Accepted but retaking the GMAT

Good luck mbahunter. I agree with you that retaking can't hurt if you don't factor in the $250 dent the GMAT exam makes to your pocket book. Also, have you got any feedback from Duke as to why you were waitlisted? Their response might play a role in whether you retake or not.

I guess it depends on the school, but at some schools, GMAT scores don't even come up until (maybe) during the interview.

L.

This weekend during a top 25 school's open house I heard directly from the career services director that, unless you are from the very top schools (H/S/W/MIT/Chi/NW/Col etc.) especially the top 4 strategic consulting firms (BCG,Booze,Bain,McKinsey) ask them to send canditates only with 730+ .

As for myself, I barely make the cut, but if I get an admit and go to a great but not elite program, I will still retake the GMAT. Who knows how the cutoff point will change in the future?

Hope this helps

I've only ever heard of IB or consulting firms using GMAT scores. However, a lot of schools require companies to reserve some slots for bidding. So even if your GMAT score was not stellar, you could still get an interview and I just have to believe that if you ace the case (in consulting) your GMAT score will matter a lot less.

Well, good thing I am studying geometry right now...730+ wont come easy, but it sure as hell wont hurt to try

True.But why not make it better and look more attractive. That is if you have the desire to study and potential to improve to mid 700 level?

Definitely at consulting firms, the first screen (because its easiest) is marks and GMAT, unless you've done something really really cool that grabs the consulting reading your package. As a result, you need to figure out if you're a 'vanilla consultant' and need to pass the first screen based on marks and GMAT, or if you're someone whose done something really, really cool in your life, that you can describe.

If you're getting an interview at H/S/W with a sub 700 score, then you've got something that makes you non-vanilla.

Don't retake the GMAT - focus all your efforts on knowing yourself to have an awesome interview. I think that once you're at the interview stage at HBS, your application is less important.

I know many, many analysts from the top 3 consulting firms who wrote the GMAT and ditdn't get 730. I also believe that McK/BCG/Bain are looking for really inspiring people to help with the consultant diversity irrespective of the GMAT.

Case in point: McKinsey two years ago designated a partner who was a priest, and had no formal business training.

And please, don't edit my posts and substatively change the meaning of what I'm trying to say. mNeo, you took out the critical content that I was trying to convey.

I am telling what I heard at a top 25-40 (different rankings) school that has a 670 average.
Intention is to answer someone's question with information directly from a respected career services department.

EDIT (mNeo): Edited the post. We all should play nicely guys

This topic has been discussed quite a bit in the past. We have learned from those who are already neck-deep in b-school that the GMAT can play a role. Experience, schmoozing, even what you wear may play bigger roles, but the GMAT can still be a factor. The GMAT levels the playing field across the hundreds of elite through ultra-elite b-schoolers who want the coveted IB/MC jobs. However, I would say that 730+ is a little extreme. From what I have heard from students and career services offices at b-school, 700+ gets you on the closed interview list. Furthermore, b-school career services offices tell students to put their GMAT score on their resume if it a 700 or higher.

I think that you have plenty of time to study and retake it now, so you should if you feel that it will help. I believe it was Aau who was saying that she had a friend at school who was studying to take it while at school. Doing that has to be very stressful...and as terrible as it sounds a GMAT score definitely matters to some companies. To worry about interviewing well you need to get the interview first. Without a 700+ you may not make it onto some closed lists just because of that.

Would anyone actually applying for consulting positions be able to confirm whether there's a semi-official GMAT cutoff? I've also heard (through the grapevine) of this same 730+ bar that manylander was referring to earlier.

Perhaps it's only specific to consulting? I know for a fact that some i-banks ask for SAT scores during undergraduate recruiting, so possibly they're interested in GMAT scores as well.

The person I talked to at a top 15 school said the cutoffs were 700 for major consulting firms and every single one asked for college and graduate transcripts...not just GPA's and your SAT, LSAT, GRE, and ACT, its assumed everyone has taken the SAT or ACT so if you dont put one down the companies assume its b/c you did not have a good score

I have a 690, while the difference btw that and a 700 means jack s**t, if it gets me an interview then its worth every minute of studying....

I'll confirm it.

I worked for a top 3 management consulting firm.
I never sent in my transcripts, but they did ask for my GPA.

Responding to the previous post of Big-O. Your post was reported "offensive" by manylander. So I just removed the "offensive" parts from your post (And manylander's). The only other option that I had was to delete your post. I wouldn't have to edit your post if it wasn't offensive to some people in the first place. Hope you understand.

Big-O,

You are missing the point. As I mentioned in my first message, the GMAT becomes important if you are not from H/S/W etc. The consulting firms know that if you made it to H/S/W, they do not need to worry about your score.

However if you are from say, Purdue/GTech/Maryland/PennState type of a school, then they ask your GMAT. Because these schools are not as selective as the top bunch but still have applicants with significantly high scores. The acid test for those schools become the GMAT for this case. A 650 admitted to H/S/W is not regarded the same with a 650 that attended to those.

As for other examples, extreme or not, I don't remember saying or even coming close to saying "You can't get into top SC/MC firms without a high GMAT". Many people are recruited to those companies in many different levels and capacities. Not everybody going to SC/MC firms is an MBA. I am guessing you are thrown off by comparing a subset (MBA's from non utra elite) to the universal set (all potential applicants to SC/MC firms from various walks of life).

You can find similar remarks about GMAT cutoffs in other posters' messages too.

I still stand by what I said. If you think you're consulting profile is 'vanilla', then the GMAT matters. However, a Penn State MBA whose done something really incredible and unique, is an exception to the GMAT bar.

... And if you found my post 'offensive', then you'll have to get a bit thicker skin if you want to make it to a top 3 firm, let alone a b-school program

Don't worry about my skin, it is thick enough.

As for your famous "non- vanilla" example, this time the one at Penn State (you keep talking outliers as opposed to norm BTW), who do you think will fare better in the elimination process?

1) "Vanilla" from Penn State with 760? (quantity only)
2) "Non-Vanilla" from Penn State with 650 ? (quality only)
3) "Non-Vanilla" from Penn State with 760 ? (both)

This goes back to the age old question "Quantity or quality? " The all-encompassing answer will be how about both ?

So all in all, don't try to deter people with potential from retaking the GMAT. If they have time, resources, potential and desire, the worst case would be nothing will change. Best case is jumping from example (2) to example (3).