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26 Jul 2019, 15:26
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Hey All,
I am posting to get some advice on if it is at all worth me considering retaking the GMAT again. I have taken the GMAT 5 times already with the goal of landing a score around a 710+ just to feel comfortable with applying to top 15 schools. Unfortunately my tests have all had the same trend ( aside from the first which I canceled due to totally bombing it ). I continuously score in the 700+ range on one section while the other dips. My past two tests have been at 690 with my most recent coming in at a higher quant. My practice tests have usually hovered around 700 - 760 so it's not odd that I score a 690.
690 ( Q46, V38 )
690 ( Q42, V42 )
660 ( Q41, V40 )
650 ( Q47, V33 )
Canceled
I was planning on targeting the top 5 and I applied to HBS, Sloan, and Booth last R2 but got dinged with my 690 ( Q42, V42 ). Not sure a 690 ( Q46, V38 ) will change much in the upcoming R1 cycle where I will be targeting the following schools: HBS, Sloan, Tuck, Cornell Tech MBA.
Background info below:
Personal Info: 28, Male, White.
Education: Liberal Arts Degree from Top 50 U.S. University ( Studied Philosophy & Advanced Logic )
GPA: 3.5
Professional Exp: I have 6.5 years of work experience. I work in the Tech/Startup space and have worked at 5 startups including Uber and my own company. I am currently a Senior Manager at a unicorn startup while also helping to build a new company that is starting to raise seed money.
Volunteer Exp: I work as a Pro Bono Consultant for Nonprofits focused on the arts. I also volunteered for a nonprofit to teach entrepreneurship at inner city schools. I just started volunteering for a nonprofit focused on selling used clothes to fund scholarships.
Purpose of MBA: I am looking to build foundational skills specifically in finance and strategy. I am looking for entrepreneur heavy programs.
Goal on Graduating: Start my own company / work in VC
I am posting to get some advice on if it is at all worth me considering retaking the GMAT again. I have taken the GMAT 5 times already with the goal of landing a score around a 710+ just to feel comfortable with applying to top 15 schools. Unfortunately my tests have all had the same trend ( aside from the first which I canceled due to totally bombing it ). I continuously score in the 700+ range on one section while the other dips. My past two tests have been at 690 with my most recent coming in at a higher quant. My practice tests have usually hovered around 700 - 760 so it's not odd that I score a 690.
690 ( Q46, V38 )
690 ( Q42, V42 )
660 ( Q41, V40 )
650 ( Q47, V33 )
Canceled
I was planning on targeting the top 5 and I applied to HBS, Sloan, and Booth last R2 but got dinged with my 690 ( Q42, V42 ). Not sure a 690 ( Q46, V38 ) will change much in the upcoming R1 cycle where I will be targeting the following schools: HBS, Sloan, Tuck, Cornell Tech MBA.
Background info below:
Personal Info: 28, Male, White.
Education: Liberal Arts Degree from Top 50 U.S. University ( Studied Philosophy & Advanced Logic )
GPA: 3.5
Professional Exp: I have 6.5 years of work experience. I work in the Tech/Startup space and have worked at 5 startups including Uber and my own company. I am currently a Senior Manager at a unicorn startup while also helping to build a new company that is starting to raise seed money.
Volunteer Exp: I work as a Pro Bono Consultant for Nonprofits focused on the arts. I also volunteered for a nonprofit to teach entrepreneurship at inner city schools. I just started volunteering for a nonprofit focused on selling used clothes to fund scholarships.
Purpose of MBA: I am looking to build foundational skills specifically in finance and strategy. I am looking for entrepreneur heavy programs.
Goal on Graduating: Start my own company / work in VC
26 Jul 2019, 16:29
Kudos
Bookmarks
Moving it to the Ask admissions consultants forum.
PS. You can go into individual schools and then check the schools decision tracker from past years to see you stack up with admitted applicants in years passed.
In general top 5 is hard without a 700+ since the average is 720/730 but i’d guess 20% likely get in with a sub 700 score. The question is - do you feel your profile is better than 80% of the applicants?
Posted from my mobile device
PS. You can go into individual schools and then check the schools decision tracker from past years to see you stack up with admitted applicants in years passed.
In general top 5 is hard without a 700+ since the average is 720/730 but i’d guess 20% likely get in with a sub 700 score. The question is - do you feel your profile is better than 80% of the applicants?
Posted from my mobile device
02 Aug 2019, 13:45
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hey mbahopeful13,
Sorry to hear the GMAT is a frustration. Thanks for posting here and asking for advice.
Candidates are admitted regularly to the schools you listed with a 690. Those candidates, however, have to overcome that sub-average score with some shimmer and shine in other areas of their application - their undergraduate prestige, prestige of their employers, community involvement, and superb application/essay/interview execution. Some also get a boost from their demographics.
In your case, you certainly seem to have the employment prestige going for you - maybe. You mention you have worked at 5 different start-ups in 6.5 years. At first glance, that looks awfully suspicious. If you can construct a rationale narrative that communicates how you added value to each in a short period of time, you should be okay. But that is a glaring red flag without further explanation.
Your community involvement is certainly there, assuming you have made a noticeable difference in your various activities. Undergraduate prestige probably does not jump out at the AdComs either based on your post.
Candidly, with a 690, HBS is going to be a big stretch for you. Tuck and Sloan will be difficult, but not impossible. If you choose to stick with your GMAT, a perfectly-executed application could score you an admit.
We are Tuck graduates at Lionheart Admissions, and we have helped clients with similar obstacles get admitted to the top programs. Please reach out if you'd like to chat further about your candidacy!
Sorry to hear the GMAT is a frustration. Thanks for posting here and asking for advice.
Candidates are admitted regularly to the schools you listed with a 690. Those candidates, however, have to overcome that sub-average score with some shimmer and shine in other areas of their application - their undergraduate prestige, prestige of their employers, community involvement, and superb application/essay/interview execution. Some also get a boost from their demographics.
In your case, you certainly seem to have the employment prestige going for you - maybe. You mention you have worked at 5 different start-ups in 6.5 years. At first glance, that looks awfully suspicious. If you can construct a rationale narrative that communicates how you added value to each in a short period of time, you should be okay. But that is a glaring red flag without further explanation.
Your community involvement is certainly there, assuming you have made a noticeable difference in your various activities. Undergraduate prestige probably does not jump out at the AdComs either based on your post.
Candidly, with a 690, HBS is going to be a big stretch for you. Tuck and Sloan will be difficult, but not impossible. If you choose to stick with your GMAT, a perfectly-executed application could score you an admit.
We are Tuck graduates at Lionheart Admissions, and we have helped clients with similar obstacles get admitted to the top programs. Please reach out if you'd like to chat further about your candidacy!
