Hey there, I was going through a lot of threads on Low Scores, but did not find one which challenges this thinking and what classifies a “low score”. So, here goes the thread in which I would like to present my views and hope for a healthy debat…
Hey there,
I was going through a lot of threads on Low Scores, but did not find one which challenges this thinking and what classifies a "low score". So, here goes the thread in which I would like to present my views and hope for a healthy debate on this topic.
I was wondering for a long time, why all us are so obsessed with the idea that any score lower than 700 is unacceptable.
I personally don't see anything wrong with any score a person "gets" on a GMAT. Lot of us (moi including) get bogged down when we figure out that things did not go exactly as planned and we ended up with low scores...
This keeps bringing us down that we may not end up in a school of our choice....
But to think of it, would you rather a dumb computer algorithm decide your competency or take a chance with a human who can read and evaluate your profile???
I really don't think GMAT score decides the strength of an application, sure a great score any day is good, but makes me question, does it justify spending mind numbing hours crunching books?
Any 600+ score is good enough for most of the good b-schools provided you have a competitive profile to match the schools requirement.
Whenever I go through the posts where we complain about not getting the dream score, it just makes me go alll.... well
it sure is frustrating but do you want to go through the whole trauma again?? I see chaps re-taking the test 3,4,5 and one even 7times!
The mistake I made was to let my score decide which schools I want to go to and not the other way around.
Most of us are working professionals and some of us also have families.. Personally, working my a&* at work, home and then for the "coveted 700" does not make much sense.
Indian Education system as it is does not offer any chance for community service and other similar ventures so, I would rather use some of those hours to make up for my low community service, extra curricular activity, etc.
Another clich' is around the Indian IT male... understandably there are loads of us out there... but hey.. It is a good profession, nothing to be ashamed of, when you are applying to the schools. Sure a lot of internal competition but where we fail to make it is usually not because of our score or profile but because we don't have a "well rounded profile" read that as stuff we could have done apart from books and work!! So, there you go again, we are caught in a self defeating loop.
:drinking:Well... guess I have rambled enough on my point of view... lets me hear the other point of view... or suggestions on how chaps with low scores can leverage other areas to ensure they get accepted into a school of their choice!
This is for all the guys who are let down by their scores, for those who are the "typical Indian IT males" and for those who think GMAT score is the end of the road!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@Mods: in case there is an existing thread on this topic, please do flag me.
@geniusdeepika: thank you showing me how to start a thread.. hope this does not end up in me gettin banned from PG!!
I was going through a lot of threads on Low Scores, but did not find one which challenges this thinking and what classifies a "low score". So, here goes the thread in which I would like to present my views and hope for a healthy debate on this topic.
I was wondering for a long time, why all us are so obsessed with the idea that any score lower than 700 is unacceptable.
I personally don't see anything wrong with any score a person "gets" on a GMAT. Lot of us (moi including) get bogged down when we figure out that things did not go exactly as planned and we ended up with low scores...
This keeps bringing us down that we may not end up in a school of our choice....
But to think of it, would you rather a dumb computer algorithm decide your competency or take a chance with a human who can read and evaluate your profile???
I really don't think GMAT score decides the strength of an application, sure a great score any day is good, but makes me question, does it justify spending mind numbing hours crunching books?
Any 600+ score is good enough for most of the good b-schools provided you have a competitive profile to match the schools requirement.
Whenever I go through the posts where we complain about not getting the dream score, it just makes me go alll.... well
it sure is frustrating but do you want to go through the whole trauma again?? I see chaps re-taking the test 3,4,5 and one even 7times!
The mistake I made was to let my score decide which schools I want to go to and not the other way around.
Most of us are working professionals and some of us also have families.. Personally, working my a&* at work, home and then for the "coveted 700" does not make much sense.
Indian Education system as it is does not offer any chance for community service and other similar ventures so, I would rather use some of those hours to make up for my low community service, extra curricular activity, etc.
Another clich' is around the Indian IT male... understandably there are loads of us out there... but hey.. It is a good profession, nothing to be ashamed of, when you are applying to the schools. Sure a lot of internal competition but where we fail to make it is usually not because of our score or profile but because we don't have a "well rounded profile" read that as stuff we could have done apart from books and work!! So, there you go again, we are caught in a self defeating loop.
:drinking:Well... guess I have rambled enough on my point of view... lets me hear the other point of view... or suggestions on how chaps with low scores can leverage other areas to ensure they get accepted into a school of their choice!
This is for all the guys who are let down by their scores, for those who are the "typical Indian IT males" and for those who think GMAT score is the end of the road!!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@Mods: in case there is an existing thread on this topic, please do flag me.
@geniusdeepika: thank you showing me how to start a thread.. hope this does not end up in me gettin banned from PG!!
Hi @dehumanised,
After a long time I have found an interesting thread which talks about a well-rounded profile and not an imbalanced one, which is characteristically heavily laden with academic accolades, including a high GMAT score.
You are very correct in saying that a low GMAT score is not the end of the day. Its true that we can improve our profile by getting some social initiative and awareness under our belt.
While your point of view seems plausible, I am sure that you have logically worked it out keeping into consideration that:
1)almost all good colleges want to keep the average GMAT score of their future classes very healthy, if not excellent.
2)The assessment of the GMAT score is done on the basis of the country and ethnicity of an applicant. E.g. NUS would accept an applicant who belongs to a minority tribe of Philippines and who is having a GMAT score in the range 580-600, but would search for a GMAT score around 700 from an Indian applicant.
3)Most of the Indians, who apply for top 20 MBA courses abroad, do so with a profile heavy with a GMAT score in the range of 700+. This practice has established an expectation, among top 20 colleges, which consistently demands a score in that range.
4)Most important of all, as we already know that there is no dearth of talent and perfectionists in India, in a sense that we love to set up a composite target and do everything right to achieve it. In the context of this discussion, if the given target is to get a community service (your preferred example of a well rounded profile) along with a 700+ GMAT score, then there are many smart-working Indians who will accomplish this composite target and put up an impeccable application which can leave the Admissions Committee of even top 20 MBA courses baffled. My POV is that in spite of having a 700+ GMAT score, one has to balance ones profile to get their intended course.
To sum up, its not a 700+ GMAT score OR a well rounded profile, but its a 700+ score AND a well rounded profile which makes a solid application.
yes i go with him wat he said is true
good work guys really a great help to all the aspirants
Hey Buddy,
Well Said and truly informative...
To sum up, its not a 700+ GMAT score OR a well rounded profile, but its a 700+ score AND a well rounded profile which makes a solid application
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Totally agree with you... my bone of contention is; an admit does not necessarily require a 700+ score and a well rounded profile... A lower score (below the school average), with a great profile (in Indian IT applicants pool) can easily make it through the admission process
in my opinion; there is no "right" score there is only the "right" profile, and the applicants should always select the schools they are going to apply and then take up the test... an not the other way around, which is another way of letting your score decide which school to apply for!
This is the idea I am trying to put across to those applicants who retake the GMAT number of times just hoping for the "right" score!
So, we find a lot of Puys asking if its prudent to retake the test in hopes of a better score... an most of them are not really sure which schools they want to apply other than a general idea of getting through the "top b-schools"... so my expectation from this thread is to explore this idea and help give people a nudge in the right direction of thinking.
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Totally agree with you... my bone of contention is; an admit does not necessarily require a 700+ score and a well rounded profile... A lower score (below the school average), with a great profile (in Indian IT applicants pool) can easily make it through the admission process
in my opinion; there is no "right" score there is only the "right" profile, and the applicants should always select the schools they are going to apply and then take up the test... an not the other way around, which is another way of letting your score decide which school to apply for!
This is the idea I am trying to put across to those applicants who retake the GMAT number of times just hoping for the "right" score!
So, we find a lot of Puys asking if its prudent to retake the test in hopes of a better score... an most of them are not really sure which schools they want to apply other than a general idea of getting through the "top b-schools"... so my expectation from this thread is to explore this idea and help give people a nudge in the right direction of thinking.
guys... that true... admission to any top B-shcool will require your all round application with enough diversity to make adcom interested. but my view regarding GMAT will still differ. lets say we have two case one with lower GMAT say 720... both have almost similar engg profile. why should a guy with a little diverse profile take the chance with just 20-30 points on GMAT, that too when we know we can do it as an indian... that will give much more confidence while making the application and will release the burdon on essays as well. anything >700 will almost give us a food in the door and thats what really matters isnt it? once we see the light, we know we are in right direction, just keep pumping...
hope i communicated my view... this thread is really good for making two essays in GMAT easier. btw i have my GMAT on 4th jan in seoul... lets see...
Hi,
I m a newbie here.. I studied in BITS-Pilani and currently working for Wells Fargo in Hyderabad. All my four years of college, I did many activites and I was into a NGO. I have got many recognitions like Woman Leader award, BITSAA global 30 under 30 award, given to 30 bitsians and Alumni under the age of 30 every 4 years. With all these achievements I have one negative point thts my CGPA which is 7.05/10.
Wells Fargo that I m working for is a great bank, but I m into Tech Side into testing. This is not the profile I expcted, but i m utlising the huge knowledge bank inside the organisation and learning more on internal operations like how the bank works.
I always dreamnt of studying in Top BSchools abroad, but I m not sure how realistic my dreams are, provided my background. I would want to have 3 years of experience and tis been 3 months sicne i joined Wells Fargo. It would be grt if puys can guide me through my MBA 
Thanks in advance!
Hi krishna,
well, after going through your profile i would not say your dreams cant come true. i am almost in similar position like you working in some field i never expected... and thats one of the main reason i decided to take up the challenge. BITS+Extra curriculars+good accads give you a good chance already. all you need is to get considerable or i would say unignorable score in GMAT... Prepare your applications and give your best shot for your dream school... i am sure it can be done required you have that consistent dreams which doesnt make you sleep...
hope that helps..
Hi,
I m a newbie here.. I studied in BITS-Pilani and currently working for Wells Fargo in Hyderabad. All my four years of college, I did many activites and I was into a NGO. I have got many recognitions like Woman Leader award, BITSAA global 30 under 30 award, given to 30 bitsians and Alumni under the age of 30 every 4 years. With all these achievements I have one negative point thts my CGPA which is 7.05/10.
Wells Fargo that I m working for is a great bank, but I m into Tech Side into testing. This is not the profile I expcted, but i m utlising the huge knowledge bank inside the organisation and learning more on internal operations like how the bank works.
I always dreamnt of studying in Top BSchools abroad, but I m not sure how realistic my dreams are, provided my background. I would want to have 3 years of experience and tis been 3 months sicne i joined Wells Fargo. It would be grt if puys can guide me through my MBA
Thanks in advance!
Thank you..your response is very encouraging.
Yeah this one is almost making me sleepless.. just waiting for the right time to strike the iron. thanks again!
Hi krishna,
well, after going through your profile i would not say your dreams cant come true. i am almost in similar position like you working in some field i never expected... and thats one of the main reason i decided to take up the challenge. BITS+Extra curriculars+good accads give you a good chance already. all you need is to get considerable or i would say unignorable score in GMAT... Prepare your applications and give your best shot for your dream school... i am sure it can be done required you have that consistent dreams which doesnt make you sleep...
hope that helps..