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achieveratheart
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GMAT FE - First attempt score 06 Dec 2025, 06:26
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Gave my 1st attempt at GMAT FE and scored 655. Tanked the score in DI (71 percentile whereas Q90 and V83).
Not able to gauge if it is a good score as I was targeting 700+. What colleges can I target with this score and can I get into Melbourne or Sydney business school with GMAT FE 655?

I have 3.25 yrs of work experience at a Big 4 firm (Deloitte USI), scored 10 CGPA in CBSE 10th, 96.2% in CBSE 12th, 9.081 CGPA in Bachelors of commerce (Hons.) from University of Delhi. Was a stream topper in class 11th and 12th and got an accelerated promotion while working.

Also confused if I should take a re-attempt?
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GMAT FE - First attempt score 06 Dec 2025, 21:02
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Your GMAT FE 655 (90th percentile) is a highly competitive score. Your Quant (Q90) and academic/professional background (Big 4, 9.081 CGPA) are absolutely stellar and will impress admissions committees.

Melbourne/Sydney: Yes, you are a strong candidate for Sydney Business School and a competitive candidate for Melbourne Business School. Your profile strength easily mitigates a score that might be slightly below Melbourne's highest average.

Re-Attempt Recommendation
I strongly recommend a re-attempt.

Your target was 700+, and you have a clear, high-leverage opportunity to reach it:

Your Data Insights (DI) score (71st percentile) is the only weak link.

Focusing just on improving DI from 87 to 89-90 could easily boost your overall score to 685-695 (95th+ percentile).

A 695 would make you an unquestionable top-tier candidate for virtually any program in Australia and globally.

Next Step: I'd suggest dedicating 3-4 weeks solely to intensive DI practice and then retaking the exam!
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GMAT FE - First attempt score 06 Dec 2025, 21:49
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Hi achieveratheart,

You definitely stand a chance at your target schools but that chance will only go up with an improved score.

As you were scoring higher on the mocks and this was only your first attempt, we strongly recommend that you retake the test.

You can take a free, full-length GMAT-like mock test: https://www.expertsglobal.com/free-gmat-practice-test for additional practice.

All the best!

Experts' Global
achieveratheart
Gave my 1st attempt at GMAT FE and scored 655. Tanked the score in DI (71 percentile whereas Q90 and V83).
Not able to gauge if it is a good score as I was targeting 700+. What colleges can I target with this score and can I get into Melbourne or Sydney business school with GMAT FE 655?

I have 3.25 yrs of work experience at a Big 4 firm (Deloitte USI), scored 10 CGPA in CBSE 10th, 96.2% in CBSE 12th, 9.081 CGPA in Bachelors of commerce (Hons.) from University of Delhi. Was a stream topper in class 11th and 12th and got an accelerated promotion while working.

Also confused if I should take a re-attempt?
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GMAT FE - First attempt score 07 Dec 2025, 11:07
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A GMAT score of 655 (90th percentile) is indeed competitive score. Need to leverage your profile when you submit the applications. All the Best.
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GMAT FE - First attempt score 08 Dec 2025, 02:10
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achieveratheart
Gave my 1st attempt at GMAT FE and scored 655. Tanked the score in DI (71 percentile whereas Q90 and V83).
Not able to gauge if it is a good score as I was targeting 700+. What colleges can I target with this score and can I get into Melbourne or Sydney business school with GMAT FE 655?

I have 3.25 yrs of work experience at a Big 4 firm (Deloitte USI), scored 10 CGPA in CBSE 10th, 96.2% in CBSE 12th, 9.081 CGPA in Bachelors of commerce (Hons.) from University of Delhi. Was a stream topper in class 11th and 12th and got an accelerated promotion while working.

Also confused if I should take a re-attempt?
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Hi achieveratheart

A 655 GMAT Focus with your profile is a strong starting point. Given your academics (top school marks, 9+ CGPA at Delhi University), Big 4 experience with accelerated promotion, and a clear business background, you are already competitive for a number of well-ranked global programs. Your lower DI percentile doesn’t undermine your candidacy because your academic record already demonstrates analytical ability.

With this profile, you can target reputable options in Australia, such as Melbourne Business School and University of Sydney Business School, and you would also be competitive for strong international programs in Europe and Asia.

A retake only makes sense if:

You are confident you can lift your score meaningfully (ideally 690+),
And it won’t delay your application timeline.

If you can realistically push into the 690–710 range, it would expand your options into more competitive schools. If not, a well-positioned application with a 655 can still convert at strong programs, especially with your academic consistency and professional results.

If you’d like, we can map out a school list and identify whether a retake will significantly change your outcomes — feel free to book an appointment. You can also contact us directly at [email protected] or +91-7780769732.
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GMAT FE - First attempt score 08 Dec 2025, 04:12
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achieveratheart
Gave my 1st attempt at GMAT FE and scored 655. Tanked the score in DI (71 percentile whereas Q90 and V83).
Not able to gauge if it is a good score as I was targeting 700+. What colleges can I target with this score and can I get into Melbourne or Sydney business school with GMAT FE 655?

I have 3.25 yrs of work experience at a Big 4 firm (Deloitte USI), scored 10 CGPA in CBSE 10th, 96.2% in CBSE 12th, 9.081 CGPA in Bachelors of commerce (Hons.) from University of Delhi. Was a stream topper in class 11th and 12th and got an accelerated promotion while working.

Also confused if I should take a re-attempt?
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Hey achieveratheart. You've got good strengths in your profile: ~ 3.25 years at a Big 4 (Deloitte USI), high performance in all major stages (10th, 12th, undergrad), early promotion, which suggests professional growth, and leadership potential and work experience that meet most international MBA programs. These help balance a moderately low test score. Many schools look holistically. A GMAT FE score of 655(~700 CLASSIC) can be a good score, with a compelling application (outstanding essays, strong leadership story, exceptional recommendations, and possibly unique profile traits).

655 GMAT FE can be much more competitive for Sydney than for MBS. Given your profile, you could stand a decent chance, especially if your application story, work experience and career goals align well. If you want to increase your chances substantially at MBS, a retake would be better. A higher score reduces risk and improves negotiating power. You can also explore other schools where a 655 GMAT FE can be competitive, and build your “safety/moderate reach” list.

Good luck!
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GMAT FE - First attempt score 18 Aug 2026, 04:04
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Hi achieveratheart,
Thanks for posting. Here is what we feel:

The accelerated promotion at Deloitte USI is the strongest credential in this post, and it's also the one most likely to get buried if the application treats it as a line item rather than a story about what changed in scope and responsibility.

- A 655 on the current GMAT Focus puts you in roughly the territory of a Classic 700, so the score itself is defensible for Melbourne and Sydney Business School; what changes the read is that your academic record (9.08 CGPA from Delhi, 96.2% in 12th) is genuinely strong, which means the DI weakness at 71st percentile is the one thing worth addressing, because Australian programs that see a high quant background alongside a below-average DI subscore will notice the gap.

- At 3.25 years, you're at the lower end of the typical experience range for full-time MBA programs, which is workable; the accelerated promotion is what makes it workable, but only if the essays show what you owned, not just that the promotion happened.

- On a retake: if you can specifically target DI and bring that subscore closer to your Q90 level, the overall score improvement would be meaningful rather than cosmetic, and the profile reads more consistently across the board.

Without knowing your post-MBA goals, any school list stays provisional, but the academic record and Big 4 track give you a real foundation to build from.

Hope this helps. Feel free to come back with more queries as needed. Contact us directly—submit a query here.
achieveratheart
Gave my 1st attempt at GMAT FE and scored 655. Tanked the score in DI (71 percentile whereas Q90 and V83).
Not able to gauge if it is a good score as I was targeting 700+. What colleges can I target with this score and can I get into Melbourne or Sydney business school with GMAT FE 655?

I have 3.25 yrs of work experience at a Big 4 firm (Deloitte USI), scored 10 CGPA in CBSE 10th, 96.2% in CBSE 12th, 9.081 CGPA in Bachelors of commerce (Hons.) from University of Delhi. Was a stream topper in class 11th and 12th and got an accelerated promotion while working.

Also confused if I should take a re-attempt?
Show more