Should I Take the GMAT Again?

[JaredA896]

Hi all, I'd like to thank any input/advice in advance. So I've taken the GMAT 3 times now, and have received the following scores:

April 2015: 630 (Cancelled score)
July 2015: 610 (Cancelled score)
August 2015: 680 Q46/V37

I really want to get a 700, as the mba programs I am targeting have avg gmat scores of around 710. On practice tests, my scores were extremely volatile, ranging from 600 to 750 (no joke). Any suggestions on what I should do? Thanks!

[StaceyKoprince]

Great question! I would ask an admissions consultant. We can help you set up a plan to try to get a better score if you do take it again, but we aren't in the admissions business, so I don't know whether there would be a significant advantage for you if you were able to hit 700 vs. 680.

Congratulations on getting to 680, by the way! (Yes, I know you want a higher score...but that's still a great score all by itself.

MBA Mission offers a free 30-min phone consultation - try them out. You can tell them your list of schools and discuss the variables involved.

One thing to think about: are you applying this fall? If so, will studying for the test again impact how much time you have to work on applications? Gaining another 20 points at the expense of being able to put together great essays, etc, is obviously not such a great trade-off. Just something to consider.

If they tell you yes, come on back here and we'll talk about what to do for a re-take. Tell us how you've studied so far, and follow the below process to tell us about your strengths and weaknesses.

First, read these two articles:
http://tinyurl.com/executivereasoning
http://tinyurl.com/2ndlevelofgmat
Think about how what you've been doing does and doesn't match up with that and how you may need to change your approach accordingly.
Then, use the below to analyze your most recent MGMAT CATs (this should take you a minimum of 1 hour):
http://tinyurl.com/analyzeyourcats

Based on all of that, figure out your strengths and weaknesses as well as any ideas you have for what you think you should do. Then come back here and tell us; we'll tell you whether we agree and advise you further. (Note: do share an analysis with us, not just the raw data. Your analysis should include a discussion of your buckets - you'll understand what that means when you read the last article. Part of getting better is developing your ability to analyze your results - figure out what they mean and what you think you should do about them!)

p.s. on the score fluctuation you described, that's often due to these causes: (1) timing problems, (2) artificially inflated scores due to skipping essay / IR on some tests or to seeing questions that you've previously studied, (3) mental fatigue problems. Think about those things as you analyze your recent tests and tell us anything that you think may have been a factor for you.