Hi, I need your help and opinion!
On my first time, I got 600 and second time I got 550 that I think this is really my ability sadly that I'm not sure if I should keep on doing it.

Anyway, I am wondering whether I could get into a good business school and if so, which one?

My profile is:

female, in 20s, Japanese, research engineer, I have a masters in engineering from Imperial College London.

Do I have a chance or do I have to retake?

I really appreciate your help.

Thank you . . .

Hi, I need your help and opinion!
On my first time, I got 600 and second time I got 550 that I think this is really my ability sadly that I'm not sure if I should keep on doing it.

Anyway, I am wondering whether I could get into a good business school and if so, which one?

My profile is:

female, in 20s, Japanese, research engineer, I have a masters in engineering from Imperial College London.

Do I have a chance or do I have to retake?

I really appreciate your help.

Thank you . . .

The schools that I want to try for are:
UCLA, Stanford, HKUST and I should probably choose one more back up.
I just wondered what my demographic would be thought of for an application.

The schools that I want to try for are:
UCLA, Stanford, HKUST and I should probably choose one more back up.
I just wondered what my demographic would be thought of for an application.

The schools that I want to try for are:
UCLA, Stanford, HKUST and I should probably choose one more back up.
I just wondered what my demographic would be thought of for an application.

Dear ei,

Yes both schools UCLA and Stanford do not require minimum for a GMAT score (that's what they say at least) But these are one of the hardest schools to get in. Without a GMAT score in the 90th percentile, you are in a great disadvantage. The GMAT in UCLA for the class 2011 was between 660 to 760 with the mean being 7010.

The average for admitted students in Stanford is 730.

The schools that I want to try for are:
UCLA, Stanford, HKUST and I should probably choose one more back up.
I just wondered what my demographic would be thought of for an application.

Dear ei,

Yes both schools UCLA and Stanford do not require minimum for a GMAT score (that's what they say at least) But these are one of the hardest schools to get in. Without a GMAT score in the 90th percentile, you are in a great disadvantage. The GMAT in UCLA for the class 2011 was between 660 to 760 with the mean being 7010.

The average for admitted students in Stanford is 730.

I definitely agree with exec. A 600 GMAT probably won't get you into a top ranked school, much less most 2nd tier schools. What we don't know, however, is your work experience - which would have bearing on which schools you could successfully apply for. Without knowing that, I'd recommend looking at some of the following schools:

American University/Kogod
Northeastern
University at Buffalo

Stretch schools would be:
ASU Carey
Boston University
George Washington

Hi ei,
You have a Master of Engineering degree from Imperial College London. That is a very respectable degree from one of the best engineering schools in the WORLD.

I don't think 600 is your best GMAT score. If you can get into Imperial College, you're definitely have the brain to break at least 650. Instead of being pessimistic, try to evaluate what actually happened during your GMAT testing. Did you get enough sleep? Did you have enough time to study? Which part is your weakness?

I think you ought to give it one more shot... make sure to use your annual leave before the exam, so you can get enough study time and enough rest.

I would also sound an encouraging note here. There are some reasons why you can get into a school with a lower-tan average score. You are a very interesting candidate and you can get a much higher score if you out in more effort. Look at what the minimum GMAT asked for are, not the average.

Generally women outperform men on MBA programmes, but they tend to get lower GMAT scoes. Being Japanese will also reduce your score for verbal reasoning. So, I think it's reasonable to put more effort into your GMAT, and also to have some conversations with admissions managers at schools where the average GMAT is around 680 (Michigan, Virginia, Cornell, Carnegie Mellon, Ohio State, Emory...).

If you can get up to 660, you should really not rule out any school.

PS Re-reading my answer I think that other readers could misunderstand my comment "Being Japanese will also reduce your score for verbal reasoning." Just to say more about that:- The GMAT is optimised for US English; speakers of International English generally do less well; speakers of other European languages do even less well, and speakers on non-European languages face the most substantial burden, especially with verbal reasoning questions which are designed to test a native speaker.

hi,
well starters, gmat is just to get you to college not get an MBA degree. so no matter how high you score and no matter which top 10 -school you get selected for, its up-to you to perform. for me your score is good to get into decent b-school after that how you perform in your course and how you impress your recruiters matters,. so don't worry, if you have the spark you would do good.Also most of the b-schools don't base solely on gmat scores. your essays your work experience also plays a major role.

Also most of the b-schools don't base solely on gmat scores. your essays your work experience also plays a major role.

First off, deadmansalarm, a GMAT is not just to get into college. I made it all the way through two undergraduate programs, 1. Yale 2. Ohio State and never had to take the GMAT. The words GMAT stand for

Graduate Management Admissions Test.

I got this little excerpt right off the GMAT website

The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a 3-1/2 hour standardized exam designed to predict how test takers will perform academically in MBA (Masters in Business Administration) programs. GMAT scores are used by graduate business schools to make admission decisions.

In case you don't know the word graduate means after the bachelor degree.

so before you talk make sure you know what your talking about as the decision to apply for business school is a tough one without people like you giving bad advice.

Ei,

Not sure why you havent performed better, with your caliber, I would have thought 700 is not too much of a hassle. This is a mistery to me.

However, if you feel that you wont repeat the GMAT then please look at College of William and Mary a posh and respectable university second oldest in US after only Harvard College with a decent MBA program and the average GMAT is roughly 610.

Good luck

I don't think 600 is your best GMAT score. If you can get into Imperial College, you're definitely have the brain to break at least 650. Instead of being pessimistic, try to evaluate what actually happened during your GMAT testing. Did you get enough sleep? Did you have enough time to study? Which part is your weakness?