So I had a 11 with an admissions member from Cambridge not too long ago and at the end of our talk I asked for some advice on what I can do to strengthen my application. One thing that he/she mentioned was to score at least a 640 or above. Given the caliber of the institution and their average GMAT score - 680 - I was a bit surprised to hear that a 640 would suffice.

Now, I understand there are many individuals who score a 640 and less and get into top 10 programs but I wanted advice to strengthen my application and it just seems that a 640 would mean I just made the cut. Please chime in so I could better understanding on how adcom views the GMAT.

Are there other factors in my application that make me a strong candidate in which a 640 would suffice? Or is it something else? Thanks!

Yes there are other factors in your favour.

The Judge adcom was probably using 640 because it's the lower point of the current cohort's middle 80% GMAT range:

http://www.jbs.cam.ac.uk/programmes/mba/apply/who-are-we-looking-for/

The median GMAT is indeed 680, and while this is a good reference the median misses the point that business schools are looking for a range of people to fill their cohorts, not just those right in the middle of the spectrum.

Besides the GMAT, the adcoms will also be looking at (1) your undergraduate performance, (2) your work experience history and career progression; as well as (3) outside leadership experience, (4) your application essays + interviews, and (5) your references.

Perhaps you gave the adcom broad strokes on your work background and academic history and thought that you're relatively competitive on these other aspects, or just used the 640 as what s/he thought was the lower end of general competitiveness.

Funny, I'm applying to Oxford with a 640 GMAT... From my discussions with admissions folk and current students, I feel like I have a pretty competitive profile, with a range of great leadership experience and the fact that I was in the top 10% of my undergrad class. I guess it depends on a lot of other things besides your GMAT score.

Yes, it's clear that there are a lot of other factors besides just your GMAT score. It's interesting, though, that admissions people there told you that a 640 would be competitive, since even on their applications page they suggest that applicants have at least a 650. I guess there was something else about your profile that was interesting to them. Perhaps you have more than 6 years of work experience? That's the average there now.

I actually have 5.5 years of work experience now but it's good experience and I quickly made management level and now supervise a team of 10+ people. I think that plus my undergrad performance and my volunteer experience maybe made the difference? Although we'll see, I'm not there yet!

I do have more than 6 years of work experience, 8 to be precise. For the first 4 years I worked in sales and account management then started a small business. I do have an untraditional background, decent GPA, 3.6, from an ok private university. I'm also involved in the community and have taken up leadership development courses.

I think I have an decent profile to get into some top schools but I'm not an olympic athlete or an inventor of some new solar technology. And that's whom I'm competing with. I'm not trying to sell myself short, I'm just trying to be objective so I can gauge 1.) which schools would be best for me and 2.) which of those best schools I have a shot in getting into.

No that is really not whom you are competing with.

[Edited by Duncan on Sep 27, 2015]

Hi, I had my profile reviewed by the admissions manager at Cambridge in April 2015 and she told I stood a good chance of being admitted. I had a 640, too. So, she lured me into making an application but I never got even to the interview stage. The conclusion is while you have a chance of being admitted with a 640, a higher score increases your chances immensely. All the best!

That is a frustrating story. There is a lot of self selection, with people ruling themselves out from Oxbridge, so they a right to encourage candidates. But to encourage someone and then not interview them is pretty shabby.

Duncan, seeing as how you know a lot about this, do you think that it's common for a top school like Cambridge or Oxford to recommend that somebody applies even if they're not competitive? I'm a bit concerned now, and am thinking about retaking the GMAT before I apply, hopefully getting my application in before the round 2 deadline.

Well, in the sense that look like a good fit at first glance are often not when you look closer, yes because fit is hard to judge sometimes.

Hi, I had my profile reviewed by the admissions manager at Cambridge in April 2015 and she told I stood a good chance of being admitted. I had a 640, too. So, she lured me into making an application but I never got even to the interview stage. The conclusion is while you have a chance of being admitted with a 640, a higher score increases your chances immensely. All the best!

Obviously most people who apply to any school are not offered interviews.

Yes but s/he was encouraged to apply and didn't even get an interview. Like you mentioned above, it "is pretty shabby."

I got accepted into a top 20 EU program that starts this Jan but may pass it up and take the risk of applying to Judge and one other program (ESADE, IE, Lisbon).

Forgo a top 20 now for a top 10 later?

Maybe not Lisbon if you want to work outside the Portuguese-speaking world, but a better programme is almost always worth taking the extra time for.

Elbrus - are you saying that you submitted an application but was not offered an interview? I would be a little skeptical in applying if that was the case, as your experience mirrors mine.