Underperformed on Verbal by a considerable margin. Should I retake?

Question

Took the GMAT for the first time today and scored a 740 (Q51/V39). I can't say I'm unhappy about the 740, but I'm very disappointed with the Verbal score. I considered myself to be pretty strong in Verbal and consistently scored in the 97th Percentile (44+) in the mock tests, so 39 is definitely a letdown. I was counting on an excellent GMAT score to make up for my underwhelming GPA, and I can't stop thinking how I would've scored at a 770 had I performed to my usual level on Verbal. So do you think it makes sense for me to retake the test next month a shoot for a 770, which I know I'm capable of? Does a 770 make that much of a difference in comparison to 740?

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi jakobliamk,

First off, a 740/Q51 is an outstanding score (it's well above the 90th percentile overall), so you should apply to any Business Schools that interest you. As such, a retest is not necessary. If you're interested in an analysis of your overall profile, then you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert. There's a Forum full of them here:

ask-admission-consultants-124/

1) What Schools are you planning to apply to?
2) When are you planning to apply?

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

OptimusPrepJanielle · Answer

Hi jakobliamk,

First of all congratulations for the score. A 740 is a very good score and is above the average intake of all the schools. So, your profile would play a major role in your application.

Having said that, this would be the answer you would get from everyone in this forum. But if you feel that you have underperformed and can do better than this, then go for it. A 760 is better that 740 anyway.

The only person who can give you an honest answer is you. Worst case, you will have the same score or a lower score. You can very well cancel the score in such case. But you will not have any regrets and any ifs and buts while applying.

If at all you decide for a retake, take it soon so that the concepts are fresh and do keep on practising until the retake.
All the best! and do let me know about your decision.

KarishmaB · Answer

I agree with Janielle. You are in a great position at a great time. You have a 740 as a backup - which is awesome. Some time back GMAC revised its policy and now a cancelled score doesn't show on your scorecard. So now you can retake till you have a score that makes you really happy - provided there are no time and money constraints. For the adcom, 740 and 770 aren't very different really. You have proved your academic standing with 740 too. Now if you do retake, it is for your own confidence and comfort. If you feel that you will be in a better state of mind if you apply with a 770-780, great! Take the test again.

If you score <= 740, just cancel the score (fewer retakes look better). But do understand that you will be in a fix if you get, say 750. It is higher than the previous score but doesn't show a marked improvement so it looks like you are retaking just for the heck - without actually putting in any effort. So you will be left wondering whether you should accept it or cancel. Not many people would retake after 740 so in that case, it is possible that you will questioned why you did. If you get a 780, then it is obvious that you knew you have not scored to your potential and hence took it again. So if you do plan to retake, you will need to have a strategy in mind for every possible score you could get.

Underperformed on Verbal by a considerable margin. Should I retake?

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