Recently took GMAT Exam scored 670, thinking about re-taking

Question

Hello everyone

: I recently took the GMAT exam last Friday and I got a 670 Q42 V41, the thing is I really think I could have done much better on the quant section, I was consistently scoring 47-46 on my last official Mocks Tests, but the day of the exam I was so nervous at first that I started messing it all. I actually found myself really sad when I saw my overall score, which I know is not that bad, but I´m concerned that it won't be enough. Being a non-native English speaker I´m not concerned at all with my verbal score-I actually found it impressive when I first saw it-. The reason why I´m writing this post is to see if you guys could help me out with some questions. My goal for taking the GMAT is to study an MBA in one of the Top European Business Schools, but I'm concerned that my quant score isn't good enough for my application, besides I really think I could have gotten a 700+. Is it so important for business schools your quant score or is it the average score that matters the most?, do you think I should take it again?, and most important does it look bad to retake your GMAT for your application?. I thank you in advance for your help

GmatKnightTutor · Answer

INSEAD has some GMAT info on their website that may provide some insight for that university at least.

cataakash · Answer

I feel that if you have the confidence in yourself and the ability to get a 700+ then you should go for it. Of course, if you have deadlines approaching soon, then this is a decent score and you have good chances to get an admit in schools, depending on your profile.

All the best!

Posted from my mobile device

All the best!

Posted from my mobile device

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi BrunoAlbrecht,

First off, a 670 is a solid Score, so it could be enough to get you into your first-choice School. The Q42 might be seen as a 'red flag' at certain Programs, so retesting (with the goal of earning a higher Quant Scaled Score) is a reasonable idea. Depending on the Schools that you plan to apply to, you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile and plans. Those Experts should be able to answer your Admissions questions and help define the specific areas of your profile that could use some improvement. There's a Forum full of those Experts here:

https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admissio ... tants-124/

Before I can offer you any additional advice for your studies, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

Studies:
1) How long have you studied? How many hours did you typically study each week?
2) What study materials have you used so far? What "brands" of CATs/mocks have you used?
3) On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?

Goals:
4) What is your overall goal score?
5) When are you planning to apply to Business School and what Schools are you planning to apply to?

If you took your GMAT at a Test Center, then you might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report. While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

RetaketheGMAT · Answer

Hi Bruno,

Here are answers to your questions:

1)   Quant score vs Overall Score:

While the overall score is important, your quant score is particularly important to MBA admissions because it is an objective measure of your ability to handle the quantitative elements of a top MBA program. At the very least a balanced score is important. Currently your V41 puts you at the 94th percentile while Q42 puts you at the 45th percentile. Ideally your Q score should be up in the 70th percentile or higher at a minimum.

2)   Does retaking the GMAT 'look bad' ?

There's no problem with retaking the GMAT. It sends a strong signal to your target schools that you're committed to getting in and are willing to put in the time to make a significant improvement. Remember they're not looking for your natural talent at Quant, but rather how well you can do in a quantitative program if you apply yourself. A successful retake jump can demonstrate that you can still deal with a challenging academic environment.

3)   Should you retake the GMAT?

We specialize in retake coaching for clients looking to capture the last 30-50 points to their target score. The key question to answer is WHY? Why have you been falling short of your target in Quant?

ESR's (actual GMAT test) and Answer Keys (practice tests) do a good job of answering the WHAT question: What types, topics, difficulty, format of questions are you getting wrong? But they fall short of answering the WHY question. That's all the likely reason why you're questioning whether you should retake the test.

We offer a free 90 minute diagnostic session online with a GMAT performance coach. With an expert observing HOW you attack GMAT quant questions, you can quickly figure out whether your quant gaps are knowledge or process related. I can tell you, from experience with more than 1100 GMAT retake clients, it's almost always more about test taking process (ie. your approach / strategy) for tackling each quant question.

Here's the good news: An expert GMAT performance coach can help you to fix process gaps very quickly -- keeping the timeline to a minimum and coaching hours down as well.

Let's figure out the missing piece in your quant abilities, so you can make the right decision about whether to retake and how to achieve a big jump in the your score in the shortest time frame possible.

DM me to set up the FREE (no obligation) diagnostic session ASAP.

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi BrunoAlbrecht,

While my gut is telling me that you probably should retake the GMAT, I'd like to get some more information regarding your overall situation before providing specific advice. Once you respond to the questions already asked, I can provide some advice.

BrunoAlbrecht · Answer

Hello

, First off, thank you all for your kind responses. Following up with the first post and in regards to the questions, you guys asked. I will give the following extra information to see if it helps to better solve my questions. I started studying on December 1st with a pretty intense schedule of 6-8 hours a day directed only towards GMAT preparation. The first hour of the day I started by doing 10-15 questions of the quant and verbal section of the exam, then I spent some time reviewing my answers and studying my mistakes, the second part of my day was divided between theory in the Veritas Prep books and practice using the time tracker and question banks of the forum. First I started using just the official guide, then the Veritas prep, but I didn´t feel like I was making any process, so I started using exclusively the GMAT grammar and quant free books, I think the grammar book was awesome, I actually learned a lot from that book, but when it came to the quant book I found myself struggling to make any significant progress. I bought the GMAT CLUB exam package as well, which I think was a very accurate prediction of the real score, however, I really think Gmat Club mock tests are way harder than the real one. So far I have only taken 4 of the official mock exam from the official prep, I still have de 5th and 6th unanswered left. About the schools to which I'm trying to apply are: 1) GISMA 2) EADA 3) WU (Viena) 4) Manheim Business School 5) HHL (Leipzig) 6) WHU As far as I know, I still have some time to apply, because I don't need any visa to study in a European school. And I don't know if this is some useful information, but I will have to present my TOEFL exam in the next 1-3 weeks, so I will have only 3-4 hours daily to dedicate to study for the GMAT. The thing is I don't know what any other resources could be helpful for the quant section when it comes to formulas and basic understanding of concepts I think I have them all, but when the time comes to apply them I find myself struggling with the time constrains. What would be a good strategy to improve in both sections?, should I keep tracking my mistakes with the GMAT Club tests analytics and keep working on focused areas with the aid of the time tracker that the forum offers?. Thank you for your interest and your help

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi BrunoAlbrecht,

With a Q42, your overall 'math knowledge' is likely fine. However, the Quant section of the GMAT is NOT a 'math test'; it's a critical thinking test that requires that you complete lots of little calculations as you work through it. This is meant to say that to score at a significantly higher level in the Quant section (and thus, overall), you'll need to change how you "see" (and respond to) that section of the Test

1) We need to better define how your Official GMAT Score compares with your practice CAT/mock Scores. On what dates (or approximate dates) did you take EACH of your CATs/mocks and how did you score on EACH (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores for EACH)?
2) For your next attempt, are you planning to take the At-home GMAT or are you planning to take your GMAT at a Test Facility?
3) Are you planning to apply to Business School some time in the next several months? If you are, then what specific application deadlines are you facing?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

GMATWhizTeam · Answer

Hi BrunoAlbrecht,

If you feel that you underperformed because of the test day pressure, then I think you should definitely go for a retake. This time, make sure to get used to the test environment and give the test with a calm mind. And there's nothing wrong with retaking the GMAT. Schools do not care about how many times you have taken the GMAT. They just see the score you have sent. So, you can happily go for a retake. All the best!

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