720 (Q45, V44, IR7): Is this Unbalanced score an issue?

Hi OCSC1290,

Thank you for your post. There are a couple of points of nuance to consider in order to fully answer this question. The first is how your score(s) stack up in context of your applicant pool. If you are an investment banking applicant from an overrepresented personal demographic, then (even pushing aside the splits for a second) the 720 feels like a "minimum viable score" -- you could go to battle with it if you want, you will read things that say "720 is the new 700" (meaning the baseline score to target to "check the box"), but as great of a score as I think it is and as much as you should be proud of it, it is likely going to be a little bit of a drag on you if you are from an overrepresented applicant pool targeting the T10.

Second, I did note in your profile that you got a Q47 on your other exam. Adcoms will see that. So while the optics of the Q45 are unfriendly, at least you have the Q47. The Q47 is solid but not itself a shining star -- I would almost think of it in similar terms as the 720... a nice score, but a bit below the average for T10 programs, which can hurt a little if you're an overrepresented applicant targeting the T10. Relatively few schools publish their Q/V verbal averages, but where I've seen it, HBS has posted Q48 and Q49 medians in recent years, while Tuck has posted Q47s and Q48s. (Note, however, that Harvard's Q48 and Tuck's Q47 came in their current first-year class, and we saw some score depression in the "Covid class," so I would assume more of a Q49 median for HBS and a Q48 average for Tuck.)

Third, I would be curious to know your GPA and other IR scores. Overall, however, if you are from an overrepresented applicant pool and you are truly gung-ho about T10s, I think that the 720 and the Q47 -- as slightly below average scores -- would create some drag for you. If you have the stomach for another retake, trying to hit Q48+ and/or pairing your best Q and V on the same day (much easier said than done, I know) would be ideal.

Thanks!
Greg

Edit on Jul 18, 2022: Corrected a typo ("solid" instead of "sold")