Low AWA Score

[jordock]

I just found out the results from my GMAT. While I did better than expected on the rest of the exam (780 (50Q/47V) - 99% (90%Q/99% V) and 8 - 92% IR), I did really poorly on the AWA (4.0 - 20%).

It was my first time taking the exam and as I only spent two weeks in preparation, I didn't spend any time reviewing or preparing for this section. I went off on a long tangent and ended up running out of time before I could add the additional points I needed to round out my essay. As a native speaker and relatively strong writer, I'm frustrated because I know I could have done much better on the essay.

Would this score hurt my chances for getting into a top 10 program (assuming the rest of my background is sufficient)? Would it be worth retaking the exam? I'm reluctant to spend another $250 and a half day of my time given my overall score can't really go anywhere but down. I'd hope my essays & undergraduate GPA could alleviate any concerns regarding my writing ability.

Thanks for your perspective.

[mili]

Hello,

I obviously can't make any guarantees on this, but I can say that the AWA score is not weighted as heavily as the other portions of the test. I would not spend time retaking the exam - your score is excellent, and in all likelihood you'll end up submitting this first test's scores anyway. Do pay extra attention to your essays and make sure you show that you can write well!

Good luck,
Mili


Mili Mittal
Senior Consultant
http://www.mbamission.com

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