Percentile of AWA 6.00 ?

Question

what percentile is 6.00 AWA?

I just got my AWA score, it is 5.5 (83 percentile)

How good is that? Does it make up a little bit for my terrible verbal score of 36?

Cheers!

manylander · Answer

I got 6.0 and it is (every 6.0) ranked at 89%. Roughly one tenth of all test takers score full in AWA.

Darden2010 · Answer

Thanks for the fast reply!!!

so 11% get 6.0
and 6% get 5.5

hmmm... interesting

riverripper · Answer

AWA means nothing to schools anyways...it is pretty much a useless part of the test that just wears you down a little before the real test beings.

manylander · Answer

I think it is "near nothing". Not an "absolute nothing". Especially competitive schools with a bunch of 700+ applicants may use low (4 and lower) scores as a negative point. 

Also, the word has it that because of the increasing use of essay helpers, it serves as a reality check for the applicant's written skills. This is a rumor with no solid proof but has logical merit.

Darden2010 · Answer

yeah, manylander I have heard of that also. But do schools actually read your AWA essays for content/style and compare the style of your b-school application essays; or do they just look at the score and know what level of 'English' maestry they should expect in your essays

manylander · Answer

I don't think they read the essays at all. The score s/b all they need for an extra pice of side information. That said an AWA is of minimal importance unless it is terrible alone or is mediocre and accompanying a stellar GMAT score... The second case is only applicable to schools where a ton of GMAT experts apply.

Darden2010 · Answer

Ok, thanks
do you have 780 on the GMAT? that is a great score!

manylander · Answer

I wish I had 780! That is my target score. I took GMAT only once (a month ago) and got 730 -Q47,V44-. Planning on taking it again in a month.

Cheers!

cstefanita · Answer

I wish I had 730 :-D

riverripper · Answer

Why bother retaking with a 730. Its not going to add much to your candidacy. 730-750 is a pretty sweet spot to be. If you are planning on applying this year thats a waste of your effort. You will push yourself back to R3 which is far more difficult. If you are in your late 20s the extra year is probably going to weaken it too.

Some people here advocate getting the highest score you can but once you are comfortably above a schools mean and median (you are except maybe for Stanford) it isn't going to do a whole lot for your application.

asdert · Answer

How bad does this late 20s thing affect one's application?

riverripper · Answer

I would much rather apply at 28 or 29 than 30...just having that 30 on there is like a mental thing. Its like having a 690 vs a 700. There is no real difference but which do you think the adcoms like better?

asdert · Answer

Agree with you. I just got worried. I'm 28 right now. I think I'll be applying for fall '09. I'll be 29 when I submit my app and 30 a couple months before the program starts. I should be fine, right?

(please say yes, lol)

riverripper · Answer

Ya thats still right around the middle. It wont say 30 on your application anywhere so that wont have the stigma.

Darden2010 · Answer

If I get in Tuck this year I will start classes on my 25th birthday

Is it really bad to have age:24 all over your applications?

riverripper · Answer

Depends on the school. Some prefer younger and some prefer older. Tuck is an older school but that is probably a factor of its location and being considered a very family friendly place. During my visit out of the dozen or so people there I think only two were single, a fair portion had kids too. These people felt tuck was the best fit for them, young and single folks typically want a more exciting place to live like Boston, Chicago, NYC, London...not the woods of new hampshire.

Darden2010 · Answer

hmmm... the school profile says 31% married, comared with Ross (my second choice) where married is 22%. The average age of both schools is 28. I think Tuck is family friendly, but also the partners of married students cannot find employment in Hanover (because of its size) so it makes sense that being in out there in the middle of nowhere has its pluses and it minuses for family people. But do you think the school itself prefers older aplicants, or is it that older aplicants apply there more?

uphillclimb · Answer

Tuck specifically wants people with a little experience under their belts, ie, more than a couple of years out of college. I'm not saying a younger applicant with an extraordinary story couldn't get in, but I do know the admissions people believe that older students get more out of and contribute more to the program.

Darden2010 · Answer

ok, well I am young and I am applying R2 with an average GMAT.
Sounds like I should give up!
But I am not going to, I have done many impossible things in my life and an admit letter from Tuck is the next impossible thing on my list

	Manhattan Prep: $99 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	Target Test Prep - Save up to $599 $400 Discount + $99 Bonus GMAT Club Tests
	e-GMAT: 60% Off on GMAT Focus Get to 735+ from any starting point
	Magoosh increases your score, guaranteed - 15% off ALL Magoosh GMAT plans with code GMATCLUB15 + Free GMAT Club Tests.
	Experts' Global - ~~$1720~~ $960 End-to-End GMAT Prep + App Support: 150+ Videos, 2000+ Questions, 15 FLTs +
	GMATWhiz - $299 ~~$499~~ Experience the course through a free trial.
	GMAT Club Tests - Free Included with every course purchase of $149+ View all deals

Percentile of AWA 6.00 ?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards