*HELP! Should I reinstate my score?

Question

Hello,

I took the GMAT for the first time last month and my worse nightmare came true! After a grueling 4 hours in front of the computer, I ended up getting a score of  690  (Q47, V38, IR5). I was especially distraught upon seeing this score, partly because it barely missed the 700 mark and partly because all my practice CATs ranged from 700 - 760. In the heat of the moment, I decided to cancel my score. After thinking about this for a bit, I am now wondering if it would be wiser to reinstate it? I am retaking the GMAT next month, and have been studying hard to perform well the second time around.

For what it's worth, my personal goal for the GMAT (e.g. my "happy place") is a  740+  score to be competitive at the M7 schools. Seeing the results of my practice CATs, I know I can definitely achieve this.

What should I do? Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks

bb · Answer

What would reinstating the score help you with?

You have 60 days from the day of your exam to reinstate your score. If you are taking your second test, before the 60-day expiration, I would wait before spending any more money....

ankurgupta03 · Answer

I agree with bb.
If I were in your place, I would have gone ahead with my second attempt within the 60 day period and then after looking at the score of the second attempt, would have thought about reinstating the first score.

schazamhuzzah · Answer

Hi Scrao

I was in a similar situation last October. I gave my first GMAT without any preparation and scored 660. Then made another mistake by scheduling a second attempt within the next month and after an intense study ended up with 700.

I found that one month is not a good enough time in which you can even being to get into the depth of some of the topics in GMAT, atleast for a newbie to GMAT like me. I got dinged at one of the schools and on introspect the rush neither helped my score no my application.

So I am back to preparing at a relaxed pace, hoping that I could manage a 740+ and also leave myself enough time to put together a good application.

Hope the lessons I learnt are of any use to you!

scrao · Answer

Hi BB,

Thanks for the reply. I guess I need to be more clear: The 60 day reinstatement period will actually end before I take the GMAT for the second time. This is partly because there weren't many desirable earlier appointment times, and partly because I feel like I need more than a month to get to the peak of my GMAT skills. In terms of the money, I think it's a small price to pay for the effect the GMAT will have on my future career.

So I guess I should rephrase my question in this way: What do you think will help me out more with my application, a "Cancelled Score" or a 690? (Assuming I do get 740+ the second time around).

Thanks

youn110a · Answer

If you are confident enough you will get a better score next time, why reinstate the old score you do not agree?

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*HELP! Should I reinstate my score?

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