Last visit was: 12 May 2026, 01:24 It is currently 12 May 2026, 01:24
Home
Messages
Tests
Schools
Events
Close
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.

Customized
for You

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History

Track
Your Progress

every week, we’ll send you an estimated GMAT score based on your performance

Practice
Pays

we will pick new questions that match your level based on your Timer History
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
Go to My Error Log Learn more
Close
Request Expert Reply
Confirm Cancel
avatar
JAE18
avatar
Joined: 31 Oct 2017
Last visit: 10 Aug 2018
Posts: 65
Own Kudos:
4
Schools: Tepper '20 (A)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Tepper '20 (A)
Posts: 65
Kudos: 4
Do you address below average GMAT score in optional essay? 26 Dec 2017, 18:27
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi all,

I feel I'm in a bit of a bind with my b-school applications. I'm applying round 2 which for many schools is in the next 2-3 weeks.

However, I scored below the average GMAT on my first attempt - 600. In some cases my score is within the middle 80% range but should I address my GMAT score in the optional essay or don't mention it at all? If so, how should I go about addressing it?

And what about in the cases where my GMAT is both below the average and outside the middle 80%? How should I treat that?

I have a pretty strong GPA of 3.9 in int'l business and finance from an accredited 4yr US university. Could this help to balance out my low GMAT score - particularly in quant (34) as I aced all my quant courses in undergrad?

Appreciate any honest feedback!

Thank you.


Sent from my iPhone using GMAT Club Forum mobile app
User avatar
bb
User avatar
Founder
Joined: 04 Dec 2002
Last visit: 11 May 2026
Posts: 43,268
Own Kudos:
83,830
Given Kudos: 24,695
Location: United States
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
GPA: 3
Products:
GMAT Club Tests Forum Quiz
Expert
Expert reply
GMAT 1: 750 Q49 V42
Posts: 43,268
Kudos: 83,830
Do you address below average GMAT score in optional essay? 26 Dec 2017, 19:05
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Are you taking the GMAT again? Or you have taken it twice? is that what you mean by "my first GMAT attempt"?
Usually, if you have several scores and unless you get 600 and 750 on the second one, you don't really need to explain anything.
avatar
JAE18
avatar
Joined: 31 Oct 2017
Last visit: 10 Aug 2018
Posts: 65
Own Kudos:
4
Schools: Tepper '20 (A)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Tepper '20 (A)
Posts: 65
Kudos: 4
Do you address below average GMAT score in optional essay? 26 Dec 2017, 19:26
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi bb thanks for your reply. I've only taken the GMAT once but I'm planning to take it again but since the exam is in two weeks (there are only 2 exam dates in January at my test centre) and I'm working on apps - 3 of which are all due 1 week before the test and 1 on test day itself, I'm not confident in being able to dedicate the amount of time I need on GMAT in order to really improve my score.

I'm considering rescheduling to the later exam date - Jan 23rd but will need to confirm with the schools if that's fine first. Beyond that, there are no other dates until end of February which is too late.

That being said, I'm applying with the 600 as that's the score I have and if I manage to significantly improve my score on the retake - I will submit my updated score. By that point though I wouldn't be able to add anything to my optional essay so was wondering if I needed to address the 600 score up front now...?


Sent from my iPhone using GMAT Club Forum
avatar
Jessica2020
avatar
Joined: 20 Apr 2017
Last visit: 01 Sep 2018
Posts: 19
Own Kudos:
8
Given Kudos: 4
Location: United States
Concentration: Strategy, General Management
Schools: Mason '20 (M$)
WE:Business Development (Non-Profit and Government)
Schools: Mason '20 (M$)
Posts: 19
Kudos: 8
Do you address below average GMAT score in optional essay? 26 Dec 2017, 19:31
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Not an expert here, but something to consider - do you have anything else worthy of needing explanation in that optional essay? Is the GMAT truly your biggest application weakness?
avatar
JAE18
avatar
Joined: 31 Oct 2017
Last visit: 10 Aug 2018
Posts: 65
Own Kudos:
4
Schools: Tepper '20 (A)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Tepper '20 (A)
Posts: 65
Kudos: 4
Do you address below average GMAT score in optional essay? 26 Dec 2017, 19:47
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Yes, I believe it is my biggest application weakness.

I plan to mention choice of recommender in the optional essay as some schools ask for that if current employer isn't used.




Sent from my iPhone using GMAT Club Forum
User avatar
Narenn
User avatar
Major Poster
Joined: 22 Feb 2012
Last visit: 12 May 2026
Posts: 9,304
Own Kudos:
11,312
 [3]
Given Kudos: 4,715
Affiliations: GMAT Club
Test: Test
Products:
GMAT Club Tests
Posts: 9,304
Kudos: 11,312
 [3]
Do you address below average GMAT score in optional essay? 26 Dec 2017, 20:08
Kudos
Add Kudos
3
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Here are couple of quotes from GMATClub MBA Guide on this topic. In a nutshell, you should address low GMAT in the optional essay only if you think your current GMAT score does not reflect your caliber and explain the circumstances that affected your exam score.

Page #101; Reapplicants.
Quote:
The Optimal Approach to Your Optional Essay
When brainstorming ideas for that optional essay, make sure that you cannot address the material elsewhere in the application. I frequently see the topic, “What I can contribute to your program.” This is an example of a topic that really should be addressed all throughout your application, and often fits well into the primary essay about goals and program selection. As a result it feels superfluous and redundant when used for the optional essay. In the second scenario described above you really need to be careful to follow their directions. The following is general advice and needs to be taken within the context of your overall strategy and the school that you are looking at. However, in GENERAL, the following topics are good material for this type of optional essay:
1) Explaining gaps in work experience
2) Explaining choice of recommender
3) Explaining extenuating circumstances effecting GPA, GMAT or other aspects of your profile. This does not mean that you need to explain why you received a 3.5 one quarter as opposed to your usual 3.8. Extenuating circumstances means that something happened that significantly impacted your application. Perhaps there was a family crisis, or you were experiencing health problems. If your GPA dipped during this time, it would be very important for the admissions committee to know this.
Show more


Page #106; When to submit an optional essay.
Quote:
Topics to include in most optional essays
There are some topics that a school will expect you to address in the optional essay and examples of these are poor grades in college (or in other higher ed programs), low GMAT score, breaks in education or employment, and recommenders who are not your managers. Hopefully you have an explanation for these, especially poor grades, which does not come across as an excuse. You should keep these explanations brief and if there’s something that you have done to address these issues, this is the place to include that information.
Show more
avatar
JAE18
avatar
Joined: 31 Oct 2017
Last visit: 10 Aug 2018
Posts: 65
Own Kudos:
4
Schools: Tepper '20 (A)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Tepper '20 (A)
Posts: 65
Kudos: 4
Do you address below average GMAT score in optional essay? 26 Dec 2017, 20:40
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Thanks for sharing Narenn! That guide looks extremely helpful.

With respect to the low GMAT score, I'm struggling as to how would I go about explaining it without it sounding like an excuse?


Sent from my iPhone using GMAT Club Forum
User avatar
ARLeeConsulting
User avatar
ARLee Consulting
Joined: 19 Dec 2017
Last visit: 08 May 2026
Posts: 496
Own Kudos:
217
 [1]
Status:MBA Admissions and Career Coaching by INSEAD alum and former Samsung HR Head.
Affiliations: INSEAD MBA'11D (experience as admissions interviewer), SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS
Read our Verified Client Reviews on GMAT Club:
Expert
Expert reply
Posts: 496
Kudos: 217
 [1]
Do you address below average GMAT score in optional essay? 26 Dec 2017, 20:50
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Hi JAE18,

if you do not have a compelling reason for your GMAT score, I would recommend you to simply state that the score does not represent you well, and that you are planning on retaking the GMAT. You could use your outstanding GPA to support this. If possible, in the optional essay, share the dates of your new test as well.

Good luck!
avatar
JAE18
avatar
Joined: 31 Oct 2017
Last visit: 10 Aug 2018
Posts: 65
Own Kudos:
4
Schools: Tepper '20 (A)
Products:
My Reviews
Schools: Tepper '20 (A)
Posts: 65
Kudos: 4
Do you address below average GMAT score in optional essay? 26 Dec 2017, 21:24
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
alexruizlee
Hi JAE18,

if you do not have a compelling reason for your GMAT score, I would recommend you to simply state that the score does not represent you well, and that you are planning on retaking the GMAT. You could use your outstanding GPA to support this. If possible, in the optional essay, share the dates of your new test as well.

Good luck!
Show more

Thanks for your feedback!


Sent from my iPhone using GMAT Club Forum mobile app
User avatar
Admissionado
User avatar
Admissionado
Joined: 30 Nov 2009
Last visit: 26 May 2024
Posts: 9,229
Own Kudos:
2,075
 [1]
Given Kudos: 69
Location: Chicago, IL
Expert
Expert reply
Schools: HBS - Class of 2005
Posts: 9,229
Kudos: 2,075
 [1]
Do you address below average GMAT score in optional essay? 28 Nov 2020, 09:12
1
Kudos
Add Kudos
Bookmarks
Bookmark this Post
Jumping in here in case there are others who are in the same boat -

The GMAT is the most objective component of your application. There's a reason why it is called a standardized test. It is the one area that allows the schools to objective compare students across every demographic category. The score is the score.

Plus, what written explanation could you possibly offer in the optional section that would actually sway the minds of the Admissions Committee? It's not as if you are only allowed to take the exam once or forced to submit every score. So even if something unusual happened on one exam, the admissions committee is aware that you have plenty of opportunities to make amends.

If anything, using the optional essay to talk about a sub-par GMAT score will not only draw attention to it (not that they will ever overlook the score in their decision making in the first place) but may also actually might work against you by portraying yourself as excuse-ridden. Focus on the other components of your application and hope that the score does not disqualify you from admission!

-The Admissionado Team
https://admissionado.com/