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Is GMAT a good reason for postponement ? [#permalink]
 18 Oct 2004, 08:09
Dear Linda, Dear All,
I am quite puzzled actually. My 1st GMAT attempt is scheduled next friday (22nd) and I do not feel ready. My guessing is Iam 90% OK in math but below 50% in verbal... My average cat score breakdown is 49/50 Q and 30V (probably 650/660). Firstly I wanted to apply to second rounds - HBS Wharton Insead Columbia - but I know I will not be able to score in the 730/750 range which was my original objective. Taking into account that third round is crowded with a very limited number of seats my question is the following : shall I cancel my gmat registration and work on it for 3/4 more months (which implies a 2006 R1 application instead of a 2005 R2) or have the test whatever my fears, taking the risk to have a really poor score and possible concern.
Last element is that i will turn 30yo at the end of this year, stopped studying at 26 and will complete my 4th year of we next december.
Thanks for your answers.
Frederic
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CEO
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Hi,
Is the potential value of entering school sooner greater than the cost of taking the GMAT and the application fee for the current application season?
I urge students to avoid taking any test before they feel ready. However, if you take the test now and have a reasonably strong score, this should not preclude acceptance this year. Further, you could always apply again the following year.
Hjort
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Admissions Consultant
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Re: Is GMAT a good reason for postponement ? [#permalink]
18 Oct 2004, 17:51
twixt wrote: Dear Linda, Dear All,
I am quite puzzled actually. My 1st GMAT attempt is scheduled next friday (22nd) and I do not feel ready. My guessing is Iam 90% OK in math but below 50% in verbal... My average cat score breakdown is 49/50 Q and 30V (probably 650/660). Firstly I wanted to apply to second rounds - HBS Wharton Insead Columbia - but I know I will not be able to score in the 730/750 range which was my original objective. Taking into account that third round is crowded with a very limited number of seats my question is the following : shall I cancel my gmat registration and work on it for 3/4 more months (which implies a 2006 R1 application instead of a 2005 R2) or have the test whatever my fears, taking the risk to have a really poor score and possible concern.
Last element is that i will turn 30yo at the end of this year, stopped studying at 26 and will complete my 4th year of we next december.
Thanks for your answers.
Frederic
Frederic,
Do you think that with two months study you could get the verbal over 70%? Even if you don't reach the 730-740 range, as a European applying in a year when applications are down, if you can just get your overall score in to the high 600's with a reasonable verbal score, then other factors will play a greater role in the admissions process.
Good luck!
_________________
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Accepted.com
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Director
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Thank you very much for your answers.
My previous post did not emphasize this point as it should have done : my main fear is to reach the "age cut". I know this is a good year to apply but I am quite sure I will not score enough, anyway I will do my best. If I wait one more year I will be 31yo by the intake which is by far above the average for us schools... Fact is I started working at 26. A really good friend of mine scored 760, perfect tracks, had interviews at H, S, W and was waitlisted and dinged in these 3 schools... Main reason from adcoms : he was 32 (he started working at 27)...
My mistake : I should have started the prep earlier but my job is time consuming
I decided to have the test this week : if I score poorly, I will have the opportunity to demonstrate I can improve, and if I my score is correct I will if you may come back to you and ask your opinion whether it is enough...
F.
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twixt wrote: Thank you very much for your answers.
My previous post did not emphasize this point as it should have done : my main fear is to reach the "age cut". I know this is a good year to apply but I am quite sure I will not score enough, anyway I will do my best. If I wait one more year I will be 31yo by the intake which is by far above the average for us schools... Fact is I started working at 26. A really good friend of mine scored 760, perfect tracks, had interviews at H, S, W and was waitlisted and dinged in these 3 schools... Main reason from adcoms : he was 32 (he started working at 27)...
My mistake : I should have started the prep earlier but my job is time consuming
I decided to have the test this week : if I score poorly, I will have the opportunity to demonstrate I can improve, and if I my score is correct I will if you may come back to you and ask your opinion whether it is enough...
F.
Good plan. BTW, I did understand your age concernes. That is one of the reasons I am encouraging you to take it as soon as possible and appy this year.
Good luck!
_________________
Linda Abraham
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Hi,
I would need more confirmation of age discrimination before deciding whether it is a genuine phenomenon in schools in the top clusters. Consider, however, the danger that schools would place themselves in if they act is this matter. This is not the same a saying that it does not happen, but it should encourage us to ask for more evidence. The schools that pass over students for nongermane criteria present a free gift to less discriminatory schools. Not surprisingly, there are many high cluster schools that would willingly take highly qualified candidates at any age. In short, I would not rush to meet some imagined deadline.
Hjort
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Dear All,
I finally had the test this morning and no miracle occured. I scored in the lowest part of my range : 650 (49Q, 31V), knowing that my prep ranges were 49>51 Q and 29>39 V.
This score is really unbalanced and below the 75% threshold in verbal (62% if I remember well) : even if I was starting with no more than a 680 objective, I am quite disappointed and consider such a bad score is a killern concern for schools I am willing to apply to.
This score is the result of roughly speaking 3 months, 1.5 relax and 1.5 of intensive prep.
I won't surprise anybody in admitting verbal is my weakest point...
I do not feel ready enough to shoot within 1 month (maybe it is only the instantaneous effect of this bad result) but I am still hesitating whether it is worth, even with a weak 680 knowing my track.
Academic : my undergrad gpa is 3.85 & my grad gpa is 3.5, certificated from several French "Ivy league schools" - my major field of study is engineering and I hold 1 BS + 1 MSEE + MD Finance. Age : almost 30 yo grrrrrrrrrrr
Experience : 4 years of full time working experience, 2 cumulated years of part time exp during studies ; breakdown is 1 as R&D project manager, 2 as a strategy consultant and 3 at an investor in a venture capital equityhouse.
I will re-take the test, just for the very reason I can not endure failure.
Question is : what is the best plan to schedule ?
Thanks for reading that long post and for your time.
Frederic
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Hi,
I would apply this year with your current score and re-take the test in several months to prepare for re-applying nexy year.
Have you researched the age discrimination issue any further?
Hjort
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Thank you Hjort for your answer,
Whether to postpone my apps is something i am seriously thinking about. Before taking the final decision I am waiting for insiders from friends I have in MBAs on eastern and western coast, some off them being 2Y candidates involved in the recruitment process. In French we say something like "you never have two opportunities to make a first good impression" : a bad gmat is a good reason not to pass, regardless any age concern, a good gmat is one more reason to be in the good stack.
Maybe am I over reacting with this stuff but I have the feeling gmat is the big hurdle in my case regardless age. I think I have good thinks to tell in essays to render them really attractive.
Anyway I will go back to you with the insiders I mentionned previously...
Thx
F
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Admissions Consultant
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twixt wrote: Dear All,
I finally had the test this morning and no miracle occured. I scored in the lowest part of my range : 650 (49Q, 31V), knowing that my prep ranges were 49>51 Q and 29>39 V.
This score is really unbalanced and below the 75% threshold in verbal (62% if I remember well) : even if I was starting with no more than a 680 objective, I am quite disappointed and consider such a bad score is a killern concern for schools I am willing to apply to.
This score is the result of roughly speaking 3 months, 1.5 relax and 1.5 of intensive prep.
I won't surprise anybody in admitting verbal is my weakest point...
I do not feel ready enough to shoot within 1 month (maybe it is only the instantaneous effect of this bad result) but I am still hesitating whether it is worth, even with a weak 680 knowing my track.
Academic : my undergrad gpa is 3.85 & my grad gpa is 3.5, certificated from several French "Ivy league schools" - my major field of study is engineering and I hold 1 BS + 1 MSEE + MD Finance. Age : almost 30 yo grrrrrrrrrrr
Experience : 4 years of full time working experience, 2 cumulated years of part time exp during studies ; breakdown is 1 as R&D project manager, 2 as a strategy consultant and 3 at an investor in a venture capital equityhouse.
I will re-take the test, just for the very reason I can not endure failure.
Question is : what is the best plan to schedule ?
Thanks for reading that long post and for your time.
Frederic
I really thought I had replied to this. Oh well.
If you have the time to study intensively, schedule the test for the last week of November/first week of December. Then, assuming your score goes up, use December to work on your application and submit in January.
Also, as I said earlier, applications from Europe are down. Your quant score is good; your work experience is strong; your academic record is excellent. You still -- even if your score doesn't go up -- have a chance at the top schools. For a European, that score is not a disaster. It's nothing to celebrate, but it doesn't automatically doom your application.
Good luck!
_________________
Linda Abraham
Accepted.com
labraham@accepted.com
310-815-9553
JUST PUBLISHED! MBA Admission for Smarties: The No-Nonsense Guide to Acceptance at Top Business Schools
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