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gmatclb
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ncprasad
Use the percentile you received. They will verify your score/percentile against YOUR official score report.


I am not so sure about that. Check with GMAC.

When I asked for my GRE scores 4 years after I had taken the exam, the score report showed the lower percentile.
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ncprasad
Use the percentile you received. They will verify your score/percentile against YOUR official score report.

the official score report changes too


Yep you're right, I retook a month ago and the percentiles from the tests I took 2 years ago changed.
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If you sent your report to the school right when you took the test, you should not face this issue. %change may happen only when you try to send your old score again or retake the exam.

EVen logically, the change in % does not make sense. By definition, GMAT % refers to your relative performance compared to test takers in the last 2(3) years before your test date.

So, tell me how your relative % can change based on performance of test takers AFTER you finished your GMAT.

I would go with the %s on my official score report and not worry about % changes.
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ncprasad


EVen logically, the change in % does not make sense. By definition, GMAT % refers to your relative performance compared to test takers in the last 2(3) years before your test date.

So, tell me how your relative % can change based on performance of test takers AFTER you finished your GMAT.


Can't agree more, for two reasons:

1) It's a competition. If the avg gmat across the top 15 schools was 750, we'd all shoot for 750 instead of 700.

2) My percentile dropped as well. haha
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I just called GMAC because I was curious about this too.

Well, it turns out that they do send the new percentiles on the new score reports that are ordered. I am not sure how this would work for schools that you sent your report to when you did the exam.

Either way, 1 or 2% should not matter but reporting the latest on the application should not hurt.
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ncprasad

EVen logically, the change in % does not make sense. By definition, GMAT % refers to your relative performance compared to test takers in the last 2(3) years before your test date.


Although I understand the definition of the % you mentioned, I disagree with your post. Imagine you had a 90% when you took the test, but you are now actually applying, your percentile has to change. I talked to a manager from my firm and when he took the exam (10 years ago) he made 46 or so on the Q and his percentile was 93%, now a 49 doesn´t give you a 90%!!!!
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I know it shouldn't matter, but I don't want schools to think that I tried to fudge the application.

Plus it looks better to report a percentage point 1 higher.
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gmatclb
I know it shouldn't matter, but I don't want schools to think that I tried to fudge the application.

Plus it looks better to report a percentage point 1 higher.


How can the school reasonably know that you knew of the percentage change? You're not one of those freaks who laments over the gmat and posts constantly on some forum, are you? Are you?

Freak.
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gmatclb
I know it shouldn't matter, but I don't want schools to think that I tried to fudge the application.

Plus it looks better to report a percentage point 1 higher.

How can the school reasonably know that you knew of the percentage change? You're not one of those freaks who laments over the gmat and posts constantly on some forum, are you? Are you?

Freak.


You're right. I'm overreacting. I'll just write a 2 page optional essay and address the potential error in GMAT percentiles.
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gmatclb

You're right. I'm overreacting. I'll just write a 2 page optional essay and address the potential error in GMAT percentiles.


Are you serious? You are still overreacting. There's no reason for you to write an options essay on something like this. Just post the percentiles that you got in your original report. It's not your problem if percentiles change afterwards. ps, this must be a very typical case for adcoms. They would expect such discrepancies.
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gmatclb

You're right. I'm overreacting. I'll just write a 2 page optional essay and address the potential error in GMAT percentiles.

Are you serious? You are still overreacting. There's no reason for you to write an options essay on something like this. Just post the percentiles that you got in your original report. It's not your problem if percentiles change afterwards. ps, this must be a very typical case for adcoms. They would expect such discrepancies.


Looks like you missed the sarcasm in gmatclb's post. :-D
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Sarcasm is so tough to do on the internet.
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If you read GMAT Score Report, it says:

"The percentile ranking tables change every year, which means that your ranking may change as well. The most up-to-date version is available on https://www.mba.com.

So the percentiles change but I believe your Scaled Score won't change. There should be no impact on your apps since adcoms should understand that there is no point in taking the GMAT again due to this change and your score is representative of you ability compared to the test takers pool at the time of your test. In other words, your score is relative and representative.
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ohhhh ... where the heck was the </sarcasm> tag???
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I will just report the scores I got in January when I took the test. No adcom requires applicants to check with GMAC's current percentiles and report updated results.

Screw percentile dynamics!

If you have taken the GMAT and decided on your schools, why would you care about those percentage changes, anyways? I am agonizing over my essays right now, and I have long put the GMAT trouble behind me. And so should you.