520 GMAT I, is it worth applying anywhere?

hey fstep,
i know someone who got 440 and was accepted by univ. of Alberta MBA program (Canadian school) I have no idea about the program's ranking, but its is a reputable univ. here in Canada, so you never know until you apply, no harm trying?
and no he didn't know anyone higher up
so Good luck!

no

fstep, to answer this question, you need to assess how well you can use other parts of your application to overcome your score.

Just looking at how your score compares to top 50-100 programs, your score is below the median score (545) for Miami University in Ohio (ranked #97 by US News) and I imagine will be slightly below the median for most schools near that 100 ranking. University of Texas at Dallas, ranked #50 by US News, has a median GMAT of 660 and the middle 80% of the student body scored between a 570 and a 760.

On the other hand, 50% of students at Miami University scored below a 545. So, I would say that if you are targeting programs comparable to this one, and you can take the time to put together some solid applications, you probably have a decent chance of getting into a program that suits your needs.

fstep, the gmat is just part of your app. like others mentioned there are "miracle stories" of folks getting in with very low (compared to avg) gmat scores. If you think you have no time to retake and you think you did your best out there then dont retake - but if you think you can squeeze out 50 or so points try that since honestly it will be easier to get up from a 520 since you probably need to brush up on more of the basics than getting into hardcore stuff. How is your gpa - is it decent enough to maybe even the gmat out a little?

well took the general advice and retook the test. got a 580 this time with an even lower quant but a very high verbal. gpa is 3.62 so that might help some and i have a pretty unique story. i just finished my apps will let you all know how it went in a month i suppose.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga requires a 450 minimum GMAT. They also have the GMAT and GPA calculation as well. I'm not sure if they would be considered Teir 3 or not, but they get very solid reviews fro Princeton Review. I'm sure there are other schools out there the same.

tier 3 skoolzzz ftw!