Low GMAT score=dealbreaker for applying for consulting concentration?

Question

This is a question that deals with GMAT score in combination with the application essays that ask for immediate post-MBA plans.

I'd like to work for a consulting company after completing an MBA Program. To get into a good consulting company (or maybe  any  that would be willing to support the employee for an H1B visa?), I've heard that a stellar GMAT score is required.

I've taken the GMAT twice but got a poor score on both tests. I'll be taking the test again (or maybe two more times if my next score is not great..) to try and raise my score to the high 600's.

My big question is: will the B-school adcoms be less likely to accept a candidate who has a lower than average GMAT score and wants to pursue a career in the consulting industry?

I'm afraid to start writing my application essays explaining that I'm interested in the consulting industry, but do poorly on the GMAT again and sort of create a "discrepancy" between my score and my post-MBA plan... Is that a total dealbreaker for B-school adcoms?

I'm willing to take the GMAT again even after I start B-school to increase my chance to get into a good consulting company.

Any help would be appreciated! Thank you in advance!

bb · Answer

Good question and good job thinking ahead.

In my experience, many consulting companies do ask for the gmat score for the massive waves of applicants flowing through campus recruiting. They tend to use 700 as a cut off which in most cases is not an issue for the top bschools.

Not all however and there are more ways to the consulting industry than through boring online applications. There is more to a personal n than their gmat score. However you’d better have a lot to offer with your candidacy if gmat is not going to be a part of the package.

My suggestions to put your concerns to rest is go find a job opening or description for the target consulting companies you are thinking about and see if they check for the gmat score on their internship or job apps. You may have to pretend to be an mba grad

That will be your answer.

Posted from my mobile device

That will be your answer. Posted from my mobile device

yukidaruma · Answer

bb  thanks for your speedy reply!

I'll start looking around on target company websites for job qualifications/requirements. Great suggestion!

If you don't mind me asking, I'd like to get your opinion on the likeliness that the B-school adcoms would accept a student who is aiming for a consulting job post-MBA but currently has a below average GMAT score. Do you think they will be hesitant to accept such a student? In other words, if they have Applicant A who wants to go into consulting and Applicant B who wants to go into non-profit/entrepreneurship/marketing/etc and they both have a below average GMAT score with the same kind of educational/work background, which applicant would more likely be of interest to the adcoms?

I apologize in advance if any other industry besides consulting considers GMAT score as part of the job qualification criteria... I haven't done much research about the other industries yet.

bb · Answer

It is a good question. I am sorry but I don’t know the answer. Something an admissions consultant is better equipped to answer. Check in the Ask Admissions consultants forum.

Good luck!

Posted from my mobile device

yukidaruma · Answer

Will do, thanks a lot  bb !

ABatExpertsGlobal · Answer

Hi yukidaruma , Thanks for your query. B Schools always look at the overall profile of a student. Hence, any generalizations must be avoided

Thus, ideally your goals must define your story and thereby, the chances of selection and it should not be the other way round. The right approach is... - You must gain conviction on what your plans are. - Shortlist schools that sync with your career plans. - Present a story that logically connects the dots; a story that you can project with complete conviction. - Thereby, attend the program with a conducive ecosystem for one's goals; perform!

Hope this helps! All the best!

yukidaruma · Answer

ABatExpertsGlobal  thank you for your reply!

I really appreciate the steps of the approach you've listed for me. I guess it's pretty logical, but I feel a lot of applicants (including myself) sometimes become so zoned in on wanting to get into a "good school" that they don't really think about these crucial steps... Sort of just aimlessly and desperately wanting to get into any top 10 school without a clear vision of their future with their story so far in mind. Connecting the dots is definitely a great point that I sometimes forget.

Thanks again!

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

One slightly contrary opinion here, I do believe MBA programs certainly take into account hireability, especially the top programs. They often frame it as "the ability (for the school) to help you achieve your goals". As stated above your GMAT plays a role in your competitiveness for the top Consulting firms, not all of them but certainly MBB. If you gain admission to a top program, a lower GMAT will not necessarily prevent you from securing an interview but can make it more difficult to ultimately secure the offer in the interview process especially when compared to similarly performing peers in the interview process, who have higher GMATs. It is often used as a tie-breaker at this point. At slightly lower ranked, but still top programs (non-elite) a sub 700 GMAT can keep you off the interview list altogether.

Your question seems more focused on your career goals being misaligned with your GMAT score. This is should actually be somewhat of a concern for you, but if a school is in love with your profile they will still admit you but this can certainly still be a red flag and make things more difficult for you

Hope this helps!

Your question seems more focused on your career goals being misaligned with your GMAT score. This is should actually be somewhat of a concern for you, but if a school is in love with your profile they will still admit you but this can certainly still be a red flag and make things more difficult for you

Hope this helps!

yukidaruma · Answer

VeritasPrepDozie thanks for your reply!

I really find it unfortunate that the GMAT plays such a crucial role in MBA applications... Most schools claim that they take a holistic approach to decide whether an applicant is granted acceptance, but as you mentioned, GMAT often becomes a deciding factor when it comes to tie breakers or narrowing down the admit list. I wish I didn't have test taking anxiety

Thanks again for your reply!

VeritasPrepDozie · Answer

Keep your head up, the GMAT is still just one piece of the puzzle for admissions (albeit an important one). If you are coming in lower on the GMAT it just makes every other component of the applicant process even more important, so focus on the other areas you can realistically still improve

Low GMAT score=dealbreaker for applying for consulting concentration?

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