Should I Retake the GMAT Taking the GMAT is a fairly big decision in itself. You are probably applying to business school, or just want to take the test out of the way. Regardless of whatever your score is, it is easy to get intimidated by people with 760 and above spending the application season without a top school admit. What does that really mean? Does the GMAT not matter as much as people think it does? At the same time, per GMAC Research , retaking often brings value. On average, a person can gain 30 points by retaking. This could be explained by being more comfortable with the environment, knowing what to expect, and having a better stamina and time management. Also third and fourth, fifth, sixth attemps have paid off for a number of folks. (attached is the latest GMAT retake research by GMAT former director, Dr. Rudner) When you should REALLY retake You are from an overrepresented applicant pool The GMAT score for overrepresented applicant pool tends to be higher on average. WHY? Probably because with most career trajectory and undergrad performance largely similar, the GMAT can act as a great differentiator. To support this hypothesis, I analyzed the GMAT Club app tracker (post if you want me to add charts), and found less than 5% of Indian applicants, a massive pool, have a GMAT that is less than 760. While that is incredibly discouraging for most people, it also tells you how competitive this b school admission season really was. Your GMAT score is less than 50 points of the school median Most schools publish their median GMAT score. It is no surprise that every year schools report a higher GMAT average or median for their graduating class. If your GMAT score is 680, and the GSB Stanford median is 722, it is highly unlikely for you to get an admission, especially if you come from an applicant pool which traditionally applies in large numbers. Your GMAT Prep score and actual GMAT score are wildly different It is probably (albeit not likely), that you had a bad day. If you have been consistently scoring 740+ on GMAT Prep and GMAT Prep Exam Packs (be careful not to dilute those question pools by attempting lots of official questions from the forum), and on test day you find yourself getting a score less than 700, it could be possible that it was an exception. GMAC notes that standard deviation for GMAT Prep scores is around 50 points, and if you are on the higher end of that deviation, you should probably give it another shot. You have not REALLY studied The internet is flooded with questionable GMAT resources ranging from "free downloads" and "you won't believe how I scored 760" type articles. A great way to score 700+ in the GMAT has always been following official materials and studying from reputed prep companies. Check out GMAT Club partner review page before you choose to sign up for a course. If you want to buy books, check this thread asap for verbal and quant Your score is not balanced Often B Schools look to see a balanced GMAT score. What does it mean? Well, in GMAT terms, at least 80th percentile in both sections (this has become a hurdle for quant, which offers a 77th percentile for a respectable Q49). Check out the latest percentiles from GMAC . Note that for a greater overall score, verbal plays a massive difference, meaning that if you score 90 percentile in verbal and a 80 percentile in quant, your score will be higher than if you had scored the reverse. You are waitlisted with a less than median GMAT/you want $$$ from the schools Often the only waitlist update that schools accept is an improved GMAT (looking at you, Ross), and retaking the GMAT is absolutely essential. The same goes for scoring some extra scholarships. You are an Indian IT Male You are doomed. Blame your parents. When you are better off NOT retaking You have the score If your score is well balanced, around or higher the median of your peers (not the class average - that is deceptive), and you have not really researched enough to write those stellar essays, you should focus your time and energy on research and some more. You have a great undergrad GPA Some peopel are just not naturally great at testing. The GMAT is an evalauator of your academic performance which stands as an indicator of how you will perform in business school. If you have proved academic prowess (straight As in undergrad or stellar coursework), you may get an admit without the best GMAT in the class. You have exhausted most prep materials To quote Ross admissions "do not make a sport out of taking the test". If you have exhausted everything, how do you plan to improve? If you are still set on taking the GMAT, focus on quality instead. Maintain an elaborate error log and review mistakes rigorously. Best GMAT Retake Stories Massive SC improvement 730 to 760 - retake success Attention really matters 170 point improvement Journey from 490 to 700 From 550 to 690 to 750 From 420 to 700 to Wharton 570 to 760 in 3 months 640 to 770 by billyjeans 500 to 700 From a year long battle from 670 to 730 4 Attempts with 580, 600, and finally 710 GMAT Retake Disasters 4th Attempt - 540 Better prep but score dropped Bitten Twice From 580 to 540 by JohnLewis From 720 to 690 by Pathfinder - currently attending Wharton From 560 to 510 by Mediamindy From 610 to 570 after 3 months of studying 680 to 620 by Noboru 740 to 710 by MCM 6 months to go from 690 to 690 GMAT Retake Recommendations I have scavenged the forum and other sources to find some efficient and great advice for retakes. Choose the ones that seem to be most applying to your situation

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Should I Retake the GMAT

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yerbamate2020

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25 Jun 2020, 21:49

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Lots of good advice and points to think about in this thread. For a lot of people, if you think that you will regret not giving it another chance or that you left points on the table (e.g. scored higher in practice exams), can't hurt to try again (in my opinion). I've heard of people just retaking 16 days later (minimum time between tests) without studying and seeing massive jumps, so you really never know!

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05 Jul 2020, 13:50

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I got a 720 Q48 V42 on the online version and I'm aiming a top B-School via a Fulbright scholarship, I'm 35 yo so I guess gmat score is very decisive in my case. Should I retake the exam since they're giving us a second chance with physical whiteboard or should I instead focalise my efforts on the admission process.? Thanks in advance

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30 Jul 2020, 17:53

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The retake option also depends on what program you are applying to. For most of the people here, the program would be an MBA but there are others who are applying for a PhD.

Regarding PhD programs, unless you have scored a unexpectedly sad score, it is advisable to focus on strengthening other parts of your application. This would include research and professional experiences and academic skills. Trying to eke out a few more points by repeatedly taking the test will _not_ garner favorable points. PhD programs are not looking for GMAT maximizers.

For MBA programs, the situation is different. Here it may help to improve your GMAT score if your goal is to get into the "top" programs.

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10 Aug 2020, 15:39

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There's another major reason to consider retaking the GMAT: if you haven't mastered the PROCESS of taking the test as much as the mastering the content across all quant and verbal subject areas. Doing well on quant and verbal is as much about how you manage each stage of answering a quant question or a verbal question. Ask yourself a simple question, has an expert helped you to dissect your in-test approach to each type of question? If the answer is NO, then I can almost guarantee that you've got anywhere from 20 to 100 points left on the table that you can capture very quickly if you get the right help.

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Great resource here! I'll definitely dive into these further as I look to improve on my first attempt at 690.

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I am looking to apply to Ph.D. Courses (strategy and business policy) this year, scored 690 (Q47, V38, AWA 6, IR 7)
Have 10+ years of work exp. in strategy consulting and corporate strategy.

Should I retake the test - I was scoring 720-740 range in the mock tests. I felt that the actual GMAT was much tougher than the mocks. I also missed answering the last verbal question.
This score was after ~2 months of prep along with a full-time job. I don't think on a daily basis I can devote more time than what I did in the past 2 months.

I am a female working in the corporate strategy team (Sr. Manager) of leading MNC and, hold an MBA as well as a BTech degree from Top-ranked colleges in India.

Please advice.

tanyashah

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I like the humor in the article. Very well written. Enjoyed it thoroughly

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26 Jul 2021, 05:20

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pal2789

Since you were scoring 720-740 in your mocks and since you apparently could not manage your time well in the actual exam, I believe that a re-attempt would not hurt pal2789.

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pal2789

Why ask others what you should do? Others give you generic replies that are not useful.

Only you know if and whether you can score differently in a retake. A retake involves many things. Everything from your preparation to personal circumstances can vary and impact your performance on a given day.

Your actual score on test day can vary from your practice scores. Just because you scored xxx on a practice test, even if that was an official one, is not a direct indicator of what you will actually score. There are statistical and non-statistical reasons why your actual score can be different.

Strategy and business policy PhD admissions are very competitive. GMAT scores are only one component, but many applicants with high scores will apply. A 690 is a competitive score. Good luck!

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26 Aug 2021, 19:25

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Hi all,
I gave my GMAT yesterday and scored a 690(Q49). I am planning to go for a master's in management and I am confused if I should sit for the exam again. This was my second exam. I had completely messed up my first attempt and scored a 540. So I have seen a 150 points improvement in roughly 2 months. I would love if some of the experts on this amazing forum could suggest what I should do?
(P.S-considering mental exhaustion and i am an Indian applicant)

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27 Aug 2021, 06:01

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sanya2711

A 690 score is quite competitive for a Master's program. And your 150 point improvement from a score of 540 is impressive. Improving from 690 will be much more difficult though. You risk receiving a lower score on a new retake.

I suggest that you work on your application instead. The admissions committees will look favorably at your improved scores. However, if your third retake results in a lower score, that may not look so good for you. Do not risk it. But the final call is yours. Good luck!

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27 Aug 2021, 08:49

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Hovkial

sanya2711

Thank you so much for the advice. I have decided to not go for a third attempt.

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29 Aug 2021, 19:32

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sanya2711

Hovkial

sanya2711

Thank you so much for the advice. I have decided to not go for a third attempt.

One more point to remind here is that your GMAT score of 690 is sufficiently high for you to get through to consideration. MIM (and PhD) admissions decisions are not primarily based on GMAT scores. Of course you must have a decently good score, but the main determining elements will be academic and personal components of your application. Applicants with high scores are routinely rejected because they did not clearly explain the purpose of pursuing these degree paths or demonstrate that they possess requisite skills.

I would reiterate that you should not worry about any further retakes. As mentioned earlier, a lower score will raise questions as to whether the 690 score was a fluke. You do not want to create doubts. Instead, you should focus attention on the things mentioned above, which will help in giving you the final push to an offer.

rc871824

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12 Feb 2022, 15:04

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I took my first attempt at the gmat day before and scored a 710(Q49,V38).I am an Indian male engineer but with a background in Finance and Fintech (non IT). I have below average undergrad GPA (from one of the Top 5 tech schools in India) but above average post grad GPA (from a top 15 Indian b school).Considering my age (31) I am targeting the 1 year European MBA programs plus a few tech MBA programs in the USA (namely cornell & nyu stern). If I decide to retake to try and improve my score to 740-750, I will miss the R2 app deadline of my target European schools (INSEAD and HEC paris) and will have to apply in R3 (which i believe is ill-advised for the over-represented Indian applicant pool).At the same time I understand that my gmat score is on the lower end of my applicant pool.

Does it make sense for me to take a re-attempt and apply in a later round or should I just use my current score and start working in my app so that I can apply in an earlier round ? Experts here please advise.

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All the best whatever you decide. Might be worth posting this query also as a profile review.

www.gmatknight.com/blog - > GMAT tips if you decide to re-take.

Rishav7

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23 Dec 2022, 01:55

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Hi,

I am an Indian candidate and planning to apply for r1 next year. I targeting top m7 schools.

I have given my GMAT have scored a 750. Q48 v44 IR4 AWA5.

I am worried about a low IR score and low quant score (considering I am an Indian)

Should I consider giving the GMAT again?

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If you have the flexibility to retake and are confident you can score higher, the question may be: why not give it another go? A 750 is a great score to know you already have in the bag either way. All the best whatever you decide.

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25 Jan 2023, 00:56

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Hey Everyone,

I took the GMAT for the first time a couple weeks ago and got a 760 (49Q 45V 7IR 6AWA). I know it’s a competitive score, but I got 770s and 8IRs on both practice tests. Is it worth retaking?

For some background, I’m a US Army intel officer from West Point targeting M7s (Sloan #1). I won’t be applying until fall 2025, so I’ve got some time on my hands. Attending a top MBA program is huge/long term goal for me, so I don’t feel weird about working hard for marginal gains. However, I’m wondering if my time might be better spent somewhere else (CFA exams?).

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25 Jan 2023, 04:33

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Quote:

I know it’s a competitive score, but I got 770s and 8IRs on both practice tests. Is it worth retaking?

You have a great score. That being said, if you feel it would bug you and you are really confident you could score even better on a quick retake, maybe give it another go. You're in a no lose situation in a sense.

May want to consider when to call it a day however, if the retake(s) don't go quite to plan. Ultimately, the GMAT is one component of an application.

All the best.

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02 Feb 2023, 16:27

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Go for it! I got my target score and dream school after 5 attempts. With GMAT, perseverance is the key.

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