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Nov 2007:30 AM PST
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Learn what truly sets the UC Riverside MBA apart and how it helps in your professional growth
Nov 2010:00 AM EST
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If you’re applying to Columbia, NYU Stern, or Yale SOM, you need more than strong stats. Each school defines “leadership” differently, and your essays must reflect that. Join Sia Admissions founder, Susan Berishaj on November 20th
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Nov 1909:00 AM PST
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What’s in it for you- Live Profile Evaluation Chat Session with Jenifer Turtschnow, CEO ARINGO. Come with your details prepared and ARINGO will share insights! Pre-MBA Role/Industry, YOE, Exam Score, C/GPA, ECs Post-MBA Role/ Industry & School List.- Nov 19
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Looking to secure a coveted spot at a top business school? Our team of seasoned MBA admissions consultants, including top B schools alumni and industry leaders, is here to help turn your dreams into reality. Let’s kick-start your journey to success!- Nov 19
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Round 2 is here — and it’s your chance to make your MBA dream happen! Join GMAT Club’s LIVE discussion with two top experts from The Red Pen, Gunjan Jhunjhunwala and Natasha Mankikar, as we break down everything you need to know 
Nov 2009:00 PM IST
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Nov 2108:30 AM EST
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Nov 2112:00 PM EST
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Join Assistant Dean for Admissions Laurel Grodman for a live walkthrough of the 2025–2026 MBA application. Laurel will provide insights into what the Admissions Committee looks for and offer tips on key components of the application.
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Learn how to craft powerful, authentic essays by mastering the 3 “WHYs” every top MBA program looks for: Why MBA, Why Now, and Why This School.
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22 Apr 2024, 11:06
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How important is the GMAT Score in "holistic" evaluation?
When it comes to applying to top MBA programs, you've probably heard the term "holistic evaluation" thrown around. It's often mentioned that your GMAT or GRE scores aren't the sole determinants of your admission fate. But what does this holistic approach truly entail?Let's break it down. Think of your test scores as the gatekeeper to the competition. In this discussion, we'll focus on the GMAT as the gatekeeper. If you're interested in a similar exploration for the GRE, show your support by liking this post and leaving a comment below. Additionally, please note that this post will spotlight selected schools. If you're keen on learning more about a specific institution, indicate your interest in the comments section.
So, envision the GMAT as that initial hurdle. A stellar GMAT score may grant you entry into the competitive pool, where other facets of your profile will undergo thorough scrutiny. However, even with a remarkable 770 GMAT score, lackluster essays or stories could result in a rejection. Conversely, if your GMAT score falls short, the admissions committee will still delve deeper into your application, but an acceptance is less likely unless your essays or stories showcase something truly exceptional (like being an Olympic gold medalist or a Formula 1 racer).
You might wonder how I can assert this confidently. Well, as a seasoned data professional, I've meticulously analyzed data provided by various business schools to form this hypothesis. By extracting median GMAT scores, along with 10th and 90th percentile scores, and employing statistical techniques to calculate standard deviations, I've derived the 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th, 70th, 80th, and 90th percentile scores using the z-score. For this, I have assumed the normal distribution of the data, commonly known as the normal bell-curve distribution.
I have used the below formula:
X=Z×σ+μ
Where:
X = raw score (the score you want to find the percentile for)
Z = z-score (the number of standard deviations the raw score is from the mean)
σ = standard deviation
μ = mean (median in this case)
The value of the z-score is taken from the standard normal distribution table and plugged in the available data for 10th and 90th percentile GMAT score. This gave the data for the standard deviation.
Refer to the table below:
| School Name | Class Size | Median GMAT | Avg GMAT | Submitted GMAT | 10th to 90th percentile GMAT range | Factor GMAT | 10% GMAT | 20% GMAT | 30% GMAT | 40% GMAT | 50% GMAT | 60% GMAT | 70% GMAT | 80% GMAT | 90% GMAT |
| Columbia University | 683 | 740 | 733 | 362 | 700-770 | 27 | 705 | 717 | 726 | 733 | 740 | 747 | 754 | 763 | 775 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan) | 409 | 730 | 728 | 221 | 700-760 | 22 | 702 | 711 | 718 | 724 | 730 | 736 | 742 | 749 | 758 |
| New York University (Stern) | 327 | 730 | 732 | 147 | 700-760 | 22 | 702 | 711 | 718 | 724 | 730 | 736 | 742 | 749 | 758 |
| University of Chicago (Booth) | 657 | 730 | 728 | 414 | 690-770 | 31 | 690 | 704 | 714 | 722 | 730 | 738 | 746 | 756 | 770 |
| Yale University | 339 | 720 | 723 | 210 | 680-760 | 32 | 679 | 693 | 703 | 712 | 720 | 728 | 737 | 747 | 761 |
Please note that the data for a few of the M7 schools is not available and hence I have not been able to evaluate their approach.
From the above table, you can see that 68 students in Columbia have less than 700 score, 41 students at Sloan have less than 700 score, 33 students at Stern have less than 700 score, 66 students at Booth have less than 690 score, and 34 students at Yale have less than 680 score. If your score is below these threshold scores, then you are not fighting for a seat in a class of 300-600 seats, you are fighting for a fraction of those seats.
Eye-opening enough? Well, let’s delve a little bit deeper into this. I have discussed the various aspects of your profiles that the admissions committee evaluate. In case where your GMAT scores are less than these threshold scores, what in your profile do you think stands out that would compel the admissions team to extend an admit?
If the other aspects of your profile are average too, you need a stronger GMAT score to stand out in the crowd. This would mean at least 50% score from the above table. If you come from an overly represented demography, you need to score 70%-80% scores from the above table. This is the exact reason why many of those admission consultants recommend you to get +20 of the average score of your target school. On the other hand, if you are from a very unique background, you can get an admit even with 30% scores from the above table.
So the next time when you hear the word “holistic”, you know how holistic your application is going to be evaluated.
22 Apr 2024, 12:51
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This is quite fascinating! I didn’t know you could do that. What data is needed to be able to do this kind of analysis? 😇
23 Apr 2024, 01:26
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bb
Indeed fascinating! Have some more fascinating analysis to share over the next couple of days
Also, for this, I got the median GMAT Scores (50th percentile) and used the 10th and 90th percentile to caliberate the bell curve distribution.
