Need Advice - Should I Cancel My GMAT Score (690 Q49 V34)?

Question

Hi,

I just took a GMAT exam and got 690 (Q49, V34, IR 4). I accepted the score at the test center but I wonder if I should cancel my score. I'm targeting the top 10 MBA programs in the U.S. and definitely going to retake it to get a higher score. I accepted 690 simply because I thought the quant score was still okay. But, 690 is still far below the average GMAT score of the top programs and I got a very low IR score and the verbal is not so good either. So I wonder if having 690 on my score report would leave a negative impression even if I end up getting a higher score later. For example, even if I get something like 730 next time, the admission committees will still see 690 on my score report and I wonder if it'd have a negative impact on my application. I have 72 hours to cancel my score and should I cancel this score if I'm not going to apply with this score anyways?

Thanks.

MartyTargetTestPrep · Answer

If you're not sure, you can cancel the score, and if you want it for some reason, you can reinstate it later.

Admissionado · Answer

mariav1202 :

Since you are planning to retake the exam either way, you can look at it in two simple ways:

1. Cancel the score if you are very confident you will at least duplicate the score.

2. Keep the score if you are moderately or not confident that you will duplicate the score.

Keep in mind, all of this doesn't really matter as the Top 10 programs are known to count your highest score. Having a low score doesn't have much (if any) bearing on your chances so long as you produce a higher one.

If it were me, I would keep the score so you at least have that floor beneath you. If you do better the second (or third) time around, it's basically a non-factor.

Hope that helps,
Admissionado

ExpertsGlobal · Answer

Hello  mariav1202 ,

Thanks for writing in.

You would have possibly made a decision by now but we thought of sharing our thoughts still.

The top ~10 schools are anyway going to consider your highest score so do not worry too much about cancelling/not cancelling your score. If you are confident that you will end up scoring something higher anyway, you could cancel the score; if you are even a bit unsure about scoring higher than this, you may keep this score.

Thanks.

All the best!

TheIvyLeagueEdge · Answer

You have had sage advice to try for a new score without cancelling the score you already have.
You should also USE this time well, to prepare your application parallelly with your GMAT, both to help keep your GMAT prep interesting, and to get ahead in your applications as well, so you can be ready to submit them sooner than you otherwise would.

Feel free to connect for a free 45 min session to ask your questions and or discuss your doubts.

Need Advice - Should I Cancel My GMAT Score (690 Q49 V34)?

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