Thunderbird: GMAT accurate predictor of academic success

Question

I was surprised (maybe its my ignorance) that they are so forthcoming about this.

https://www.businessweek.com/bschools/co ... 384590.htm?

FrancescaBW: Do you weigh certain parts of the application more than others? Why or why not?

JudyThunderbird: The GMAT is very important. Performance on that test accurately predicts an applicant's chance of success within the academic structure of the program. If the GMAT is not within our validated range, the application will not go to review.

kryzak · Answer

That's the *first* time I've heard an adcom explicitly say that. Haas and Stanford emphasize on their websites, blogs, interviews that they will ALWAYS read your entire application, no matter what your score is, because they "owe it" to the applicant who spent so much time on their application. Who knows if it's true, but at least they emphasize it.

dosa_don · Answer

Looks like more schools are *finally* being honest about the importance of GMAT- check out this answer from the Cornell transcript. Not as open as the T'bird one but still...

MBAhopeful2008 (Oct 24, 2007 1:06:47 PM)
Laurie: I have a twofold question: Cornell’s average GMAT score jumped from 660 to 680 in a 2 year span. Does that mean that, currently, the Adcom gives more importance to the GMAT than in the past? What is the targeted average GMAT score for this year?

LaurieShunneyCornell (Oct 24, 2007 1:07:48 PM)
Our target GMAT score for this year will probably be between 690-700. As the applicant pool increases, we look for students with excellent performance in all areas. The GMAT is one of the many criteria we review. GMAT scores indicate potential for strong performance in the core management courses.

pelihu · Answer

I don't have the book handy, but I think I recall several quotes from adcoms in Montauk saying that the GMAT was a good predictor of performance in business school. If I'm not mistaken, the comment might have come from a Tuck Adcom.

I can also say with some certainty that Darden has taken a similar approach to Cornell, and that average GMAT scores are up pretty solidly from a few years ago. I don't have a direct quote, but I heard it with my own ears from someone that makes decisions around here.

riverripper · Answer

It seems to be a common statement that it is an indicator of performance in school. Thats why they like the 80% balance and 700+. Beyond that they know you can cut it and its just helps keep their average up. The people with the 750+ are great because they balances out that incredilbly interesting person with a 650, the minority with a 660, and the huge donor's kid who just happens to have a 620. 

Honestly, we all want as high a score as we can get...it wont assure you a place in any school in the top 10 but its just one thing you dont have to stress over. There are enough factors out of your control when you apply, GPA, what you did for the last 5 years at work, community involvement...if you want to apply this year then you cant do much to change these.

defenestrate · Answer

All of us can use common sense as well. When you evaluate a school and you see a GMAT average of 600 and a GMAT average of 705.64 which school do you think is better, and which one would you rather be a part of (it may turn out that all of the students at the 600 school are "better" but you will never get to know it). 

Maintaining a high average has to be of interest in the admissions department. It is one of the most quantitative ways of insuring your "competitiveness" 

however, this does not mean that they will not actively seek out interesting students who could not break out of that 700 score. It just means that they cannot disrupt the average.

Also, while it is true that some people might be very academic, but score poorly on the GMAT, it is probably true that very few poor students score high on the GMAT. Saying that the GMAT is a good way at finding students who can handle academic rigor is a no-brainer. However, finding the students who are exceptional who score poorly on the GMAT takes a LOT more effort. 

So I guess the advice is...do well on your GMAT

CookieMonster · Answer

great insight

gmatclb · Answer

The GMAT score are is the beauty/looks of the applicant.... Won't get you that hot date right away, but if you're fugly, then you better have $$$$$$ (ie donate money to the school)


I recall reading that the Cornell adcomm said 50+% of the applicants that do poorly in their program scored less than 80% in the quant portion of the gmat. If might've been higher than 50%. I can't recall.

lepium · Answer

I find it interesting that of all schools requiring GMAT, one of the schools with the lowest average GMAT scores is actually stressing the importance of GMAT.

L.

kryzak · Answer

I was just going to point that out, but you beat me to the punch Lepium :wink:

aurobindo · Answer

I don't understand you guys. Can you please elaborate?

riverripper · Answer

They are joking about Thunderbird saying the GMAT is important considering their avg is around 600 and they accept something like 75-80%of applicants.

kryzak · Answer

thanks river. Yeah, Thunderbird generally look for vast international experience and multiple language skills. Thus the people who apply generally fit what they're looking for, and thus the acceptance rate is so high and GMAT score so low. I was just surprised to see they are one of the only schools who stress GMAT scores so much.

bsjames2 · Answer

Good point Kryzak. I've been researching T-bird and most of the students who apply there know that they are interested in International business and a very focused curriculum. They've clearly told me that the GMAT is a tool for graduating students more so than anything else. The higher the schools avg gmat, more likely the higher avg starting salary....

Strategery · Answer

It's really the only "level playing field" indicator they have, so it makes sense to put additional weight on it.

gmat2gmat · Answer

It's not exactly level playing field either because questions are from a pool of thousands of questions, randomly picked by computer. So it depends on your luck too, not your skill.

crichton11 · Answer

A large percentage of students at Thunderbird are international. I hear they score well on the GMAT but they don't have much or good work experience because all they've done is study. Can somebody shed some light on this?

Moss · Answer

Despite this being a revived post from 2007, I'll chime in to basically say what everyone else was avoiding: schools are using the GMAT as a cutoff because GMAT score is an input into some of the rankings. They would probably care much less, otherwise, what your score is.

novanative · Answer

I love the quote where the adcom director says "we have no weaknesses." WTF? Every school has weaknesses and in an interview, they ask every applicant what his or her weakness is! smh.

At least Thunderbird was honest about how important the GMAT was to its admissions decision.

Thunderbird: GMAT accurate predictor of academic success

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