gmatconqueror2018 wrote:
Hello,
I am currently a senior finishing my undergraduate degree at Babson College. I plan to start graduate school in the fall of 2019 to earn my Masters of Accounting degree and eventually my CPA license thereafter. Afterwards, I plan to work for a few years before considering applying to a top 10 MBA program. While I have not yet decided, I am strongly considering earning my MBA and would appreciate any advice/suggestions.
-My current undergraduate gpa is right under 3.90 and will most likely be somewhere in the 3.8 range when I graduate
-I took the GMAT exam several days ago and scored a 690 (Q48 V35), a 130 point improvement compared to my prior GMAT in October (560 Q35 V32). Most of the top 10 programs have an average gmat of 720-730 and I was wondering if being in the lower end of the 80% middle range is good enough to not have to retake the exam in the future. By then, I will have a few years of work experience and hopefully my CPA license. I am not sure how much MBA programs value certified credentials such as a CPA license or other post graduate degrees such as a Masters of Accountancy and was wondering whether these things could compensate for my lower than average GMAT.
I would greatly appreciate any feedback/advice. Thank you.
gmatconqueror2018
Hi gmatconqueror!
You've put yourself in great shape to apply to business school in the next 5 years!
I would perhaps hold off on another GMAT attempt until you're scoring 720-740 on practice tests. Quant looks very good, and there is plenty of room to run with verbal. Grab some advanced verbal books and keep working on questions and find out which areas you are weakest on. Improving from a 35 to 38-40 isn't too difficult and will bump you above 700, given no fall in your quant.
Having taken it twice, you don't want to keep wasting attempts after short study periods. You also have a long way to go before actually applying, so I wouldn't put too much pressure on getting a certain score right now. Focus on achieving good grades and job placement post-school, as your effectiveness and leadership on the job will be equally if not more important than your GMAT score.
A CPA or post-grad degree is generally seen as neutral by admissions. You're basically competing against all other CPAs, and if you're an accountant without a CPA, you're at a disadvantage. Having a CPA, or CFA, or advanced degree should fit in as part of your story and isn't given much weight on its own and without context.
Hope this helps and let us know if you have any more questions!
Regards,
Personal MBA Coachhttps://www.personalmbacoach.com