740 gmat score with a 2 in IR. Should I retake the test ?

Question

Hey everyone. A bit of a weird one this one. I took the gmat today and got a 740 with q48 and v42. Super low IR of 2. I am a bit concerned about it. Does this IR component warrant a second attempt or would it not matter all that much when it comes to b school applications ?

Any help in this regard would be great.

I am a chef from India, with 8 years experience in five star hotel kitchens( 7 years as a sous chef and a year as an executive chef ) . How good are my chances of getting into a good b school with this score ?

Archit3110 · Answer

congratulations for your score of 740 , for low IR well most of the schools do not even look into it , but alot of others like INSEAD do look into IR score and expect score of 6 from its applicants..
you can always check with adcom on the school requirements of the IR score...

AndrewN · Answer

Hello,  sujoshk . Congratulations on earning a fine total score. The IR score does stand out, but on its own, it should not warrant a retake. If you are aiming to gain admission to an ultra-competitive program, then anything you can do to improve your chances will help; if you are targeting schools outside the U.S. or programs within the country that have a strong reputation but are not M7s, then you should be fine. Keep in mind that the GMAT™ is a single component of an application, and a total score is way more important than a separately reported IR (or AWA) score.

Good luck with your pursuits.

- Andrew

ThatDudeKnows · Answer

Roughly 3/4ths of schools have said that IR IS a factor in admissions. My advice is to email whoever from the admissions committees at your top pick schools and let them know that you hit a GMAT score that you think, when paired with the rest of your application, should be a-okay to be considered a strong candidate. You'd be happy not to have to retake, but you will if the school weights IR since that school is your first choice. Do they consider IR in admissions decisions?

I like the approach of contacting the person on the committee for SOME reason in advance. Yield (the rate at which accepted applicants actually matriculate) is a factor in many rankings. Ideally a school would accept the exact number of students that they want to have enroll and every one of those students would attend. THIS is why schools care that they're your first pick. It's not about some campfire song interest in fit. It's not about ego. It's about metrics. Anything you can do to have someone on the adcom know your name and know that you've already gone to the effort to find out that school's specific approach to admissions because it's your first pick increases the chance that they'll believe that they're your first pick. If they're deciding between you and someone else who may or may not have a different first pick, you've at least given them a reason to pick you. So, reach out. Ask. Tell them you really want that school, so you're tailoring your process to theirs.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi sujoshk,

Out of curiosity, to which schools are you planning to apply? Also, what are the average GMAT scores for those schools?

sujoshk · Answer

Thanks for writing back, Scott.

For me scholarship and affordability in general are going to play a major part in choosing schools and ultimately attending them. Also, it's going to be a career shift for me.
I am a career chef who wants to transition into the corporate world. It's a very unusual thing to do.
All things considered im looking at the following. Will further shortlist in the coming days...

High Hanging Fruits : 
Yale ( 730 )
Johnson ( Cornell ) ( 710 )
Chicago Booth ( 730 )
Sloan ( 730 )
NYU Stern ( 720 )

Low hanging fruits : 
Indian School of Business ( 700 )
Rotman ( Canada ) ( 670 )
Kelley ( Indiana ) ( 680 )
McCombs ( university of texas ) ( 710 )

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

So, based on your overall GMAT score, I think you are OK. Have you decided what to do yet?

sujoshk · Answer

You know truth be told I'm a b8t clueless right now... penning down thoughts and ideas at the moment...

Posted from my mobile device

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

You know truth be told I'm a b8t clueless right now... penning down thoughts and ideas at the moment...

Do you have the stomach for another GMAT?

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Do you have the stomach for another GMAT?

sujoshk · Answer

I don't think I can take the test again. I'm kind of burned out at the moment.

Posted from my mobile device

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

So, then you have your answer.

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740 gmat score with a 2 in IR. Should I retake the test ?

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