![]() Exception #2: Stated Requirements (Personal or General) Such candidates, therefore, are on par in some or a few categories, and under par in the GMAT, making them overall a bit under par, and their only chance of getting admitted will be to write application essays that captivate, convince, and charm the admissions committee far beyond the norm. They may be correct that they have great work experience (that’s usually what they are thinking most about), but the work experience puts them on par for the program, not way above par. Quite often, they are hoping the rest of their application will make up for a lower GMAT score, but they are wrong. In my experience as a GMAT teacher and admissions consultant, MBA candidates who focus on this “exception to the rule” tend to be over-optimistic. If your GPA is average at a program, numerically speaking, but it’s in a technical or quantitative major at an undergraduate program that is known for being rigorous, then your GPA most definitely “counts more” in proving that you will be comfortable and successful academically at the program. Related to this balancing of GPA and GMAT are what and where you studied. They still won’t admit you if they aren’t convinced that you will do well in the program, and you could still end up losing out to a similarly qualified candidate with higher scores, but a slightly below average GMAT score is completely adequate in some applications. In such a case, they will be inclined to view your academic record more leniently. They are definitely significant, however: if your experience and essays completely win over an admissions committee, then they will want to admit you. For example, if you’re applying to a program with an average undergraduate GPA of 3.67 and average GMAT of 724, and your undergrad GPA is 3.2, then you are substantially under par in the GPA category, and a GMAT score of 750 or higher would greatly mitigate the weakness in GPA.Ībove-par work experience, leadership, and other factors can also outweigh a weakness in GPA, for sure, though they don’t do so as directly as the GMAT, since the GPA+GMAT is the combined measure of academic potential in an applicant. How you differ from par in the various categories affects the GMAT score that you need to remain competitive. Getting more realistic with our “average student” example: you are probably not roughly on par with admitted students in all of the relevant categories. Exception #1: Other Parts of Your Application ![]() ![]() #GMAT QUANT PERCENTILES SERIES#Let’s now discuss a series of exceptions to the simple rule, situations that may or may not apply to you. You are a person and not an average of people, but if you applied with the average GMAT score, the average breadth and depth and quality of work experience, the average GPA and other academic credentials, and the average community and leadership experience-as well as average recommendation letters and average essay responses-then you would be an average member of the admitted community at that program, and that would mean that you are solidly in the range of people who get admitted. But it’s natural and useful to want an answer to this question, so we can start with the simple answer: Moreover, once you are mid-course studying for the test, you should disregard this question and focus on motivation (you don’t finish your first marathon by constantly checking your watch). One hard and fast truth about GMAT scores is that hard and fast cut-offs or minimum scores do not exist at the vast majority of programs, including every single so-called “Top 20” program. The score that you need to get in to Harvard, Stanford, or, more properly, the program that is specifically right for you may be one of the top questions on your mind as you begin with the GMAT. ![]()
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