I view the GMAT as the b-schools wanting to know what kind of a base they have to work with when they begin educating each of us in school. If someone scored a V50 but a Q35, that says something about that person's ability to comprehend math. That person is probably very capable of learning it, the GMAT just shows where that person is at the current time in their math education (or regression if it's been a long time since college Algebra).
750 is not the new 700. You also have to remember that people score above 700 are more likely to talk about it on here than those with 600 - 690 simply due to the fear factor. The guy that just got a new pinto for his 16th birthday dosen't go around shouting it out. It's still a car, and better than those walking, but he might look silly shouting next to someone screaming "I just got a brand new Audi for my 16th birthday." It's not that a Pinto is horrible, but that person just doesn't want to announce it to the world that what they got is a little bit less than what others got.
Depending on what year the 700 you reference was scored, I might agree that 700 is the new 720. Programs' average GMAT is steadily increasing. Look at the jump of Yale and I think even Kellogg had a decent jump this year for Fall '08 admits. I was happy that my 720 (Q79%/V95% split) is above average for every program but Standford. I may not be able to say that by the time all the schools release this data early fall. I'm still happy with it, but it reminds me that I must have great essays. That's true for someone with a 790 (kevincan) or a 690. Schools don't want to read essays by someone with a perfect 800 that essentially states "I'm so good I got a perfect on the GMAT. Why an MBA? because I got a perfect on the GMAT. Why now? Because I just recently scored a perfect on the GMAT. Why our school? Because I wouldn't mind placing your school's bumper sticker on the Ferrari I'm going to have handed to me because I got a perfect on the GMAT." I think you get the point.
I do believe that GMAT can make a difference below 700, but there appears to be agreement that at a certain point, your GMAT score isn't going to make all that much difference. I think that point is within 10 - 20 points of the program's average.
Those on the waitlist that are told to retake the GMAT and "magically" get it are those that would be easy admits if their GMAT scores upon first application were close to the average. The schools do have to think of their average. It's much easier to be pulled down than be pulled up.
mojoman wrote:
I wasn't really "asking" for anything. I was just curious as to what other folks target for their GMAT scores before they feel completely satisfied with
that part of their application.
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it won't take long for you to realize that gmat really is a small component of the application.
Yep, I realize that.
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There are times when people have been told to retake the test when they are on the WL and then magically they get in. Personally I was happy to be well above the average of every school I applied to.
My point, precisely. If you've the cash (in case you'd like to retake) and really want to stand out from the rest, GMAT scores from 700-750 won't go far in helping your app.