Profile Evaluation: PhD in Marketing

[longshot]

I hate to toot my own school's horn, but you could take a look at Pitt. From what I can tell, the marketing here does a lot of quant. The b-school GMAT average from last year was a 700, so I think the marketing people would look favorably at a 730, and not nitpick about a 69% Q as much as a top 10 program.

The marketing placements have been solid too: TAMU (Karen Page, maybe you know her), Duquesne, Kansas, Houston, BC and Missouri.

Just an idea, good luck.

[cuppycup]

If I'm unable to crack the top 35 I'll need to seriously consider retaking the GMAT and giving this another go next year. I did better when I took this 7 years ago with 760. Since I've only provided the basics here, I'm hopeful that my statement of purpose, research interests, and LoRs will appeal to some schools.

[possible_phd]

The problem is that GMAT tends to be a screening tool. In most top schools, I'm willing to bet that your application will never make it into the hands of the decision-makers, because you'll be screened out before then.

It's been repeated so often that it's become cliche, but it's still true: a high GMAT won't get you in, but a low GMAT will keep you out. GMAT is just an easy heuristic to use when pruning the number of applicants down to a manageable number. After all, when there are way more qualified applicants than slots, why not use GMAT as a discriminator?

Again, I could be totally wrong here, but it's just my opinion/impression. There are always fluctuations about the mean, but are you confident enough in your profile to believe that YOU will be the outlier? Maybe you will be.

[cuppycup]

possible_phd, I agree with your perspective on the GMAT serving as an easy weed-out tool for admissions committees. Hopefully, I'll be able to overcome this obstacle at some schools that I end up targeting. I feel good about A&M, which I consider a top 35 school, and I'll be sure to keep the forum posted on developments as I get further along in the process.