Will incremental score bump make difference in application?

Question

I scored as high as a 760 in practice tests and a 740 on the real test.

This may be nit picky, but I’m wondering if there is a material difference / added value to me taking it again to chase the higher score or is there no difference?

Targeting top 5 programs (HBS, Stanford, Booth, Wharton)

Posted from my mobile device

u1983 · Answer

Hello ABT .... welcome to the community.

I am ofcouse not an expert ..... but, here are my 2 cents:

732 is the avg highest mean schore of any school. So your score is already good enough. Concentrating on application is the most logical thing now. Pleae refer the link below (contains number crunching !! ):
https://gmatclub.com/forum/admission-rate-213025.html
But again If I were you and confident on improving the current score I pwould take the exam again ( just to achieve that 'yeah' moment.)

Hope this helps!!

DisciplinedPrep · Answer

It may not be necessary for you to retake the GMAT. 740 is an amazing score. Focus on writing an excellent application to compliment your already high GMAT score. All the best.

CAMANISHPARMAR · Answer

740 is a very good score. What is the split? If your GPA is very good, then you may focus on writing your essays. If you want to make up for any aspect of your application, then you may think of improving your score.

All the best for your admissions!

ABT · Answer

CAMANISHPARMAR

Thanks for the feedback. The split is 41/49 (verbal/math) with a 6 and 8 on writing and IR. My undergrad GPA is a 3.7/4.0 from a top 40 school.

Only concern is that coming from a Wall Street background (Investment banking  Top  3 bank and now in private equity) may add to level of difficulty for admission since I will be one of many applying with similar resume. Do you believe this to be the case?

Admissionado · Answer

It might not make a huge difference, but every little bit counts, and at this point you still have a few months until essay questions will be released for R1 apps, so it's a good time to retake the GMAT if you feel like there is a chance you can improve your score. If it gets to the point where studying for the GMAT would take time away from work on your applications it's not worth the trade off in mind, but given where we are in the year I'd go for it if you think you can improve it a bit!

ExpertsGlobal · Answer

Hello ABT , Hope this finds you well. 740 is a good score, and you could proceed with working on the other aspects of your profile now. However, in case you feel that you could take this up even by 20 points or so, we strongly suggest a re-take. There is quite nothing to lose there at all; in fact, it may actually help spike your application. All the best!

CAMANISHPARMAR · Answer

The good thing is your score is well balanced. 730 (V41/Q49 and perfect scores in AWA and IR) should do the trick for almost all the programs, but if you are targetting 2020 admissions cycle, then you can try for V42/Q50 or above provided you can comfortably spare the time needed to improve your score.

Also, your profile does not seem to be from the overrepresented community. So don't let this be a reason for giving GMAT again.

All the best!!

PersonalMBACoach · Answer

Hey ABT,

What demographic do you fit under?

For a generic application (white male) from BB IB/PE, a 740 is a notch above the minimum needed to be very competitive at an M7 school. Will a 760 be materially better than a 740 in your situation? I do think it can bring your application up as long as the other aspects are in line.

Yes, a 740 is technically above the median at most, if not all schools. But I would say the median for bankers at an M7 is closer to 740-745. so you can't really compare with the entire pool.

Hope this helps and please let me know if you have any more questions!

Regards,

ABT · Answer

PersonalMBACoach

Thanks for the feedback. I am an Asian male (dont think that makes much of a difference vs. white male), but applying as a US candidate (born and raised here).

Your feedback is definitely helpful!

PersonalMBACoach · Answer

In that case, I do think a 760 would help you stand out from a crowded and competitive demographic, especially if the rest of your application is solid. Feel free to reach out at scott@personalmbacoach.com if you have any more questions or want to chat more! Regards,

Will incremental score bump make difference in application?

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