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J30
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Agree. If your mocks were that high why not retake? Why give up? Were your mock tests not realistic?
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Thank you for your reply dee1pug1 !
for my mocks I had purchased a marker and rough pad as give in the test center (had taken the exam in a center)

dee1pug1
Mocks are deceptive—were you using paper and pens in the mocks?
Hire a coach to help you improve your scores (I am not one, so not selling you anything).
You want a scholarship AND a top school; what will you give them in return, if not a high score?
Scholarship decisions are normally communicated along with the admission decisions; yes, you are free to reject the admit decision if you don't get a scholarship.
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Hey bb!
Mocks were realistic. I had taken the official gmat mocks only. But im confused as to why the sudden difference then. Maybe under pressure i am not able to score well?

bb
Agree. If your mocks were that high why not retake? Why give up? Were your mock tests not realistic?
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Any guidance on what i should change in my prep or how i should go about for my next attempt? Should i prepare for a longer time or give it soon?
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I don’t think you need to prepare. You need to understand what went wrong, make minor adjustments and retake within a couple weeks.

I would only prepare and restart the whole process only if you think you can improve your score, in that case it makes sense to do that in order to get a better scholarship.
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I am aiming to get atleast 695+ so i have a better chance at scholarships...would that be enough? just to get clarity on your second para (about restarting the whole process). i have noted some things that i might have faced differently in the real test that could have caused that sudden nervousness..maybe that was the main issue. I have gotten a good score in past mocks so i dont think i need to restart all of it. I am there..i just need to perform the same way i do at home...so i can get the score i want.



Also...is there any point of applying via 625? should i even consider sending it to schools and then applying?
bb
I don’t think you need to prepare. You need to understand what went wrong, make minor adjustments and retake within a couple weeks.

I would only prepare and restart the whole process only if you think you can improve your score, in that case it makes sense to do that in order to get a better scholarship.
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Hi @j30,

I understand that you’re in a tough spot right now. If securing a scholarship is essential for your MBA journey, it might be worth considering a retake.

From what you’ve shared, I truly believe you have the potential to improve your score by at least 50 points—just by refining your Quant, which is already your strength.

I’ve seen a similar case with one of my students (score attached for motivation and goal clarity with person detail masked) who, with a perfect Quant score, made a remarkable leap in their overall performance. Happy to share more insights if it helps!

Stay positive—you’ve got this! 💪♟️




J30
Hey everyone, I need some guidance. I took the GMAT Focus on the 17th of Feb 2025 and scored 625 (after studying for 3 months), much lower than expected. I had taken aprox 12-13 of the official mocks (some repeated) My last 4 mocks were 695, 715, 725, and 675 (these were repeated only 2 times so question repetition was very low. I think only 1 question in each mock was repeated), so I was aiming for 700+. This result has really shaken my confidence.
I'm unsure whether to apply with this score, as I want scholarships for top B-schools (HEC, Columbia, NUS, INSEAD, ISB, SDA Bocconi, some Unis in Australia, etc.). I’m also confused about the scholarship process—do I only find out after admission? Can I decline if I don’t get a scholarship?
I’m considering a retake in a month but fear scoring similarly. Any advice on whether to apply to UNIs now or retake? I dont understand if there is a point in sending my current scores if there are less chances in getting a scholarship. Would really appreciate your help!
PS: My final score breakdown:
  • Quant: 82 (76th percentile)
  • Verbal: 79 (48th percentile)
  • Data Insights: 82 (93rd percentile)
My DI & Quant were strong, but Verbal was my weak point, though I improved in mocks (90+ percentile in the last 4), yet scored poorly in VR and QR in the actual GMAT.

Also wanted to know...should I apply via my current score too? is there any chance of admissions in colleges? I am an Indian with 2 years of workex in a startup (founders' office)...Good acads

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Hey! GMATinsight! thanks for your reply! Would love to connect with you on a personal level if possible? kindly let me know. Thanks!
GMATinsight
Hi @j30,

I understand that you’re in a tough spot right now. If securing a scholarship is essential for your MBA journey, it might be worth considering a retake.

From what you’ve shared, I truly believe you have the potential to improve your score by at least 50 points—just by refining your Quant, which is already your strength.

I’ve seen a similar case with one of my students (score attached for motivation and goal clarity with person detail masked) who, with a perfect Quant score, made a remarkable leap in their overall performance. Happy to share more insights if it helps!

Stay positive—you’ve got this! 💪♟️




J30
Hey everyone, I need some guidance. I took the GMAT Focus on the 17th of Feb 2025 and scored 625 (after studying for 3 months), much lower than expected. I had taken aprox 12-13 of the official mocks (some repeated) My last 4 mocks were 695, 715, 725, and 675 (these were repeated only 2 times so question repetition was very low. I think only 1 question in each mock was repeated), so I was aiming for 700+. This result has really shaken my confidence.
I'm unsure whether to apply with this score, as I want scholarships for top B-schools (HEC, Columbia, NUS, INSEAD, ISB, SDA Bocconi, some Unis in Australia, etc.). I’m also confused about the scholarship process—do I only find out after admission? Can I decline if I don’t get a scholarship?
I’m considering a retake in a month but fear scoring similarly. Any advice on whether to apply to UNIs now or retake? I dont understand if there is a point in sending my current scores if there are less chances in getting a scholarship. Would really appreciate your help!
PS: My final score breakdown:
  • Quant: 82 (76th percentile)
  • Verbal: 79 (48th percentile)
  • Data Insights: 82 (93rd percentile)
My DI & Quant were strong, but Verbal was my weak point, though I improved in mocks (90+ percentile in the last 4), yet scored poorly in VR and QR in the actual GMAT.

Also wanted to know...should I apply via my current score too? is there any chance of admissions in colleges? I am an Indian with 2 years of workex in a startup (founders' office)...Good acads
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May be tough going ahead with that score for what you are really targeting.
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J30
Any guidance on what i should change in my prep or how i should go about for my next attempt? Should i prepare for a longer time or give it soon?
Hi J30,

It's your call. If you think that you underperformed, go for a retake soon, before you lose your edge. On the other hand, push the retake back if you think you need to work on some issues/weaknesses first.

All the best.
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Quote:
I’m also confused about the scholarship process—do I only find out after admission? Can I decline if I don’t get a scholarship?

Let me just elaborate on the scholarship bit a little more since others have already addressed the GMAT part - the quick answer is 625 will not be a very competitive score for a scholarship, or at least for a decent sized scholarship (think 50% or more).

Usually mid rung schools like HEC and Bocconi base their scholarship decisions to a large extent on your GMAT scores - they want to bump up their average GMAT and they are happy to subsidise your fee if you can help them do that. It's a simple give and take.

So if scholarships are critical for you, then you definitely want to retake. A complicating factor now will be the fact that you've already taken those official mocks several times, so you will get repeat questions and end up with inflated scores. Pull down whatever scores you see by at least 40-50 points (even if you think there were no or very few repeats). I've found students' memories to be rather selective in that regard :)

Good luck!
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Thank you on the clarification SarfrazAP! I think I will give a retake soon. Im planning to use the free mocks of different sites (just for practice initially) then will see what further to do in the mocks. Thanks again!

SarfrazAP
Quote:
I’m also confused about the scholarship process—do I only find out after admission? Can I decline if I don’t get a scholarship?

Let me just elaborate on the scholarship bit a little more since others have already addressed the GMAT part - the quick answer is 625 will not be a very competitive score for a scholarship, or at least for a decent sized scholarship (think 50% or more).

Usually mid rung schools like HEC and Bocconi base their scholarship decisions to a large extent on your GMAT scores - they want to bump up their average GMAT and they are happy to subsidise your fee if you can help them do that. It's a simple give and take.

So if scholarships are critical for you, then you definitely want to retake. A complicating factor now will be the fact that you've already taken those official mocks several times, so you will get repeat questions and end up with inflated scores. Pull down whatever scores you see by at least 40-50 points (even if you think there were no or very few repeats). I've found students' memories to be rather selective in that regard :)

Good luck!
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The good thing is that your practice test scores indicate that you have the skills needed to score in the 675-725 range. So, you likely just had a bad day. I suggest that you retake the GMAT.

From here, thoroughly analyze your practice tests and practice sessions to identify those weaknesses. Then, for each area of weakness:
  • Carefully review all of the properties, formulas, techniques and strategies related to that topic
  • Locate and answer dozens of questions that test that topic.

As you're answering practice questions, take as long as you need to fully understand the nuances of the question and identify at least one possible approach. For each question you answer incorrectly, ask yourself:
  • Did I make a careless mistake?
  • Did I incorrectly apply a related formula/property/technique?
  • Did I fall for a trap answer? If so, what was the trap exactly?
  • Was there a concept I did not understand in the question?

By carefully analyzing your mistakes, you will be able to fix your weaknesses efficiently and, in turn, improve your skills. This process has been proven to be effective for all topics.

For more tips, check out these articles:
GMAT Verbal Tips and Tricks for the Focus Edition: Top 10
How to Score High on GMAT Verbal on the Focus Edition
How to Increase Your GMAT Quant Score: Top 20 Tips

J30
Hey everyone, I need some guidance. I took the GMAT Focus on the 17th of Feb 2025 and scored 625 (after studying for 3 months), much lower than expected. I had taken aprox 12-13 of the official mocks (some repeated) My last 4 mocks were 695, 715, 725, and 675 (these were repeated only 2 times so question repetition was very low. I think only 1 question in each mock was repeated), so I was aiming for 700+. This result has really shaken my confidence.
I'm unsure whether to apply with this score, as I want scholarships for top B-schools (HEC, Columbia, NUS, INSEAD, ISB, SDA Bocconi, some Unis in Australia, etc.). I’m also confused about the scholarship process—do I only find out after admission? Can I decline if I don’t get a scholarship?
I’m considering a retake in a month but fear scoring similarly. Any advice on whether to apply to UNIs now or retake? I dont understand if there is a point in sending my current scores if there are less chances in getting a scholarship. Would really appreciate your help!
PS: My final score breakdown:
  • Quant: 82 (76th percentile)
  • Verbal: 79 (48th percentile)
  • Data Insights: 82 (93rd percentile)
My DI & Quant were strong, but Verbal was my weak point, though I improved in mocks (90+ percentile in the last 4), yet scored poorly in VR and QR in the actual GMAT.

Also wanted to know...should I apply via my current score too? is there any chance of admissions in colleges? I am an Indian with 2 years of workex in a startup (founders' office)...Good acads
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Thanks a lot ScottTargetTestPrep!! This helps a lot!

ScottTargetTestPrep
The good thing is that your practice test scores indicate that you have the skills needed to score in the 675-725 range. So, you likely just had a bad day. I suggest that you retake the GMAT.

From here, thoroughly analyze your practice tests and practice sessions to identify those weaknesses. Then, for each area of weakness:
  • Carefully review all of the properties, formulas, techniques and strategies related to that topic
  • Locate and answer dozens of questions that test that topic.

As you're answering practice questions, take as long as you need to fully understand the nuances of the question and identify at least one possible approach. For each question you answer incorrectly, ask yourself:
  • Did I make a careless mistake?
  • Did I incorrectly apply a related formula/property/technique?
  • Did I fall for a trap answer? If so, what was the trap exactly?
  • Was there a concept I did not understand in the question?

By carefully analyzing your mistakes, you will be able to fix your weaknesses efficiently and, in turn, improve your skills. This process has been proven to be effective for all topics.

For more tips, check out these articles:
GMAT Verbal Tips and Tricks for the Focus Edition: Top 10
How to Score High on GMAT Verbal on the Focus Edition
How to Increase Your GMAT Quant Score: Top 20 Tips

J30
Hey everyone, I need some guidance. I took the GMAT Focus on the 17th of Feb 2025 and scored 625 (after studying for 3 months), much lower than expected. I had taken aprox 12-13 of the official mocks (some repeated) My last 4 mocks were 695, 715, 725, and 675 (these were repeated only 2 times so question repetition was very low. I think only 1 question in each mock was repeated), so I was aiming for 700+. This result has really shaken my confidence.
I'm unsure whether to apply with this score, as I want scholarships for top B-schools (HEC, Columbia, NUS, INSEAD, ISB, SDA Bocconi, some Unis in Australia, etc.). I’m also confused about the scholarship process—do I only find out after admission? Can I decline if I don’t get a scholarship?
I’m considering a retake in a month but fear scoring similarly. Any advice on whether to apply to UNIs now or retake? I dont understand if there is a point in sending my current scores if there are less chances in getting a scholarship. Would really appreciate your help!
PS: My final score breakdown:
  • Quant: 82 (76th percentile)
  • Verbal: 79 (48th percentile)
  • Data Insights: 82 (93rd percentile)
My DI & Quant were strong, but Verbal was my weak point, though I improved in mocks (90+ percentile in the last 4), yet scored poorly in VR and QR in the actual GMAT.

Also wanted to know...should I apply via my current score too? is there any chance of admissions in colleges? I am an Indian with 2 years of workex in a startup (founders' office)...Good acads
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Good to hear!