Average scores skewed on this forum?

I think you will naturally find a higher score average on a site like this. For a couple of reasons --

1) The website likely attracts those who are particularly serious about their GMAT so naturally, the scores here will tend to be higher than the national average.

2) A lot of people who take the GMAT do so with minimal studying thinking they can handle it.

3) There is at least some likelyhood that people who score "lower" than they want don't ever post their score. There are a lot of users who hang out and ask questions but never report their results. Naturally, one can expect that a larger portion of people who score "well" will post about it than those who do not. I.e. if 10 people score 650, maybe 8 will post about it. If 10 people score 400, maybe 2 will post about it.

According to the official score report I received from my first try about 6 weeks ago, the current mean is 526. Mean score is 27.3 for verbal and 35 for quantitative.

I totally agree with Rhyme about the scores reported here (not to mention that guy we busted that reported 800). People that come here are naturally very serious about their preparation. I think tha many people find this club after they struggle on their first attempt - I don't know how many times I have read "I wish I would have found this site sooner"; and they are then able to use the site to help prepare for a second try and hopefully a higher score.

I think there are also many people that take the GMAT but do not necessarily need a 600+ or 700+ score. I have a friend that is being sposored by his company to attend a local business school. I think the business school simply asked for a moderate (500 or 550 or something) score for admissions for sponsored students. My friend didn't have any need to visit and share at a site like this, where people are necessarily targeting and preparing for higher scores because the schools they are interested in require them.

So, I think the answer is that yes, the average GMAT is still in the low 500s, but as has always been the case, a minority of test-takers train diligently for higher scores, and those are the types you find here.

On a side not, I have read several articles and seen quite a bit of evidence that GMAT scores have steadily increased in importance, probably because of the impact average GMAT and selectivity have on business school rankings. I think the average GMAT at most top business schools are 30-50 points higher than they were 10 years ago.

I fall into the category of those who are company sponsored to go to a college with a high 400 mean score. Interesting to note however, on the schools website they say:

"In fall 2004, students who gained admission to evening programs and the One-Year MBA program submitted GPA's averaging about 3.0, and GMAT scores averaging 500"

But in the latest US News graduate school publication, the school is listed as having a mean in the mid 400's. Maybe they have old data, or maybe the school rounds up to look good

But anyway...I studied casually on weekends only, and only took 1 GMATprep test in its entirety and I got the mean score (or slightly less) of 500. I admit though, If I knew about this site 6 months ago I would have picked up the official guide (never seen it) and studied that along with a real study guide like Kaplan and taken a few more tests. Either way it just would have been for ego, because my company kinda has me by the balls and its either a state school (UB) or Canisius College where I went for undergrad to be able to remain an employee and have the reimbursement.

I felt like I was doing more like 530-550 during the test though, as I thought I was doing better than GMATprep which I got a 530 on.


I found it very interesting that my scores were nearly an even split, I was bracing myself for a math score that was much lower than my verbal. As I said, theres probably a reason Im the only person on this board that read GMAT for dummies...that was a waste of energy.

GMAT scores are absolutely on the rise and have been for some time.

For me, this is true as well. Sites such as this along with the growing GMAT prep industry cropping up are all creating a huge advantage that 10 years ago didn't exist in my opinion. So, as the resources and study materials increase, as we all get to see how 700+ scorers did it, it makes it easier and more likely that we will all score higher. We are blessed with the internet forums, and cursed, because EVERYONE has access to the same resource so everyone potentially will do better on the GMAT. SCores go up as a result it seems.

I didn't study at all and got a 540 (25Q 36 V) 3 years ago (I have my MBA now). Now, I am taking it again in the hopes of scoring high enough to enter a doctoral program. Sites like this help to know how to score higher and also that it seems almost anyone can score 680+ given enough time.

An unrelated question I have is why Doctoral programs use the GMAT to determine research acumen.... but that is for a different "question stem"

Like others have mentioned, people with better scores are more likely to report it than those who don't. The mean score in GMAT is 526, and 700 is 93%, so approximately for every reported 700+ score, you have 9 unreported lower scores.

GMAT is certainly becoming important, no matter what the adcoms say. I won't get into the analysis why because it's all been discussed elsewhere in this forum.

If you have a specific link to that discussion, please share.

I'd agree though, the premise of "the GMAT is only one part of the application" seems increasingly unlikely to me. I support this view through a handful of supporting items. First, anecdotal - the unanimous response from current or ex graduates when told of my MBA score is clear "Oh your fine", "You'll get in", "Yea, no problem". While this is meerly anecdotal - I can't help at be suprised at the level of cohesiveness in these responses. I've never had a single graduate say "Yea, but whats your GPA?" or "Yea but how are your extracurriculars?" The perception, at least among graduates of the elite and ultra elite, is that the GMAT will make a world of difference. I'm inclined to believe this, though I think the students overweight it. That being said, when speaking with a student reader for the admissions committee at an ultra elite, the very first question of her mouth was "Whats your GMAT?". Interesting for sure.

Second, its in the schools best interest not to discourage applicants. The more they get, the lower the accept, the more competitive they appear. It's really kind of a farce. I mean, if I told you that I had 10 job offers and turned them all down, you'd think I'm nuts. If I told you I had 10 job offers to clean out toilets with my tongue, you'd think I was spot on. It's a game and it benefits the school.

lol

blackmaxx, I have to ask - how the hell do you add these hilarious emoticons?!

Post reply, click the link that says 'view more emoticons' which is on the left underneath the standard emoticons. This site has great emoticons for being about a pretty mundane subject.

Old post but . . .

I think the nature of the gmat facilitates lower gmat scores. Because of the ease and anonymity of taking the gmat, many people take it on a whim than other standardized tests.

I am not sure if the LSAT or MCAT still does so, but I believe they are administered two or three times during the year. In addition, test takers are grouped together to take the exam, and if they do poorly, have to wait a few months before re-taking. On the other hand, gmat test takers can just go to any testing center and take the exam among other people who are taking various other exams. There is a bit less pressure in that process.

So what does all of that add up to?

Well, mix in the fact that the bschool route is less "specialized" than med or law school (people go to law/med school to become a lawyer/doctor; people go to bschool to be a consultant/ibanker/trader/marketing/advisor/manager/etc.), I think many people take the gmat to "test the waters." Combine that with the ease of test accessibility (easy to re-test), people just prepare less for the gmat.

There are tons of people who score in the 300-400 range who said what the heck, took the test and realized bschool isn't for them. Thank goodness for them, pumping up our percentages in the process.

A reasonable argument. I buy it.

I agree with most everything said here. People who score less than the average for this site (which to me often seems like 700) are less likely to post. I posted thanks, even though I only scored a 610. I know this site helped me, and was also hoping my post would encourage more low scorers to post.

Also, this site is for serious preparation. I have a friend I studied business with in undergrad who is bored with his job, and asked me for my preparation materials so he could take the GMAT. I feel like giving him the wealth of knowledge I've accumulated with the books and this site is a little unfair; I had to work my butt off to figure things out. His approach is "yeah, I figure I can do a problem or two during lunch hour to prepare for it." HA. He's in for a rude awakening.

I have a co-worker who is going to start studying for the gmat in January. I've told him that since I've already gone through with it, I can give him some tips and a study plan.

He is just "whatever" about it. Like the GMAT is nothing.

There are certainly tons of people who scored lower than 500, but it is also a fact that high scores are becoming more and more common. The GMAT will definitely change or even move to other forms of admission test or procedure one day, once it is not effective any more.

Sadly, for some, "whatever" is the appropriate response. I have friends who pulled 700+s with minimal studying - a week or two. I know of at least one guy who pulled that off without studying - just went and took the exam, and studied on the train ride to the center.