Scored 730, but need 750+...please advise

Probably bigger than either of us scoring 800 on the GMAT?

I am sure that placeholder in the template was the same for both of us before the emails went out...lol

I understand the rejections, but please, explain to me how a better GMAT score can hurt my chances. The Stanford median is exactly 730 for last year.
I could also settle for UCLA or UCB.

Well, for most people the time invested in a 2nd GMAT is better spent on strengthening other aspects of their profile. A re-take might hurt you in that sense. Also, UCLA and UCB are not easy schools to get into. Dont presume that you will get in, or will have to settle for those schools. That is a really naive statement that reinforces the need for you to research other aspects of the application process.

ncprasad has given you good advice.

A higher score will not weaken your application, but the time you spend into preparing for a retake would be much better invested in building extracurricular, entrepreneurial or community involvement experience. Unless you have reason to believe that you were not completely prepared to take the GMAT the first time, you would probably do better to spend time strengthening other aspects of your application.

Moreover, if you guessed on the last 7 math questions and still managed a q49, you should probably count yourself extremely lucky. That may or may not be the case if you take the test again? Of course you may be comfortable with taking the gamble, but why tempt fate?

One final comment - if you are already looking at Anderson and Haas as "safeties" this attitude is very likely going to be discernible in your applications and any subsequent interviews. I wouldn't think it's advisable to approach applications to schools of Anderson and Haas' caliber with this mindset. In any case you would be surprised at how selective both these schools really are.

Thanks so much for the concern guys.
To clarify one thing, I am not looking at Anderson and Haas as "safeties". More like the second tier of schools I wish to end up. They may be top 10 school and mega-selective, but really the difference between their selection rate and Stanford's is significant (40% vs 10%). Not to mention the lower yield at those two schools compared to Stanford's yield. Stanford is by far the most selective school in the world by a mile and almost nobody turns down admission there.
What I meant was that I wouldn't necessarily get depressed and frustrated if I don't get in to Stanford because realistically chances are I won't get in. But if I also don't get in Anderson and Haas for 2009, then I'll work on my application and try again in 2010. Since, I view this as a long process and I'm not necessarily rushed, I think re-taking GMAT and try to score better is only normal. Especially, since I did feel I undeperformed a bit. Just a bit, but keep in mind I didn't use well or at all any of the good resources that this site pointed me to. Unfortunately, I discovered this forum after I took the GMAT. Now, with all that new information I have a shot at trying to reach my absolute potential on the GMAT. If I manage to squeeze enough time into it, I'll give it a try and see what happens.

First of all, congrats on the great score! I personally would not retake it. You asked how it can "hurt" your chances. My opinion, based on what I have read, is that an adcom may question an applicant's motivation for retaking after a 700+...it almost makes them think the applicant is trying to compensate for some other weak part of their application. They may look at the other parts more carefully. That being said, I can totally understand what you mean about feeling like you are capable of scoring better. I scored a 49 on Quant when I reworked GMAT Prep #1 the day before the real test, but I got a 48 on the test. It makes me think I am capable of scoring a 49 on the real one. I also feel I could have brought my scaled verbal score up a point or two. For me though, the difference between 700 and 720 simply isn't worth it. Plus, the risk of scoring lower is scary....Anyway, good luck to you!

Oh yeah, I agree with StartupAddict's advice of continuing to rework the GMAT Preps. In hindsight, I wish I would have done this more. Also, I thought the MGMAT CAT's had difficult math problems too.

I won't be sending my second score to the schools of interest unless I see the score and it is 760+. If I can't score that high in my second attempt, the schools will never know I re-took the test and will only know about that 730 score. But if I score 760-770, I think it is safe to say it will be of my benefit to send that score even if that means schools find out that I took the test twice.

Moreover, I am not really thinking of re-taking it because I think a better score would increase my chances to get in tremendously (that Stanford comment was sort of a joke). I am re-taking it because I felt I wasn't aware of the best preparation materials before and therefore did not prepare all that well...and because I want to challenge myself and reach and see what my limits are.

Unless you have already submitted your applications, every school you chose to send score reports to on your first attempt will also see your scores from your second attempt, whether you choose to send score reports to them the second time or not.

So your assumption that you will simply not send them your scores if you get less than 760, and that the schools won't know about the second attempt, is false.

When you send a school a score report, the schools are simply given access to your electronic record, so they will see 730 and whatever other scores you get on any subsequent test attempts.

The schools of interest already received that 730 score (officially). Why would they keep looking for an updated score report? I don't think they'll know for any further attempts unless I officially send those new scores to them.

The schools don't get a postcard saying chineseburned got a 730.

Once you submit your application to the schools you also reported scores to, they will log on to GMAC, punch in your information to verify your reported score, and at that point they will also have your entire score history available.

I don't think it's a very important issue, but I just wanted to point out that you can't choose to "hide" your subsequent test scores from schools you originally reported your scores to.

You confused me now. So, if this is the case, what is the purpose of spending money on sending official score reports? Or what is the purpose of specifying which schools to receive your score at the time of taking the test?

solaris1, I dont think it is true that schools see all scores even if u did not send the latest score to them. I called GMAC and confirmed this before I retook GMAT.

chineseburned, do the same. Call GMAC and check for yourself.

Deleted to avoid confusion: See ncprasad's post below. I am mistaken - only past score history is reported to schools selected to receive GMAT scores.



And +1 ncprasad.

Don't worry solaris1. I'll just have to call GMAC and find out.

solaris1, I just found this on the mba.com website.

Selecting Your New Score-Report Recipients
If you retake the test and want to send your new scores to programs you have previously designated as score recipients, you must select these programs at the time you retake the GMAT® exam or order an Additional Score Report after your exam. Your scores from all of your test dates within the last five (5) years will be reported to the programs you designate as score recipients.

https://www.mba.com/mba/takethegmat/regi ... hetest.htm

I think this settles it. You can retake without worrying about schools finding about your score.

Ok, cool. Thanks for the info. That was what I thought originally.