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jotce
Hello

I just took my GMAT for the second time and am now at a loss as to whether to accept or cancel the score (I cancelled it in the meantime).

I got an overall 690 score with IR of 3. The quant score was low at about 45th percentile, while my verbal was at 95th percentile. (I can't remember the exact scores since I was in shock when I saw the scores).

The results for my first try was 680. IR8; quant 46 (57 percentile) and verbal 38 (85 percentile).

I hope to seek advice on whether I should accept the second score? The overall is higher by 10 points but the quant and IR scores are much lower.

I am hoping to apply for INSEAD MBA, and was really aiming for >700. So this is really quite disappointing for me! I dont think I am able to try for a 3rd time too. ? Pls advise and thanks vv much!

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bb has already given you the right advice of giving it one more try.
You have a great percentile in Verbal, but 45 to 57 percentile is too mediocre to stand out. The drop in Quant could be because of extra attention towards verbal or it could be just that you require to improve upon your fundamentals.

It is not all that difficult to look for an improvement of 3-4 points in quant in a month. Just be focused and pick up a good course after looking at their free trials.
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690 is not a score that should be cancelled.
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[quote="EducationAisle"]690 is [u]not[/u] a score that should be cancelled.[/quote]

I am worried that accepting the score will highlight my weakness in Quant and IR though. Since both scores are way below average the second time. Not sure if this is a valid concern?


Thanks everyone for your replies! I will definitely think about whether to retake the exam again.

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Indeed, schools might have an individual cut-off for Quant and Verbal. However as per my experience, most schools, especially for courses that are not Quant focused, are more interested in the total score.

We have had many students, with rather skewed score distributions, making it to top schools in India. Just some time back, one of our students, who had a Q44 V44, made it to a top school.
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Which all colleges are you targeting?

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Hi jotce,

First off, both a 680 and 690 are strong Scores, so either could be enough to get you into your first-choice School. That having been said, your Quant Scaled Scores might be seen as a 'red flag' at certain Programs. Many Business Schools view an Applicant's Quant Scaled Score as an indicator of how that Applicant might handle the 'academic side' of the Program - and a Quant Score in the low-Q40s won't impress anyone. That score implies that you did okay on many of the "math" questions that you saw on Test Day, but you made a number of little mistakes throughout the section and you missed out on LOTS of 'strategy-based' points. This is meant to say that by focusing on Quant Tactics, you'll be better able to increase your GMAT Score AND better impress how Business School Admissions Officers will view your potential to handle their respective Programs.

Since you have a specific School in mind, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile and plans. Those Experts should be able to answer your Admissions questions and help define the specific areas of your profile that could use some improvement.

There's a Forum full of those Experts here:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admissio ... tants-124/

If you do choose to retest, before I can offer you the specific advice that you’re looking for, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

1) How long have you studied in total? How many hours do you typically study each week?
2) What study materials have you used over the course of ALL of your studies?
3) On what dates did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?

You might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report for your most recent attempt. While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
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Hi jotce,

I agree that retaking is a good move; however, why do you not think you can take the GMAT for a 3rd time?
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