Retake GMAT (710: Q-49, V-39) after getting 740 on practice?

Question

All,

I don't plan to apply to MBA program for probably another few years. My goals are to either go somewhere in the 15-20 (where I could get some kind of scholarship) or strive for a top 10 school. I took the GMAT 8 months ago and scored a 710 (49-Q, 39-V, 5-AWA, 5-IR). Given that I met the 80V/80Q and 700 thresholds, I would say it is a pretty solid score for applying to any program (obviously undergrad performance, leadership, work experience, recommendations, and essays are all extremely important as well).

Because my MGMAT CATs subscription will expire in another month or so, I decided to take a practice exam (after being away from the GMAT for over 8 months) and scored a 740 (46-Q, 45-V). I'm not sure what to make of this. I'm not sure if it is worth it take a day off of work, pay $250, do more practice exams/prep in order to strive for 40 or 50 extra points.

I was wondering if anyone has any thoughts about this. I'm not one to chase data points just for the heck of it, but I don't want to miss out on any tangible benefits that could come from the prospect of scoring a little higher.

Quick Profile: Graduated with Highest Honors from a USNWR Top-10 Public University, White-Male, Work in a well-known Consulting Practice, 2 Leadership Positions in Volunteer activities

fergsonfire · Answer

I really think that if the only reason that you were not accepted at a school is because you got a 710 instead of a 740 that it is not the right place for you. I also got a 710 after getting 780 in practice and that was more than enough to meet the criteria of any school. Now GPA killed me, but that's another story. Because of my entire package I was accepted to Notre Dame with money so look beyond just the one data point and at the whole picture. Seems to me like you have the other parts of the package to make a run at whatever you wanted.

jppaa · Answer

Ferguson Fire,

Thanks for the reply. I really appreciate the feedback. Congrats on getting into ND. ND is a great school and I'm sure it'll be a great experience. Out of curiosity, what is your background? What other schools did you apply to?

beelonzz · Answer

Imagine that you retake the GMAT and score 720. Would you retake it? How about 730? If I were you, I wouldn't retake it. The opposite would mean putting enormous pressure on yourself and it wouldn't be justified. I also scored higher on some of my mocks than on the real test but I wouldn't even think about retaking the GMAT. You already have a brilliant score, so why bother.

fergsonfire · Answer

JPPAA, thank you, I am very excited about Notre Dame and the community in South Bend. I served in the military for 7.5 years as both officer and enlisted. I graduated from the US Naval Academy with a BS in computer science and I am currently an operations supervisor at a new construction nuclear power plant. I have been a volunteer firefighter, tutor, and have worked with Habitat for Humanity like organizations. I applied to HBS, MIT, Foster, ND, and Cambridge. I withdrew my Foster app, had an interview invite, and MIT when I was accepted to ND. I was dinged without interview at HBS and Cambridge. I often think that some of the top tier schools forget to look at the character of students and instead look at a GPA or a GMAT and that does not tell you whether that person is going to keep fighting when times get tough.

CapoKD · Answer

Unless you are rich enough to pass on a new Mercedes without batting an eyelid, by all means do give the GMAT again, it is definitely worth more than the $250 you will spend. Just be sure you can get at least a 20 point increase in your score.

CobraKai · Answer

I'd give it a go. The GMAT is the one thing you still have control over - you don't want to leave points on the table. While the difference between a 710 and 740 may not make a difference for admit/ding at some schools, those thirty points can make a difference for scholarship decisions. Also, depending on what you're recruiting for, a 740 GMAT would look more impressive on a resume than a 710.

EngineeringMBA · Answer

Just as an aside, I also ended up scoring a 710 (with practically the same breakdowns). I felt like I left points on the table for verbal, but to me, the decision was easy to decide to be content and happy with the score and focus on my applications. That being said, I'm applying this year, and felt my time was better served working on perfecting my essays rather than aiming for a higher score.

I think if I were in your shoes, I would probably take it one more time just to see what happens, if you're looking at C/O 2017 or 2018, perhaps. You have some extra time before you need to start researching schools, crafting essays, etc. However, I definitely feel a 710 is competitive and more than good enough for the majority of top schools (which is why I didn't take it again myself).

Retake GMAT (710: Q-49, V-39) after getting 740 on practice?

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