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mikellaverde
Joined: 28 Jun 2018
Last visit: 12 Feb 2026
Posts: 32
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 13
Location: Colombia
Schools: LBS '21 (D) IESE '21 (I) Rotman '21 (A$) Yale '21 (S) Johnson '21 (S) Simon '21 (A$) ESADE '21 (WA)
GPA: 3.3
Schools: LBS '21 (D) IESE '21 (I) Rotman '21 (A$) Yale '21 (S) Johnson '21 (S) Simon '21 (A$) ESADE '21 (WA)
Posts: 32
Kudos:
4
05 Dec 2018, 21:10
Kudos
Bookmarks
So today I finally sat the GMAT after being all into it for almost 5 months.
My score was 660 Q45 V36 IR 7.
As I mentioned, my first mock test was about 5 months ago, and I scored something near 450 (no previous study nor any knowledge of the GMAT). After the first frustration I started my preparation using a Magoosh program + some Manhattan material as well as the 6 pack exams they offer.
A week or so later, I took the first GMAT prep exam and scored 590 Q42 V30 after that I focused myself on all the theory stuff for a while.
5 weeks later I started to take Manhattan exams in which I scored as follows:
--MGMAT 1: 620 Q40 V35
--MGMAT 2: 590 Q42 V31
--MGMAT 3: 610 Q44 V31
--MGMAT 4: 550 Q33 V33 (here I tried to put verbal first, total fail in terms of time management and concentration)
*then I took a 1 week break because I felt there was no improvement in my study. I was feeling too tired of having CATS every week, so I started to leave 2 weeks in between.
--MGMAT 5: 580 Q34 V35 (I totally failed time management again, I was having 700-800 questions but then skipped about 6)
--MGMAT 6: 670 Q46 V36 (I felt really good, but I missed a couple of questions because of time in both Quant and Verbal)
Then I went for the official preps exams, I repeated 1 and bought 3 and 4.
--GMATprep 1.1: 620 Q46 V30
--GMATprep 2: 640 Q44 V34
Here I got really frustrated about my performance and time management. I was consistently having 700-800 level questions but always ran out of time.
I reviewed my strategy and decided to follow a booklet path to keep track of the time during the exam. Also changed my too perfectionist approach and made myself to do some guessing and not to seek for the final answer.
--GMATprep 3: 710 Q49 V39 (I was thrilled, I thought that I finally had got where I was supposed to be)
--GMATprep 4: 650 Q44 V35 (this was 4 days before the exam, I was anxious and nervous)
*I must mention that I kept testing-like conditions for all the Mock tests
So, during the actual exam almost everything was as expected. I was quite nervous during Quant, but i managed to keep myself on track. However, the test center only provided me with two erasable sheets (instead of the Booklet). So, I was a little messy with the quant section, constantly erasing and setting the sheets cost me about 5 minutes. (I’m going to complain)
What I really want to ask here is: Should I retake the Gmat? was my 710 mock score somehow inflated?
I want to start an Msc Finance or a MFE in fall 2019.
I will provide some context about my profile:
-24 Years Old
-Colombian
-Undergrad in Industrial engineering
-GPA 3.7/5 (of the top University of my country).
-Internship in a local management consulting firm.
-currently doing an Specialty in Statistics (grades 4.5/5)
-GMAT 660 Q45 V36
-TOEFL 111
-1 year working as an Entrepreneur with my own small business in the oil palm sector (developing and selling microorganisms as mechanisms to control palm plagues) I started it as business plan during my undergrad dissertation. Also working with my family’s business.
-I got an award for the top score in the national undergraduate exams here in Colombia. (Everyone finishing university must take it)
I was hoping to get into a top business school for the 2019 intake: (Mfin or related)
-LSE
-LBS
-HEC
-ESADE
-Oxford
-Cambridge
-Bocconi
-Manchester Business school
Do I have any chance to get into any of these programs with my current profile? should I work on something specific? any suggestion of other programs I should consider?
I would appreciate any suggestion or comment.
Thank you for taking the time to read it all.
My score was 660 Q45 V36 IR 7.
As I mentioned, my first mock test was about 5 months ago, and I scored something near 450 (no previous study nor any knowledge of the GMAT). After the first frustration I started my preparation using a Magoosh program + some Manhattan material as well as the 6 pack exams they offer.
A week or so later, I took the first GMAT prep exam and scored 590 Q42 V30 after that I focused myself on all the theory stuff for a while.
5 weeks later I started to take Manhattan exams in which I scored as follows:
--MGMAT 1: 620 Q40 V35
--MGMAT 2: 590 Q42 V31
--MGMAT 3: 610 Q44 V31
--MGMAT 4: 550 Q33 V33 (here I tried to put verbal first, total fail in terms of time management and concentration)
*then I took a 1 week break because I felt there was no improvement in my study. I was feeling too tired of having CATS every week, so I started to leave 2 weeks in between.
--MGMAT 5: 580 Q34 V35 (I totally failed time management again, I was having 700-800 questions but then skipped about 6)
--MGMAT 6: 670 Q46 V36 (I felt really good, but I missed a couple of questions because of time in both Quant and Verbal)
Then I went for the official preps exams, I repeated 1 and bought 3 and 4.
--GMATprep 1.1: 620 Q46 V30
--GMATprep 2: 640 Q44 V34
Here I got really frustrated about my performance and time management. I was consistently having 700-800 level questions but always ran out of time.
I reviewed my strategy and decided to follow a booklet path to keep track of the time during the exam. Also changed my too perfectionist approach and made myself to do some guessing and not to seek for the final answer.
--GMATprep 3: 710 Q49 V39 (I was thrilled, I thought that I finally had got where I was supposed to be)
--GMATprep 4: 650 Q44 V35 (this was 4 days before the exam, I was anxious and nervous)
*I must mention that I kept testing-like conditions for all the Mock tests
So, during the actual exam almost everything was as expected. I was quite nervous during Quant, but i managed to keep myself on track. However, the test center only provided me with two erasable sheets (instead of the Booklet). So, I was a little messy with the quant section, constantly erasing and setting the sheets cost me about 5 minutes. (I’m going to complain)
What I really want to ask here is: Should I retake the Gmat? was my 710 mock score somehow inflated?
I want to start an Msc Finance or a MFE in fall 2019.
I will provide some context about my profile:
-24 Years Old
-Colombian
-Undergrad in Industrial engineering
-GPA 3.7/5 (of the top University of my country).
-Internship in a local management consulting firm.
-currently doing an Specialty in Statistics (grades 4.5/5)
-GMAT 660 Q45 V36
-TOEFL 111
-1 year working as an Entrepreneur with my own small business in the oil palm sector (developing and selling microorganisms as mechanisms to control palm plagues) I started it as business plan during my undergrad dissertation. Also working with my family’s business.
-I got an award for the top score in the national undergraduate exams here in Colombia. (Everyone finishing university must take it)
I was hoping to get into a top business school for the 2019 intake: (Mfin or related)
-LSE
-LBS
-HEC
-ESADE
-Oxford
-Cambridge
-Bocconi
-Manchester Business school
Do I have any chance to get into any of these programs with my current profile? should I work on something specific? any suggestion of other programs I should consider?
I would appreciate any suggestion or comment.
Thank you for taking the time to read it all.
06 Dec 2018, 14:32
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi mikellaverde,
First off, a 660/Q45 is a strong score (it's right around the 80th percentile overall), so it could be enough to get you into your first-choice School. As such, a retest might not be necessary. It's worth noting that Finance Programs tend to put a greater emphasis on an Applicant's Quant Scaled Score. While a Q45 is a solid performance, it's not going to 'impress' anyone. 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 those Experts here:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admissio ... tants-124/
Based on everything that you described, the 710/Q49 that you scored on Official CAT #3 is something of an 'outlier', so I wouldn't say that you are at that 'ability level' just yet. You could potentially get to the point that you consistently score at that level though, if you can make the necessary changes to how you 'see' (and respond to) the Quant section. The Quant section of the GMAT is NOT a 'math test' - it's a 'critical thinking test' that requires lots of little calculations as you work through it. To score at a much higher level in this section, you need to become more of a 'strategist' and less of a 'mathematician.'
1) What application deadlines are you currently facing?
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
First off, a 660/Q45 is a strong score (it's right around the 80th percentile overall), so it could be enough to get you into your first-choice School. As such, a retest might not be necessary. It's worth noting that Finance Programs tend to put a greater emphasis on an Applicant's Quant Scaled Score. While a Q45 is a solid performance, it's not going to 'impress' anyone. 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 those Experts here:
https://gmatclub.com/forum/ask-admissio ... tants-124/
Based on everything that you described, the 710/Q49 that you scored on Official CAT #3 is something of an 'outlier', so I wouldn't say that you are at that 'ability level' just yet. You could potentially get to the point that you consistently score at that level though, if you can make the necessary changes to how you 'see' (and respond to) the Quant section. The Quant section of the GMAT is NOT a 'math test' - it's a 'critical thinking test' that requires lots of little calculations as you work through it. To score at a much higher level in this section, you need to become more of a 'strategist' and less of a 'mathematician.'
1) What application deadlines are you currently facing?
GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich
mikellaverde
Joined: 28 Jun 2018
Last visit: 12 Feb 2026
Posts: 32
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 13
Location: Colombia
Schools: LBS '21 (D) IESE '21 (I) Rotman '21 (A$) Yale '21 (S) Johnson '21 (S) Simon '21 (A$) ESADE '21 (WA)
GPA: 3.3
Schools: LBS '21 (D) IESE '21 (I) Rotman '21 (A$) Yale '21 (S) Johnson '21 (S) Simon '21 (A$) ESADE '21 (WA)
Posts: 32
Kudos:
4
06 Dec 2018, 16:19
Kudos
Bookmarks
First of all, thanks for your response.
The deadlines for the applications are at the end of February. I could take the GMAT again, since I will probably get a free retake because of the problems I had with the booklet. However, I will have to take it no later than January 25. That leaves me with 1 month to try to improve.
I have doubts about keeping my focus on the gmat, I have not prepared any other part of the application apart from the TOEFL. That's why I think it's only worth it if my current score of 660 does not allow me to enter any of the top business schools. So, should I go with an admission consultant? Any suggestions of whom should I talk to?
The deadlines for the applications are at the end of February. I could take the GMAT again, since I will probably get a free retake because of the problems I had with the booklet. However, I will have to take it no later than January 25. That leaves me with 1 month to try to improve.
I have doubts about keeping my focus on the gmat, I have not prepared any other part of the application apart from the TOEFL. That's why I think it's only worth it if my current score of 660 does not allow me to enter any of the top business schools. So, should I go with an admission consultant? Any suggestions of whom should I talk to?
