Disappointing 640(Q49,V27)

Question

Yesterday, I made a second attempt at GMAT and result was disappointing 640(Q49,V27). I was hoping that I will be able to touch 700 this time. In my first attempt, it got 610(Q50,V23). After my first attempt, I foucssed a lot on verbal but improvement has been very meager(4 points). Now I don't know... what to do? Got MGMAT verbal, OG Verbal, Kaplan Verbal and still could not make the cut...

Should I make another attempt or leave it and try to see best school possible with this score. I have about 8.5 years work experience so I believe that going to second run B-school may not be rewarding enough. So not able to decide on this front as well...... Any suggestions mates.........??

trahul4 · Answer

N750,

It is not recommended to take the GMAT for the 3rd time. However, if you feel that you can score 720+ on your third test , then go ahead, but still 3 attpemts dont look good. 
By the way, what are your target scools and whats your profile like?

Finding Perdition · Answer

Well... i am sort of in a similar state...but it aint that uniform... prob messed on first 10 questions..that is what hap with me... just concentrate on app..trahul4 is right...

FP

N750 · Answer

Trahul4
I am a mechanical engineer and post graduate in industrial engineering. I have 8.5 years experience in IT and of that 6 years is international(US and Europe).

I have good acad. 84% in BE and 80% in post graduation. I was topper in bachelor so i guess this will help to a extent.

Dreamt of big league schools but with 640, it seems very difficult.

I did some research to find schools with 80% GMAT range touching 640 and saw that Yale, LBS and Oxford does figure in that list. However, I am part of this Indian IT pool so I am not sure if this 640 applies to me.
If I can get into any of these then I will happily take it.........

Do I stand a fair chance for any of these big league schools.....

any suggestions ??

I saw on this forum that several people got 700+ scope on 3rd or 4th attempt as well so I am still not sure if I should go for 3rd attempt........

bsd_lover · Answer

Hi N750,

For starters, taking it again is a good idea IF and only IF you are confident that you can gain 50 points or so .. (to take you to 690 and above). So I think that you shouldn't rush into the GMAT again without adequate preparation.

Having said that, your GMAT results are actually very easy to analyse. You Quant is sensational (having cracked 50 once). You just need to fine tune you verbals. How did you prepare for Verbal the second time ? Did you use GMatter ? Did you take the gmatprep tests before giving the GMAT to get an idea of what your score will be ? 

Do some serious work at the forums here on the verbal and I feel that you can get your dream GMAT score.

good luck.

N750 · Answer

For the second time, I bought additional books - Kaplan 800, Kaplan premier and about 20 days before the exam I got MGMAT SC book as well. 
I think I should have picked MGMAT SC book earlier but I was not aware that this is best of the lot. I came to know about this book here in the forum. But I studied this book well and did MGMAT CAT as well.

I did not practice with Gmatter as I was not aware of its existence but now I have got a hold of it and will check it out.

Actually 2 days before the exam, I did give Gmatprep and I scored 740 there( there were couple of repeats there so it was not a true score) but still I was hoping that I will touch 700 in the real exam.

I have below books -
PRC cracking the GMAT, Kaplan Verbal, 800 and premier
MGMAT SC
OG 11 and OG Verbal.

Am I missing any important piece ?

bsd_lover · Answer

Are you able to assess what is your real weakness in Verbal ? Whether its RC, CR or SC ?

trahul4 · Answer

N750,

Your profile looks good but i think you need to ask Paul in ask accepted forum to get a clear idea. Personally i wouldn't take the GMAT for the 3rd time and instead concentrate on second tier schools. But yes its again my personal opinion. Good luck and keep us updated on what decision you take.

N750 · Answer

Thanks Trahul4.

My RC is weak and SC is also bit of trouble because I am not able to finish that in time. So invariablly I am forced to guess to on last 5-6 questions.....I think If I got 4 of them wrong then it can easily sink my score by atleat 4-5 points.

bsd_lover · Answer

To improve these aspects of Verbal, try using the Gmatter software. https://www.gmatter.biz. Good luck.

FN · Answer

640 is an awsome score dude..

here are a couple of examples...AMTVAL an avid gmatclubber like you got into Tuck with a 640, my cousin got into Kellog with a 640...lots and lots of people with a 640 have gotten to big league schools..

trahul4 · Answer

good to know this

tsaditya · Answer

Well you can always give it again. Its quite easy to add another 60-70 points to your score.

riverripper · Answer

Schools don't really look down on people taking the test 3 or 4 times. Its once you get beyond 4 that some schools really care. I know someone who got into LBS, Duke, and Ross after taking the test 6 times. 

You don't need to bring your score up to 720+ to justify taking it again like someone suggested. If you think you can bring it up 40-50 points it definitely will help your odds, the close you get to the schools average GMAT the better your chances. Since you are so far out of college adcoms are going to look at your GMAT as an indicator of your current academic abilities.

Not to say you can't get in to a top school with a 640 but it is immensely more difficult. The GMAT is one thing you can control to a certain degree and you may be much better served to study hard and retake the test one more time and then apply R2.

empty_spaces · Answer

this might seem like a dumb question coming from someone who has been preparing for GMAT for last 4-5 weeks, but what is GMATTER?

N750 · Answer

Thanks Riverripper. I am planning to retake exam on 25th Sept.

trahul4 · Answer

Goodluck N750!

bsd_lover · Answer

Its a software that simulates the verbal part of GMAT on the screen. It comes default with a very large bank of questions. Download it from https://www.gmatter.biz

N750 · Answer

Thanks Trahul4

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Disappointing 640(Q49,V27)

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