Need Help! from Sure Shot 700+ to 660 in actual exam

Question

Dear All, Need every possible advice; i am badly bruised - veterans pls come forward and help - i had already started dreaming of my debrief in here, untill all changed when i saw my score

I now have two concerns: 1) About retaking exam 2) If to now apply in round 2 My Track record: Joined the forum 2 yrs ago. started, stopped in between and then finally gave it a shot with 4 months of concentrated effort. My scores: PowerPrep #1 (730, Q: 51, V:38) PowerPrep #2 (760, Q: 50, V:44) Knewton Free # (720, V42, Q47) was jittery & not confident. Was spaced out and badly timed GMAT PREP OLD #1 (710, Q: 48, V: 39) GMAT PREP OLD #2 (760, Q: 49, V: 42) GMAT PREP NEW #1 (710, Q: 48, V: 38) - new many questions. Lost focus MGMAT #1: V34 - did not give quant. was worried too see bad scores and thus focused on verbal MGMAT #2: V36 - do - MGMAT #3: V35 - do - MGMAT #4: V45 - do - MGMAT #6 (740, Q: 47, V: 45) MGMAT #5 (680, Q: 47, V: 36) - (was un-focused a bit. was not sure if i should give exam a day before) GMAT (Actual) # 660, Q 47, V:33) (in exam, was in good state of mind. no panic. no complains) A little about background: - Male 33 yr; Graduate in Fashion & Retail Management - Great track record (topper in my graduation 74.5%, awards for on job performance etc) - Traveled extensively for business negotiations / development; 20 trips in total (Germany, France, Spain, USA) - Champion in Pin-Bowling Tournament for two years - 10+ yrs experience in fashion and clothing retail - Currently C.O.O. (been in the company from inception and oversaw growth from 0 to USD 6 million (its decent in Indian fashion retail context) I am aiming for 12 month B school Programs: IIMa India, Insead, ISB India, LBS UK, Kelloggs US etc I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS 1) Shall i retake and apply in Round 2 OR apply now in round 1 with 660 2) AND If i really want to re-take for my satisfaction , what to study now - which resource? i have licked every resources, Have volumes of notes (OG, VR, QR, MGMAT 8 guides, all resource from forums PS:i know, i would have goofed up in CR and RC. in SC am good

nphelan · Answer

In my opinion, I don't know how competitive a 660 will be for places like Insead and Kelloggs etc. I'm currently facing a similar problem, except I'm balancing whether I should rush and take the test before Round 1 or give myself enough time to properly prepare for round 2. I opted that an excellent score in round 2 is better then a good score in round 1. So take it for what it is. I feel as though you have more to give based on your previous scores, and the advantage of already being in that situation gives you something to grow on. So if you feel you can score better, as you've shown you can, I say go for it and lock up a spot in round 2. Hope this helps!

Target760 · Answer

Hi. "nphelan"

Thanks for making the effort to reply!. let see what i do finally, would take 2-4 days and then take a call.

one tricky question:
Lets say, if in second attempt i fall further, say 620 or whatever. . . To counter that, i was thinking that i would 'not' choose the same name of school as last time. . . and if do score good then i would additionally have the scores sent to the desired school - THE QUESTION IS: would GMAT still send new scores to 5 schools i had selected in the first attmept?? in that case my plan would fail!

GS

JoelCairo · Answer

Looks to me like you had an off-day and underperformed your potential. Similar thing happened to me on my last practice test, I just bombed it, felt a mess the whole way through. Honestly I think sometimes people need that: to take one test that just goes catastrophically, and get it out of your system. I took the real GMAT 2 days after my final practice test and scored a full 120 points higher.

If I were you I'd retake. You clearly have the potential to do much better, so don't short-change yourself by applying with a suboptimal score.If need be, apply Round 2. Nothing wrong with that.

Also, all schools will see all your scores, there's no way to game that. Usually they just look at your highest though.

Target760 · Answer

Hi Joel, thanks for advice!

More specifically; if i don't choose names of same 5 schools (as in first attempt), then in next attempt, will GMAT still send new scores also to the old five schools? as in a total to 10 schools?

JoelCairo · Answer

As I understand it, when you apply you tell GMAC "send my scores to schools X, Y and Z" and GMAC just automatically releases all data it has about you to those schools. There is no way to selectively hold back, and let school X only see your first score while school Y sees only your second score or something like that. Every school will see every score.

(If you don't apply to the first five schools from the first test, then I don't think they get updated with your second test without you telling GMAC to do so. If you do apply, though, they'll see both tests)

(If you don't apply to the first five schools from the first test, then I don't think they get updated with your second test without you telling GMAC to do so. If you do apply, though, they'll see both tests)

Target760 · Answer

sry, but i think i am missing something here . . . based on your above statement; the new question is, how do school get scores? they get something like a mail from GMAC or they have a kind of log-in, which they access when evaluating the application to see whats the latest score for a particular candidate?

to build further on argument; if in next test, i choose 'no' school > i re-take exam > score bad > and apply to schools, basis my earlier scores > how do those schools get to know what my new score are?

Thanks!

AmrithS · Answer

Well, given your work ex and track record, I think you can give ISB a shot...

I attended an info session organized by the admission cell of ISB and they said that they take into consideration the highest score. There is a 40 - 60% chance that you'll get an interview call with a score of 660. So why not re-take the test and see if you improve? God forbid, if your score were to drop, 660 is still a good enough score to get an interview call. However, if you are able to improve your score to a +700, you can improve your chances of getting an interview call to 80 - 90%

I think it's a win win... Re-take the exam in mid october and apply to round 2 of ISB

JoelCairo · Answer

Now I'm not sure I follow your question, but the bottom line is that every school you apply to will see every GMAT score you get. There is no way around that.

whiplash2411 · Answer

I'm not sure how that works, but I think they see every test you take UNTIL the day the test report gets sent. I'm not sure if they automatically update the schools with new schools. So, for instance, if you took the test once in January, once in February and once in March, and if you sent a score report in February, both Jan/Feb scores will be on there. If you don't send the March report to the SAME school, I don't think GMAC automatically updates your old Feb score report with a March score. Does that make sense?

Personally, I'd retake just so I can be in the admissible range (or over) for the schools I'm applying to. This is especially true for the US schools (Kellogg is pretty competitive. And it's Kellogg, not Kelloggs like the cereal)

Personally, I'd retake just so I can be in the admissible range (or over) for the schools I'm applying to. This is especially true for the US schools (Kellogg is pretty competitive. And it's Kellogg, not Kelloggs like the cereal)

openbox1 · Answer

what's their mascot? A tiger?

whiplash2411 · Answer

The cereal? Yes. The school? It's a wildcat. For Northwestern University, at least. I'm guessing the business school uses the same mascot.

krishp84 · Answer

You can retake any time.....
Scores matter to get shortlisted if your profile is too common...Or you do not want to risk/are not confident that your work can earn the call....
But after a point, scores do not matter....

What matters is -"What can you bring to the school ?"
That is the business of B-Schools especially the Top ones....This is exactly the reason some schools do not even disclose the number of admits, though some definitely do...

You should be in the best position to take that call....
Because everyone has his own unique story...

bb · Answer

Looks like you got a number of opinions, so I am coming a bit late into it.

Your profile sounds very strong and 660 is a great score for a 30 year old though definitely not the limit.

How many times have you taken the official GMAT? Just once?
I think your case maybe the prep was stretched out for too long. I remember the case of Pathfinder who got into Wharton - he got 720 on his initial attempt and did not risk applying that year (feeling his score was too low - a different story). After spending about 10 months and studying on/off, he retook the test and scored 680.

There is no right or wrong answer. Only opinions. Listen to all of them and then pick the best one as none of us understand where you are right now and what's going through your mind.

My suggestion  My suggestion for you would be not to spend a lot of time or resources on the retake. Does it mean retaking? Maybe. (You can retake in 31 days after taking it the first time but do very little prep - instead focus on the apps and perhaps reading some fiction late at night to improve your ear for proper English - that can boost a few points on the verbal score). The test has a standard error of about 40 points, so let's hope you scored at the lower level of your potential.

WHY? You have studied so many resources and done prep for so long that it is probably at the revolting stage (if not, then perhaps you have not studied enough). I feel you won't be able to hunt down your weaknesses quick enough to do a great job on applications and perhaps even get discouraged.

Score Reports I would not worry about schools seeing multiple scores. They take the highest score in 99% of cases and only use the report to verify that one of them is indeed the highest you got.

Just some thoughts - you will need to make the decision on your own and don't give me more weight.

Target760 · Answer

Fair enough! i get you now; thanks for reaching out to support!

Target760 · Answer

Hi Whiplash2411!

tx for sharing your thoughts! its likely that i will attempt a retak!

I know i am required to focus on CR + RC; what do you think, where could i understand and practice more from, if i wan to study 3-4 weeks more. ?? unfortunately i have exhausted Bang Bang guide, my own notes and GmatPrerp problems. . .

any ides would be helpful

thanks again!
(will remember it's kellogg)

Target760 · Answer

Thanks bb as always and this time more so for putting it across so structured

to answer your question; i had taken GMAT in 2004; it was dismal 620 then. (never really prepared; and i don't think hat will show in any of my history via GMAC)

Next, with so many rhyming feedback, I have concluded on thing that i got to 'make my own well though decision' as there are no specific recipes. so i should have come to some conclusion within next 48 hrs.

Two question: 
1) i was wandering, just as you felt that profile seems strong, could i get the same evaluated from some one? should i approach some consultant (i have not done much homework on apps and consultants so don't know any names etc). how long will such a process take? OR would schools directly give a feedback if one approaches - but how to approach? MBA expos , wherein i could meet reps from schools face to face, are coming to India only by end of sep/oct . . . i don't want to spread myself too much! would rather only focus on INSEAD as top choice, then LBS UK or ISB
2) Even though i may be lucky to appeal the admission committee, based on my profile, but how much could bad gmat score affect the possibility of any financial aid / scholarship (i know its a very broad question, but any feedback would help. .

tx again
GS

bb · Answer

You want to post some requests (don't post everywhere) in the Admissions Consultants Forum.
You can take advantage of their free help to get your profile evaluated pretty thoroughly.

get-a-free-profile-evaluation-by-a-top-admissions-consultant-99300.html

prerit86 · Answer

give as many tests as possible

Target760 · Answer

tx! that's the best advise i got! :-)

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