760 v/s 790 on GMAT

[Guest]

Can a difference between 760 and 790/800 on the GMAT ever translate to the difference between being dinged and being admitted? I have heard from some quarters that once the GMAT score is in the 99th percentile (760 or greater), it doesn't matter to any business school whether its a 760 or an 800 but wanted to hear your feedback. Going by some of the posts on this forum, though, I gather that anything in excess of 720 is probably viewed in the same light by the AdComs at all top schools. Is that right?

[MBA Mission]

Thank you for your inquiry.

While a 790 would catch the attention of an admissions committee, so would a 760. You would certainly get some special consideration with a 790, because you could help lift a school’s GMAT average which could in turn help improve a ranking, but you would still need to demonstrate your strengths via the rest of your application. While the difference between a 760 and 790 is relatively small, the difference between a 720 is actually much bigger, as this is essentially an average score for most top-schools. Still, in all of these cases, the GMAT alone won’t get you in. You need to offer something significant to the class...

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission

Website: www.mbamission.com
Blog: www.mbamission.com/blog
MBA Mission Insider’s Guides: www.mbamission.com/store.php

Can a difference between 760 and 790/800 on the GMAT ever translate to the difference between being dinged and being admitted? I have heard from some quarters that once the GMAT score is in the 99th percentile (760 or greater), it doesn't matter to any business school whether its a 760 or an 800 but wanted to hear your feedback. Going by some of the posts on this forum, though, I gather that anything in excess of 720 is probably viewed in the same light by the AdComs at all top schools. Is that right?

[MZ]

Hi Jeremy,

So for someone who has the potential of scoring higher, you'd recommend the retake of a 720 if one's aiming for a HSW, is that correct?

Thanks,
Ming

[MBA Mission]

Thanks for your inquiry.

I could not recommend retaking the GMAT in a vacuum. If you thought that you could do significantly better on the GMAT than a 720 and that it would not distract from other important agenda items - preparing applications, visiting schools, taking classes, etc. - then you should go for it.

Again, the GMAT score is but one aspect of your candidacy. We have seen 580s get accepted at Harvard, Stanford and Wharton and 780s get rejected. You need to offer something distinct and tell your story.

Sincerely,
Jeremy Shinewald
MBA Mission

Website: www.mbamission.com
Blog: www.mbamission.com/blog
MBA Mission Insider’s Guides: www.mbamission.com/store.php
646-485-8844

Hi Jeremy,

So for someone who has the potential of scoring higher, you'd recommend the retake of a 720 if one's aiming for a HSW, is that correct?

Thanks,
Ming