Tryingfor2015 Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Hi All, Took my GMAT today so it's finally time to get the evaluations started. I'm applying to CB programs. The basics: Age: 25 GMAT: 710 (M44, V44, IR7) ~~ I generally got M49 and IR8 but blah blah blah test day anxiety. My GRE math was good tho. GRE: 1290 (M780, V510, AWA 4) ~~ so what do you think? Retake for 750 on GMAT or just provide GRE? Undergrad: T50 - BA in Math and Rhetoric (persuasion/writing) GPA: 3.45 :*( Grad: T50 (same school) - MS in Statistics GPA: 3.7 Teaching: 2.5 years as TA for writing/ethics/research class for undergrad engineers Classes: Lots and lots of math and stats Work Experience: 1.5 years as an equities analyst/researcher at a $300 billion mutual fund Other: I do a lot of volunteering and I did a undergrad thesis with a prof in operations management related to nonprofit food distribution improvement. I have a lot of feels. Relevant?: I'm a first generation college student CB Experience (Same school, but T10 according to UTD marketing thing): Classes: CB 1st year Seminar for PhD students (information processing perspective) taken as Credit/No Credit. Taught by a top CB professor at this school. Research Experience (past): Worked unpaid for an Associate Professor in CB who has had some cool papers. This was a 1.5 year gig and I did mostly stats/data work, but learned a lot in monthly meetings. No papers came from this. Research (current): I'm working with a professor who does a lot of highly regarded work in marketing ethics and, of course, the more prototypical CB stuff. She's my thesis advisor and we've got some research ideas in the pipes for my thesis next semester. Papers: In the CB class, I've written a few papers that correspond to the literature we've surveyed (about 50 papers or so) within the different CB fields. My prof thought one of them was promising enough to send to the author at an Ivy who thought it was good, which was exciting. I have a few writing samples from this class, and plan to do something ethics-y that is grounded in CB for my thesis next semester. Recs: The two profs I've worked with, and a pretty legit professor in Rhetoric from undergrad who I think laid the foreground for my CB pursuit. Alright - I think that's it you guys. I'm applying to 15-20 schools (you can probably guess them). Any feedback about chances, admission strategies, or what to emphasize in the SoP would be much appreciated. Thanks! Tryingfor2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsaylors Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Can I get a percentile on those numbers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryingfor2015 Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 (edited) M44 ~ 58th V44 ~ 98th (I can read!) IR7 ~ 81st M780 ~ 86th (corresponds to 163) V510 ~ 63rd (corresponds to 154) ----- Not that adcoms would do this, but 98th on the GRE verbal would be 168, so the total would be ... sort of like a 331? Similarly, for the GMAT, the GRE math percentile would correspond to a 48/49, which would be a 740-750. Edited November 18, 2014 by Tryingfor2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryingfor2015 Posted November 18, 2014 Author Share Posted November 18, 2014 Oh! When is it too late to retake the GMAT? I was thinking early/mid January but decisions are generally made by Feb... so it seems a bit late to wait that long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taxPhD Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Obviously some people's opinions on here will differ from mine.... But, I don't think I'd retake. You are over 700, which is a early screening cut for a lot of schools. Plus, you can always put in your SOP that you recognize that the GMAT math percentile is low, but that you got 86th percentile on GRE math. And your MS in statistics should also demonstrate your ability to handle some quantitative rigor. I know more about accounting admissions than marketing, but your profile seems like it'd be quite strong. Good quantitative background, over 700 on GMAT, masters degree, and business work experience. Most importantly, what you have that a lot of applicants will not have, is that you've taken a CB doctoral seminar and have CB research experience. Also, it seems like you will be able to get strong LORs from the faculty members who you worked on research with and you taught your CB seminar, these will go a long way as it sounds like they are known names in the field. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XanthusARES Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Obviously some people's opinions on here will differ from mine.... But, I don't think I'd retake. You are over 700, which is a early screening cut for a lot of schools. Plus, you can always put in your SOP that you recognize that the GMAT math percentile is low, but that you got 86th percentile on GRE math. And your MS in statistics should also demonstrate your ability to handle some quantitative rigor. I know more about accounting admissions than marketing, but your profile seems like it'd be quite strong. Good quantitative background, over 700 on GMAT, masters degree, and business work experience. Most importantly, what you have that a lot of applicants will not have, is that you've taken a CB doctoral seminar and have CB research experience. Also, it seems like you will be able to get strong LORs from the faculty members who you worked on research with and you taught your CB seminar, these will go a long way as it sounds like they are known names in the field. ^ This. Your quant side is a low on the GMAT, but as you correctly mention, it's too late now so go with it (Also you beat the 700 level so that helps). Submit both your GRE and GMAT to schools that accept both and you'll be fine. Your research experience is good. You might have a slight problem at top schools with your Grad GPA. Some schools require a 3.8 or above, but I don't think it will be a huge issue. Your stats background and research experience will go a long way. I see you doing well this year, and would be surprised if you didn't get any offers. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XanthusARES Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Oh yeah focus on research in your SOP. Tailor it to specific programs. Mostly at this point I'd say hunker down and start pounding out those applications. I assume you already have started them, it you haven't make sure to do so immediately. You need to at least get the programs to send out requests to your LOR writers as soon as possible to ensure they have enough time to write them before the apps are due. You seem to be applying to a lot of schools which is good, I think that you have a decent shot at a T30, to be perfectly honest I'm afraid your GPA and GMAT may keep you out of the top 10, but admissions are fickle, so you never really know (and that stats background is going to be a huge boost for CB). Basically if you apply to programs with good research fit I think you'll be going somewhere next fall. Let us know how it goes and please consider putting your profile in the sweating thread if you haven't already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AppInfo Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Ok maybe it is just me but I think retaking so that you have one good overall test score would be rather helpful. It is clear that you can do this since you have a good score on verbal and quant on different tests and I think a retake could really improve your chances at a T30 school. Most school explicitly say that they won't consider individual scores from different tests but it is unclear if this is really true in practice. However, I'd be on the safe side and retake, but again that is just my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XanthusARES Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 Ok maybe it is just me but I think retaking so that you have one good overall test score would be rather helpful. It is clear that you can do this since you have a good score on verbal and quant on different tests and I think a retake could really improve your chances at a T30 school. Most school explicitly say that they won't consider individual scores from different tests but it is unclear if this is really true in practice. However, I'd be on the safe side and retake, but again that is just my opinion. This would definitely be my advice if it were July, but since it is November, I don't think the OP has enough time to do this. Particularly since they can just submit their GRE and probably be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AppInfo Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 This would definitely be my advice if it were July, but since it is November, I don't think the OP has enough time to do this. Particularly since they can just submit their GRE and probably be fine. Fair point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsaylors Posted November 18, 2014 Share Posted November 18, 2014 On board with Tax and Xan's points. As for a re-take... only the schools that you don't need to re-take in order to get into have deadlines late enough to give you enough time to study to improve the Q. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryingfor2015 Posted November 22, 2014 Author Share Posted November 22, 2014 (edited) Hi All, Thanks for the enlightening discussion about tests and the feedback the regarding the other components of my app! So, both my CB recommenders have reflected these points. The one who got a PhD at NYU said the scores are good, especially verbal, but that I should submit the "best score possible". My other recommender didn't seem to think it mattered as much, and said to retake only if I think I can do better in math and still do well on my applications. Neither seems to be worried about me getting in somewhere with the score I have, but I looked at the average score two years ago for the three candidates accepted to the program that both my recommenders are a part of, and it was a 760. I can take the test in late December, which would be in time for some schools that generally have (740+) score averages. What if I retook and submitted updated scores to schools that had application deadlines earlier? Decisions don't go out until February. When are interviews? To be clear, I think I can do better. That quant was the lowest I've scored, and I focused on verbal almost exclusively in my studies. GMAT Prep I (7/22) - 670 (M45, V38, IR7) GMAT Prep II (9/02) - 750 (M49, V44, IR8) GMAT Prep III (9/08) - 750 (M49, V42, IR8) GMAT Prep I Retake (9/12) - 760 (M49, V45, IR8) GMAT Prep II Retake (9/14) - 730 (M48, V42, IR8) GMAT Prep IV (9/16) - 710 (M47, V40, IR8) Actual GMAT (9/17) - 710 (M44, V44, IR7) Edited November 22, 2014 by Tryingfor2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsaylors Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 ^ the bottom line is that the total score is NOT going to keep you out of just about any program. It's the substantially lower Quant score that's the killer. Programs like Ohio State have a minimum 80th percentile in both sub-scores. Have you considered taking the GRE? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryingfor2015 Posted November 23, 2014 Author Share Posted November 23, 2014 Hi rsaylors, I'm liking the honesty. I took the old GRE but I think getting a better quant score on the GMAT would be less of a time investment than learning hundreds or thousands of words for GRE Verbal. However, there is not a lot of room for error on GMAT math compared to GRE math and I haven't looked at GRE verbal in a while. If it isn't too time consuming, what CB programs do you think the quant score will keep me out of? I didn't see an explicit minimum on Ohio State's Marketing PhD page (I might be overlooking it), but programs like Columbia (90/90/90) and MIT (top quant) post minimums. Are there many programs that have unwritten benchmarks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XanthusARES Posted November 24, 2014 Share Posted November 24, 2014 If it isn't too time consuming, what CB programs do you think the quant score will keep me out of? I didn't see an explicit minimum on Ohio State's Marketing PhD page (I might be overlooking it), but programs like Columbia (90/90/90) and MIT (top quant) post minimums. Are there many programs that have unwritten benchmarks? That's a tough question. I think that some programs have unwritten benchmarks, but unfortunately they are unwritten. PhD applications are almost arbitrary to some degree. If the professors like what you have written and you have a good research fit with some of them, then they'll probably overlook some testing and GPA issues. However a bad score may preclude them from even looking at your application. My best guess for you is this: top 10 schools will probably not look at your application. They receive so many applications they are looking for reasons to desk reject applicants. For these schools I'm guessing 90% is the cutoff. Everywhere else will probably give you a closer look since you passed the magic barrier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tryingfor2015 Posted November 26, 2014 Author Share Posted November 26, 2014 Hi Xanthes, Let's hope the focus on quant doesn't carry over too much to the top 20 ;) Thank you for the comments and clarification! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XanthusARES Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Hi Xanthes, Let's hope the focus on quant doesn't carry over too much to the top 20 ;) Thank you for the comments and clarification! Yeah, like I said, I don't think top 20 will care too much. You should be cool. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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