Long time lurker here...

I think the more likely issue in most cases is that the GMAT is only important to a point--it's critical to reach your school's minimum acceptable threshold for GMAT scores (whatever that might be), but there's not a ton of value in exceeding that threshold. Based on my experience, once you're in the range of GMAT scores for applicants they'd realistically consider, other factors become much more important for determining whether you'll actually get in.

In my case, I scored 780, and I got the el rejecto from one top 10 school, while I got wait listed by another top 10. My u-grad GPA was good, too, I certainly wasn't overconfident in my applications, and I'm not a one-dimensional robot type. What seems to have sunk me, though, is that I'm a little older and my work experience isn't super impressive. In the end, I think that those two things were a hell of a lot more important than my numbers.

In any case, I did get into a couple of 30- to 40-range schools with full scholarships. The high GMAT score probably played a pretty significant role in the scholarship decision, but I'm guessing I would have still been accepted (prob w/less money) at those two schools if my GMAT score had been 80 points lower.

Well, I can't remember where I read it, perhaps one of Sandy's threads on Business Week before that site went by the wayside, but somebody (very authoritative I know) said that an 800 throws up a red flag at Stanford. The 800s mostly bombed the interview because their 800 was a function of their relative weirdness, which came out in the interview.

Though I haven't yet applied to schools (I am this fall), it appears as though you just need to check the proverbial box with the GMAT. You just need to demonstrate that you're smart enough, not the smartest person in the world. Over and above is nice, and helps with scholarships and potentially getting the initial interview, but by and large GMAT scores take on this uber-significance because they are the only metric that each candidate has in common. Unlike law school admissions, which are just a raw numbers game (LSAT + GPA = your chances), business schools appear much more holistic. Through some unscientific formula, ADCOMs are giving points for your undergrad if it's an exclusive one, the selectivity of jobs you have, performance, extras, etc.

My buddy's roommate at HBS was an 800 GMAT guy. They graduated a few years ago. He said he was just naturally brilliant and pretty much coasted through school.
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Stanford's Classes of 2011 & 2008 both have 800 GMATs: http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/mba/admissi ... ile-p.html

Many congratulations.....
Can you please tell me what you used for CR questions?
ha ha ha... Love it!

Cheers,
gmatRetake.


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Lol. Count me in. I am touchy about high verbal scores.

And I don't think 52 is possible in the quant. So prove us wrong!


Posted from my mobile device.
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This was unnecessary.

Thank you ashkank for your input. I had little choice but to deactivate the account. You won't be bothered by us again.
The curse of the 800 seems to continue to plague some people. Good luck to you and hope you live a hundred years.
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Perfect scores raise red flags. Just recently I read a story about a guy who took the test for other people for nearly 6 years before he got caught. In 2 and a half years he took the test 212 times.

hey i found this in 2016.. :p

Work ex is probably the most important criteria.