You’ve taken the GMAT test, and you scored a 700. Is that good enough? Should you take it again and try for a higher score? I’ve actually had candidates who wanted to retake the GMAT to see whether they could get their 750 score up to a 780 or higher! Whenever my adcom colleagues and I saw that, we’d roll our eyes and sigh, “An overachiever – he should have spent more time firming up his career goals!” — or “doing research on our school” or “reaching out to students and alumni.” These are the candidates who are often “dinged” because they didn’t do research in other critical areas. Yes, your GMAT score is important, but it is not the only thing that will lead to your admission. And I fear for those overachievers if they take the new GMAT Focus and get only a 650 because the grading scale is different. If they can’t reach 700, will this cause them to have a nervous breakdown or completely give up on going to an MBA program? Let’s hope not. The GMAT is not the be-all or end-all of your future.
In most cases, 700 is a good score. The new GMAT Focus equivalent to a 700 GMAT will be 645-655, in the 89th percentile. But don’t be alarmed at this lower number – it is not comparable to a 650 on the GMAT. The new GMAT Focus is weighed more on the percentages in each section than on the total overall score. You can compare the GMAT and GMAT Focus scores here.
When should you retake the GMAT?
Here are a couple of instances when a higher score might help you — and others when it isn’t necessary.
You are a member of an overrepresented demographic in the MBA pool.
Demographics comprise your ethnicity, nationality, gender, industry, sexual orientation, and job function. Indian engineers and computer scientists with high GMAT scores are overrepresented in the applicant pool, as are white and Asian male investment bankers and management consultants. Therefore, a GMAT score in the lower 80% range and a 3.3 GPA could be a problem for someone in one of these groups if they’re applying to a top-ten school, whereas a female Peruvian corporate finance associate with a 650 GMAT score and 3.0 GPA from a top Peruvian university would be well positioned. If this Peruvian female had a 590 GMAT score and a 2.7 GPA, that might not be the case, because questions would arise about her ability to master the coursework. Part of the research you should be doing before you apply to any school is to understand your demographic profile in relation to the published class profile; look at the numbers to see where you fit realistically.
One way to stand out from others is by having an awe-inspiring GMAT score. But it isn’t the only way! See What Should You Do If You Belong to an Overrepresented Applicant Group? for some tips.
You have a distinctive background or are from a less represented demographic group.
If you happen to be a Latin American brand manager or an African pharmaceutical salesperson – that is, if your demographic has very little representation in the business school applicant pool – then there is no reason to retake the exam. As long as you demonstrate proficiency on each section of the GMAT and present a total score of 690 or higher (or 655 or higher on the GMAT Focus) – meaning, your Quantitative and Verbal scores place you at or above the 80th percentile in each section – then your GMAT score really becomes a (nearly) nonissue. Retaking the test would be a waste of time that you could better spend elsewhere on your application.
You are applying to a top-ten MBA program.
Do you need a perfect score on the GMAT to gain acceptance to a top-tier business school? No. But you definitely need your score to be high enough that your application makes the cut for the adcom’s first read.
The top ten programs in the U.S. News & World Report ranking all report GMAT averages over 720 for the Class of 2024. Although several schools experienced a sharp drop in average GMAT scores for the Class of 2022, that development has largely reversed itself now. Currently, at most schools, the scores are more in line with – or above – pre-pandemic scores. This represents a return to the rising average GMAT score trend that we had seen for roughly twenty years. It might also reflect the fact that some schools waived the test requirement or gave applicants the option to request test waivers.
Some GMAT scores will be highly competitive at some programs and not even close to competitive at others. Do your research on your target schools to learn what their GMAT ranges are. Don’t just look at the average; the range will give you a better idea of how low the adcom will go before weeding out an application based on GMAT score alone.
The highest average score (737) is at Stanford (no surprise there), followed by Wharton (733) and NYU Stern (733; that is a surprise). To see where you fall, consult our Selectivity Index.
Your GPA is low and/or you have very little quant background.
If your GMAT Quant score is high, and you had solid grades in quant courses in college, that’s a plus. MBA adcoms need proof that you can handle the quantitative coursework. The adcom has to answer to the dean and faculty for the quality of the class, and they do not take that responsibility lightly. They want all their admitted students to do well, find a job, and graduate with their class. However, if your Quant score is low (below 75%), that will affect your overall score. Low Quant scores on both the GMAT and your transcript are a worst-case situation. You are not likely to be admitted to a solid MBA program with that pairing.
On the adcom, we’ve seen very messy, sad transcripts and been told by candidates in their optional essay that they were just too involved in extracurricular activities, which is why their grades suffered. Or we’re told that their first year was a turbulent period because it was their first time away from home and living independently – and so on, and so on. Whatever excuse you come up with for low grades, the adcom has heard it before. Unfortunately, your grades are what they are – you can’t change them. To show the adcom that you are a worthy candidate, you must prepare intensively for the GMAT and get a decent score; this will prove that you have the ability to do the work required in the program. Another good idea is to sign up at a local community college or online for calculus, statistics, economics, accounting, or other quant classes that you have either never taken before or did poorly in. This will show that you are aware of your shortcomings and are working to improve.
Your GPA is strong, but your GMAT score is low.
Having a decent GPA but a very low GMAT score is more common that you would think. Please – don’t just write in the optional essay, “My GMAT score is not a true measure of my ability” or “I have never been good at taking standardized tests” or “I was ill during the test, so I didn’t do well.” By writing this, you are acknowledging that your score is below the school’s average, but you just don’t have the time or inclination to try to improve it. If you want to be accepted, you’d best get busy studying for the GMAT and take it again. Adcoms don’t like whiners or quitters. You won’t get accepted just because you’re charming and really want to go to this school. You are one of several thousand applicants, and the top schools have the luxury of selecting candidates who demonstrate that they are willing to work hard to succeed.
However, more and more MBA programs have introduced test waivers or have gone entirely test-optional. If you are struggling to earn a good test score, it might make sense for you to focus on test-optional programs. On the other hand, if your GPA is low for your target schools, a high test score is one way to show that you have the intellectual ability to succeed in the MBA program. This is the one instance in which a high GMAT score will help you compensate for lower grades in undergrad.
Other Options
Perhaps you have already taken the GMAT three or four times, with only a slight improvement – or worse, a decrease – in your score. Maybe it is not the right test for you. Over the past ten years, the use of the GRE has grown substantially, and most MBA programs now accept this test. A few schools will also accept the Executive Assessment for the MBA program – but be sure to check whether you need to have a certain number of years of work experience to apply with this test. Some programs require eight to ten years of work experience, whereas others don’t care how long you’ve worked.
You should prepare for and take the test that you feel you will do best on, and most schools do not express any preference for one test over another. And by all means, if you’ve been studying on your own but not making progress on your score, spend the money on a test prep service!
The score you achieve on your MBA admissions exam – whether that’s the GMAT, the GRE, or the Executive Assessment – has traditionally been regarded as a predictor of how you will perform on your first year of MBA coursework. As a result, it, along with your undergraduate academic performance, plays a key role in the MBA admissions process. If your intention is to apply to a top MBA program, you will need to obtain your highest possible score. This is not the type of test for which you can prepare in a few days. In fact, most of my clients spend several months preparing for their chosen exam, and many of them take it more than once.
Your GMAT or GRE score is sometimes also used by prospective employers (consulting firms and investment banks mostly) in the prescreening process for interviews, as well as by several organizations that produce MBA rankings. And don’t forget – for schools that award merit-based scholarships, the GMAT falls under “academic merit.”
If you have a stellar GPA, well-crafted and interesting essays, amazing letters of recommendation, and a resume that shows that you’ve worked hard and served as a leader of impact and consequence, you’re on your way to overcoming a low GMAT score. You’re in a position to prove to the adcom that you’re a fantastic candidate and that the GMAT is just not your thing (though your score still needs to be good enough to get your application looked at).
Dr. Christie St-John has more than 25 years of higher ed and admissions experience, including ten years in admissions at Dartmouth Tuck. She was formerly the director of MBA recruiting and admissions, director of international relations, and an adjunct faculty member at Vanderbilt University. Having also served on the board of directors of the MBA Career Services & Employer Alliance and the Consortium for Graduate Studies in Management, Christie has a deep knowledge of MBA and other graduate admissions. Want Christie to help you get Accepted? Click here to get in touch!
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