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12 Aug 2019, 12:29
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Hello! I'm currently deciding whether I should retake the GMAT and would greatly appreciate a profile review so I can make an informed decision. My applicant details are below:
Northwestern undergrad, 3.4 GPA, marketing and communications
690 GMAT score (2nd attempt)
Black woman, currently 27 years old (not applying to schools until fall 2020, to begin school fall 2021)
Work history: communications consultant for federal healthcare agencies (2 years, one promotion); healthcare public relations manager (top agency) for large pharma companies (3 years, two promotions)
Extra-curriculars: mentor in a program for first generation, minority college students (5 years), founder and director of a program at my job where we bring high school students from underprivileged neighborhoods on the west and south side of Chicago to tour our office, show them what we do daily, take them through industry case studies and provide a short summer internship to a senior (1 year so far); travel blogger (1.5 years, I have a decent/loyal following, but could definitely take it to the next level if I had more time to devout to it)
Dream schools: HBS, Kellogg, Booth, Wharton, Stanford, Columbia, full-time 2-year programs - not in the financial/consulting track, looking to stay in healthcare industry/work in biotech
Let me know if there's any other information you need in order to provide a recommendation.
My issue is that I took the GMAT on Saturday for a second time and got a 690 (first attempt three weeks ago I received a 660, way below what I have gotten on practice tests, I cancelled that score). I know a 690 is a pretty good score, but I was aiming for 700-720, and I've gotten a 700 and a 720 on recent practice tests, so I think it could be achievable.
Wondering if it's worth taking for a third time? I feel like the pressure is off now that I have a 690, so part of me feels like I might as well to just see if I can break the 700s, especially since I'm aiming for top-tier universities. But the other part of me feels like I've been studying since February and I don't know if I have 3-4 more weeks of studying in me to really improve my score. Perhaps that time would be better served improving other parts of my application, although I realize I have a full year basically until I apply, so it's not like I'm tight on time or anything.
Really appreciate any thoughts or suggestions!
Northwestern undergrad, 3.4 GPA, marketing and communications
690 GMAT score (2nd attempt)
Black woman, currently 27 years old (not applying to schools until fall 2020, to begin school fall 2021)
Work history: communications consultant for federal healthcare agencies (2 years, one promotion); healthcare public relations manager (top agency) for large pharma companies (3 years, two promotions)
Extra-curriculars: mentor in a program for first generation, minority college students (5 years), founder and director of a program at my job where we bring high school students from underprivileged neighborhoods on the west and south side of Chicago to tour our office, show them what we do daily, take them through industry case studies and provide a short summer internship to a senior (1 year so far); travel blogger (1.5 years, I have a decent/loyal following, but could definitely take it to the next level if I had more time to devout to it)
Dream schools: HBS, Kellogg, Booth, Wharton, Stanford, Columbia, full-time 2-year programs - not in the financial/consulting track, looking to stay in healthcare industry/work in biotech
Let me know if there's any other information you need in order to provide a recommendation.
My issue is that I took the GMAT on Saturday for a second time and got a 690 (first attempt three weeks ago I received a 660, way below what I have gotten on practice tests, I cancelled that score). I know a 690 is a pretty good score, but I was aiming for 700-720, and I've gotten a 700 and a 720 on recent practice tests, so I think it could be achievable.
Wondering if it's worth taking for a third time? I feel like the pressure is off now that I have a 690, so part of me feels like I might as well to just see if I can break the 700s, especially since I'm aiming for top-tier universities. But the other part of me feels like I've been studying since February and I don't know if I have 3-4 more weeks of studying in me to really improve my score. Perhaps that time would be better served improving other parts of my application, although I realize I have a full year basically until I apply, so it's not like I'm tight on time or anything.
Really appreciate any thoughts or suggestions!
14 Aug 2019, 15:35
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hello, I am no expert here. In fact, I am yet to take my first GMAT exam. However, I have come to understand that your performance on the GMAT test is just one aspect of your evaluation, hence it is not advisable to devote excessive resources to attain very high scores on the GMAT to the detriment of other equally important aspects of your application.
You may have to find out from the schools you will submit applications to in order to know their GMAT score requirements and once your current score meets this requirement, there should be no need to retake the exams. However, if you are determined to make 700+, then you can still put in some extra efforts in order to improve your scores, particularly the quantitative scores.
I wish you the very best in your applications.
You may have to find out from the schools you will submit applications to in order to know their GMAT score requirements and once your current score meets this requirement, there should be no need to retake the exams. However, if you are determined to make 700+, then you can still put in some extra efforts in order to improve your scores, particularly the quantitative scores.
I wish you the very best in your applications.
14 Aug 2019, 19:13
Kudos
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Hi jazzjchi0409,
Thank you for your post. (Please disregard any previous responses that you received in this forum, as they did not come from a representative of Avanti Prep.)
There is a lot to like about your profile, including a great undergraduate institution; a seemingly strong career progression (I only say "seemingly" because there's not a ton of detail to go off of... but the series of promotions and the mix of federal healthcare agencies, a top PR agency, and big pharma suggest strength); really deep and impactful extracurriculars that show real passion, dedication, community engagement, and habits of leadership; a nice creative (and perhaps quasi-entrepreneurial) streak with the travel blog; and the makings of career goals that have nice organic connectivity back to your prior experience, among other things. When the time comes to build your applications and essays, telling your story, unpacking the value of your experiences, sharing super-specific, coherent, passion-driven goals (and grander vision for impact), and "executing well" overall will enable you to capitalize on this strong foundation. (You can read more about what I mean by "executing well," and how to think through the specificity and connectivity of your goals, the passion and purpose behind them, why MBA, and why XYZ school in this blog post: https://www.avantiprep.com/blog/the-mos ... on-process).
If you were reaching out with plans to apply in Round 1 of this year, then I would say let's go to bat with the 690 rather than distract (and detract) from essays and applications. But given that you're applying next year, and given that there are indications you can elevate your score, I would definitely encourage you to try to do so. I know it's a pain to go through more GMAT prep and to sit through the exam again, but with 13+ months until you apply, there's little cost other than time to doing so. And while it might not be an absolute "must," elevating your score would have real benefits when it comes to boosting your chances across schools, making the tougher end of these schools become more legit possibilities (e.g., HBS starts to look materially better with a 710/720), and when it comes to scholarship potential at some of these. (To be candid, if your score stays the same next time around but you really think you have a 700 to 720 in you, I believe it could help to try your hand with the exam one more time, just so you know you left all of your GMAT cards on the table and did everything you could to crack a score level that will transform you from a solidly competitive candidate into a super competitive candidate.)
Hope that perspective helps. (And sorry endorse another GMAT for you... but I do think it will be beneficial!!) If you have any follow-up questions or would like to discuss this or any other topics further (e.g., what else you might consider doing between now and next year in order to enhance your profile and chances), please feel free to email me at greg@avantiprep.com to set up a call or sign up for a Free Consultation via this link: https://www.avantiprep.com/free-consultation.html. I wish you the best of luck!
Best Regards,
Greg
Thank you for your post. (Please disregard any previous responses that you received in this forum, as they did not come from a representative of Avanti Prep.)
There is a lot to like about your profile, including a great undergraduate institution; a seemingly strong career progression (I only say "seemingly" because there's not a ton of detail to go off of... but the series of promotions and the mix of federal healthcare agencies, a top PR agency, and big pharma suggest strength); really deep and impactful extracurriculars that show real passion, dedication, community engagement, and habits of leadership; a nice creative (and perhaps quasi-entrepreneurial) streak with the travel blog; and the makings of career goals that have nice organic connectivity back to your prior experience, among other things. When the time comes to build your applications and essays, telling your story, unpacking the value of your experiences, sharing super-specific, coherent, passion-driven goals (and grander vision for impact), and "executing well" overall will enable you to capitalize on this strong foundation. (You can read more about what I mean by "executing well," and how to think through the specificity and connectivity of your goals, the passion and purpose behind them, why MBA, and why XYZ school in this blog post: https://www.avantiprep.com/blog/the-mos ... on-process).
If you were reaching out with plans to apply in Round 1 of this year, then I would say let's go to bat with the 690 rather than distract (and detract) from essays and applications. But given that you're applying next year, and given that there are indications you can elevate your score, I would definitely encourage you to try to do so. I know it's a pain to go through more GMAT prep and to sit through the exam again, but with 13+ months until you apply, there's little cost other than time to doing so. And while it might not be an absolute "must," elevating your score would have real benefits when it comes to boosting your chances across schools, making the tougher end of these schools become more legit possibilities (e.g., HBS starts to look materially better with a 710/720), and when it comes to scholarship potential at some of these. (To be candid, if your score stays the same next time around but you really think you have a 700 to 720 in you, I believe it could help to try your hand with the exam one more time, just so you know you left all of your GMAT cards on the table and did everything you could to crack a score level that will transform you from a solidly competitive candidate into a super competitive candidate.)
Hope that perspective helps. (And sorry endorse another GMAT for you... but I do think it will be beneficial!!) If you have any follow-up questions or would like to discuss this or any other topics further (e.g., what else you might consider doing between now and next year in order to enhance your profile and chances), please feel free to email me at greg@avantiprep.com to set up a call or sign up for a Free Consultation via this link: https://www.avantiprep.com/free-consultation.html. I wish you the best of luck!
Best Regards,
Greg
