significant work experience behind them.</p>
<p>You are also putting yourself at a major disadvantage by applying so late in the cycle.</p>
<p>a 720 is an aweful score, you should re-take the trst....are you joking or just that far out of touch with reality. You're already above the median score of every school in the world.</p>
<p>
[quote]
You're already above the median score of every school in the world.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>He has no work experience though, and feels that he may need to score higher.</p>
<p>Well, I know that objectively the 720 is a good score - but my practice tests indicate a score in the 750-760 range. I put so much pressure on myself to do well in quant that as I was taking verbal, all I could think about was "lets get this over with so I can see my quant score" - finished 30 minutes early and with a 42 when I averaged a 47. I just don't want the school to have an issue where the school thinks I'm stupid for taking the test again, only to get (in a not so good scenario) a 740 the second time. At the same time, I want every leg up I can get considering my lack of full-time work experience (I do have some impressive part-time work experience and volunteering, but I know this is worth very little in MBA admissions)
I am so late in the game because I have suffered a major illness and only recently returned to school (this past semester). It was only recently that I realized I would be able to graduate this year (by overloading 1 course and essentially graduating early because of the missed year due to illness). </p>
<p>Schools I am most interested in:
Stanford, Columbia, Cal, UCLA, Cornell, USC, NYU
Finance Programs:
Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, Imperial College London, Wash U., Vanderbilt, USF.</p>
<p>I don't know about any of the MBA programs, but I know that you have a good chance of getting in to Owen as long as you have a halfway decent GPA.</p>
<p>
[quote]
are you joking or just that far out of touch with reality. You're already above the median score of every school in the world.
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Class</a> Profile: Student Life: MBA: Stanford GSB</p>
<p>Actually, he is slightly below the median at Stanford.</p>
<p>But that's besides the case because his score won't keep him out.</p>
<p>OP, If you know 100% that you can score above a 740, then I would retake it. If you retake it and score below a 720, then that will hurt you badly.</p>
<p>Chances in R3 are extremely slim, especially at Stanford. The only people that get in are CEOs that had to wait for their IPO to apply in R3, foreign ambassadors that were working on negotiating the peace treaty and had to wiat for R3, and top athletes that had to finish the championships before R3.... you get the idea.</p>
<p>Well, I scored a 720 in the real test when I thought there was no way I could score below 740 so there are no 100% guarantees. But then I didnt actually study verbal - I spent all my time on math. Maybe if I spend a little time going over verbal problems I can see the official reasons why an answer is correct, to solidify my reasoning process...I'm rambling.<br>
Well, thanks for the advice on the retake homesizzle.<br>
And I know that chances are extremely low, but seeing as how Stanford has been my dream school for many years, I'd kick myself if I didn't at least apply. I know I'm as much to blame as my illness for my lack of preparation, but hey, I should get in somewhere with a 3.75 and a 720 gmat, eh?</p>