Scored too low in IR section

Question

Hi Folks,

I took the GMAT today. Scored 750 ( Q 50 , V 41)

However , I screwed up big time in the IR section and only managed a score of 3.

Any ideas on how much this IR score hurt will me in the application process ?

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi amit1989,

Many Business Schools have publicly stated that they do NOT factor an applicant's IR score into the evaluation process, so the "simple" answer to your question is that your IR score is probably not worth worrying about. With a 750/Q50, you have an outstanding GMAT score and you should apply to any Business School that you want to.

Have you thought about which Schools you'll be applying to? And when?

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

amit1989 · Answer

Hey Rich,

Thanks for the information.

I have not yet applied to any schools and am still in very early stages of the application. However , I am looking to get into a B school by fall 2015 or spring 2016. I wonder if it is too late for fall 2015.

I am interested in US B schools mostly.

GMATPill · Answer

Generally speaking, you want to score decent enough on the IR section so as not to draw negative attention to a low IR score
 You don't want the admissions committee to focus on a really low IR score of like 1 or 2 -- that shows lack of effort or ability

That said, it's not that much more beneficial to have a perfect 8 versus a 6 or 7.

So ideally, you want to stay in the 4, 5, 6, or 7 range to efficiently get a score that is decent without putting a crazy amount of effort.

Now, with your IR score of 3 -- well, that's kind of cutting it. However, your 750 score is high enough that it'll offset the IR score of 3. So in your situation, I wouldn't worry about it.

RichEconomistGMAT · Answer

Hi amit1989,

First of all, your score of 750 is something I hope you're proud of. That is a really excellent score!

We posted in our blog about this recently, but a lot of business schools are still unsure of what to do with IR scores. This, of course, works to your advantage. If your overall score were lower, I think all of us would be singing a different tune. While you still might want to call the schools you're interested in to get their feedback, it looks like you're in really good shape.

Here's a link to the article we wrote earlier this year on how schools are still sorting out how to handle IR scores: https://bit.ly/1Ibt0N8

Best of luck!
Rich

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi amit1989,

As I mentioned earlier, with this GMAT score you can apply to any Schools that you want to. You still have to make sure that you OVERALL application is strong though AND you have to present everything in the most effective ways possible.

If you're planning to apply to any really competitive programs, then there are various pros/cons to applying in a later Round now vs. an early Round later. In addition, there might be Scholarship possibilities depending on the Round that you apply in, so you might want to discuss all of this with an Admissions Expert. There's a Forum full of them here:

ask-admission-consultants-124/

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

rohanparakh · Answer

Hi Folks I am from India (male engineer) with a 4.5 years work-ex in consulting and analytics. I have taken the GMAT twice. In my second attempt (a couple of days back), I got a score of 740 (Q50, V40). However, I screwed up BIG time in IR, and got a scaled score of 1 and a ZERO PERCENTILE. :cry:

In my first attempt, I had got 720 (Q50, V38) and IR score of 3/12 (27 percentile). I wish to apply to US B-schools of ranks 8 - 16. Considering that IR is 4-5 years old now, I am wondering if schools have started looking at it seriously. Do you think it makes sense for me to take the GMAT again? Or will a Quant score of 50 offset my IR score? Please help ! :roll:

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi rohanparakh,

First off, a 740/Q50 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 almost certainly not necessary. You're ultimately asking Admissions questions though, so you would likely find it beneficial to speak with an Admissions Expert about your overall profile. There's a Forum full of them here:

ask-admission-consultants-124/

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

polka90 · Answer

I am in the same boat.

Wrote GMAT yesterday. 760 (VA - 42, QA - 50); have an IR score of 4.

This is worrying me a bit.

KarishmaB · Answer

Don't worry! Go and party! IR 4 is acceptable with Q50. It won't raise eyebrows. Get a free profile evaluation here: https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#-school/

HiLine · Answer

Can you clarify what makes you so confident that a 46th percentile score is acceptable? Does a high Quant score basically invalidate the entire Integrated Reasoning section? From what I see, more and more MBA programs are viewing the Integrated Reasoning section as an important admission criterion. Last year, 59% of the MBA programs surveyed by Kaplan said the IR score was important.

MBAPrepCoach · Answer

I agree that they are not going to cast a candidate aside for integrated reasoning scores that are subpar. They are important in as much as everything is important. I'm not sure how the study was done, but anecdotally, I'm here to say that I got a Chinese woman in to Booth last year who had a 1 on IR. 700 overall and I don't remember her break down, but the point is IR didn't stop them from accepting her.

Farrell Dyan Hehn, MBA
Admissions Consultant & Verbal Strategist MBAPrepCoach.com

Farrell Dyan Hehn, MBA
Admissions Consultant & Verbal Strategist MBAPrepCoach.com

KarishmaB · Answer

Yes, IR score is gaining importance and it will as time goes by. But, 4 is not unacceptable in any way. 1/2/3 are considered low but 4 and above are fine. On top of that, your overall score is great with a very decent split between Q and V. In addition, Quant 50 is very good. 
All in all, as long as you get AWA 4 or more, your GMAT score will not be a liability.

AshBandaru · Answer

I don't understand the difference between a 3&4 in terms of percentile its only 13

oasis2017 · Answer

hate to ask the same question again, but like the OP i got a 750 (98 percentile)last week with Q51 but IR of 3 (27 percentile). Now it is 2017, not sure if I can still skate by without raising a red flag. Really appreciate ur input, and thanks in advanced. PS. I am aiming for Kellogg and Booth, if you have any particular info or know any top 20s will definitely say no, please share.

KarishmaB · Answer

Your overall score is very good. I don't think there should be a problem. Still, I would suggest you to get in touch with the adcom of your target schools to find out. You will find they are quite helpful. Also, you can get in touch with our admission experts for a free profile evaluation here: https://www.gmatclub.com/forum/veritas-prep-resource-links-no-longer-available-399979.html#-school/

jatin4026 · Answer

Hi, 
I'm also in a similar state. I scored 720 (50 Quant, 36 Verbal), with 5 in AWA and just 4 in IR. Is there a possibility to sail through with this IR score? or writing again is advised?

pnikhi001c · Answer

Hello,I am an architect with 6.5 years of experience and a female aspiring for an MBA at top 10 US universities.I just gave my GMAT and I scored 700. (Q48 V35) My IR score is very disappointing 3/8 . Is my IR score going to be a problem in admission ? Can someone advice me if I should 
retake the test or continue with my current score ? What are my chances with the current score ?

surbhipuri · Answer

Hey sorry for posting a wrong question ,just a doubt does the selection order of different section affects the overall difficulty level.Please need answers .

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Scored too low in IR section

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