I Scored 640. Should I retake?

Question

Hi all,

After 3 weeks of studying I scored 640. ( I studied 3 hours a day on average). I am quite disappointed with the result as I also scored 640 when I took the GMAT prep 1 without any studying! It seems that my 3 weeks did not bring anything!

So as said, I scored 640 for the real GMAT as well: Q48 V29. I do not understand why my verbal score is so low, I was scoring V35 during the GMAT Prep tests.

I want to start my MBA in 1.5 year from now. My target schools are LBS, INSEAD and IE (in Madrid). I am french (so not a native english speaker), studied engineering in France and moved to Germany right after my studies to work as a management consultant (Top 10 Consultancy firm). I have 3 years of experience and will have therefore 4.5 years of experience when I start my MBA.

Is my GMAT score too low for the schools I am targeting?

Any advice / experience welcome.

Thanks a lot

AbhiJ · Answer

Since you have plenty of time, there is no reason not to take GMAT. Yes 640 is below the median score of LBS/INSEAD. Higher GMAT score will only help your case.

thagem01 · Answer

Thanks for your post.

I think that I will retake the test. I have from 3 to 6 months to take the test again.

If you could help me to define a plan, that would be great!

RESOURCES

As I was not working with OG so far, here are the resources I will purchase to improve:
- OG 13
- MGMAT SC (And Maybe SC 1000 too, is it worth it?)
- Powerscore CR Bible
- For the Quant, How can i move from Q48 to Q50? Any resources?
- I have already done the 2 GMAT prep Test (new version) many times. Is there a possibility to get new ones? I already downloaded GMAT Prep version 1... I also heard about MGMAT Tests, do I have to pay for them?

STUDY SESSION:

- I will study on the WE and try to work during the week too. I plan to invest about 10 hours per week. Do you think it is enough?
- When should I use the GMAT Tests?

And my biggest question: When do I know that I am ready for the test. Because when I scored my 640 (Q48, V29), I thought I was ready! And the worst is that I did not have the feeling that I was doing bad for verbal during the real GMAT!

I you have any further tips, do not hesitate. Thanks a lot.

BrushMyQuant · Answer

Hi, VERBAL : Try Thursdays with ROn. Link in my signature! Quant: Check out my response on this thread q48-and-beyond-137579.html Good Luck!

Rohit99 · Answer

I scored a 640 today (Q 44, V 34) but the percentile breakup makes it seems like a balanced kind of performance:
Q 44 - 63%
V 34 - 69%
Total 640 - 73%

I was scoring around 700 in most mock tests, but that was in a relaxed home environment, with pauses on some questions. I think my preparation wasn't competitive, but I did what I could given the time I had apart from work.

My exp is around 3.5 years with strong educational profile (Masters + BTech). I think that would paint a better picture than the GMAT score. Ultimately, the GMAT helps B schools check the general aptitude of the candidate and see if he/she can work through the MBA course load.

In your case, the 640 score is a bit skewed. I would say give it again since you have time. 700 or above are considered impressive by all standards.

Rohit99 · Answer

I'd say verbal is all about practice (with a bit of lady luck). The more you practice, the more thoughtful your answer choices will be. For me, I think the verbal questions can vary in toughness, depending on how well you understand the general subject that is discussed. RC's with subjects like biology or astrology can be tough to read and comprehend. Usually they don't have any business sense. I wouldn't agree with the test makers on keeping such RCs in the gmat. It kills your time and then you have less available time for questions you might do well on.

Kaps07 · Answer

IMO, it is great to have diverse topics in RC. Business does not run in isolation and managers and decision makers need to understand to get main idea of the underlying function such as biology in pharma business, ecology in every sustainable and green friendly business, and social and culture issues in a global setting. I believe that it is easy to generate interest in any topic if you approach it with right attitude.

Rohit99 · Answer

My point is that if you are not familiar with the terms used in complex scientific texts, then it would take more time for you to parse through the big words and terminologies.

Akash567 · Answer

How many times I can take this?

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