should i retake gmat

Question

hi 

quants 49 
verbal  39 
AWA  4.5 

i have a low cgpa 2.7/4 so i am waiting for an year now to apply so that i can amass a work ex of 3 yrs as i want to get thru the top ten schools.
please evaluate my Gmat score objectively. is it good enough to get me to the top 10 schools?

rhyme · Answer

What this correspond to overall? Are you looking for top 10 in general or do you have your heart set on a specific school? (if so, which one)

A 39 verbal doesn't seem unreasonable to me, I assume you highlighted it in red because of that - in fact, its quite high - virtually top 10%th percentile. 

In general, with a lower cgpa, if you score is above 700, I wouldn't retake. If its below 700, I'd consider retaking. Another option - and possibly a more powerful one - would be to sign up for a class somewhere at a local university - say accounting or whatever and get an A in that class. It'll show that you are serious about your pursuit, can handle graduate level coursework, are motivated, and that your cgpa isn't a fair metric to your current abilities.

GAURAVA · Answer

Thanks for the suggestion . you would be glad to know that i have done exactly as u advised got an A in fundamentals of accounting. But i have been working only since june 2005 . before that i have been taking classes for law entrance and gmat while doing my internship in my final semester that is from jan 2005 and i am doing it part time even toda. how and where shud i project my teaching ex in my profile 

DO you think i stand a chance in harvard or shud i wait for one more year

pelihu · Answer

Based on the limited information you have given, your GMAT is hardly the weak point of your application. Your GPA is substantially below the middle 80% of any of the top 10 schools, which means that if admitted, you'd be in the bottom 10%.

In order to overcome your low GPA, you would need to be stellar in all other areas. From what I can gather from your message, you have zero full-time work experience, and you have not mentioned any substantial leadership or extracurricular activities. For a top ten school, essentially you have an average GMAT, and are weak in all other areas of your application.

I would say that based on the information you have provided, you have literally no chance of getting into Harvard right now, and unless you become an executive of some major philanthropy AND some major corporation within the next year your chances will not be any better next year either. Your chances at other top 10 schools are only marginally better.

I did notice one thing though. If you are an under-represented minority, then things might be different.

should i retake gmat

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