Why MBA Candidates are Striving For Higher GMAT Scores

But business schools say while GMAT scores are important elements of the application process, they’re indeed just one among many factors used to decide whether you are admitted or rejected.

And GMAT averages aren’t necessarily a benchmark you have to reach. In any given year, plenty of MBA candidates are admitted with scores that are higher or lower than the average. At Harvard Business School in Boston, for example the range is 580 to 790, with the average score being 730.

Leila Murat, director of the MBA programs business unit at NEOMA Business School in France, says that a 600 GMAT score, with a good balance between Verbal and Quant scores, is sufficient to demonstrate your ability to perform in an MBA program.

She adds, “The GMAT test score alone doesn’t guarantee a candidate’s acceptance; it acts as a filter. It’s one of the instruments business schools use to check candidates’ academic capacity and critical thinking skills.

“It is, however, not the only one…learning agility, clarity of thought, creativity, teamwork skills, cross-cultural awareness, commitment, clear rationale and strong motivation are all essential to a successful MBA experience, and as such are decisive elements in the admissions decision.”

What is clear, however, is that without a good score you’ll need another element of your candidacy that’s exceptional, to secure a top business school place.

Murat says, “To overcome a poor GMAT score, a candidate must be able to demonstrate their capacity to follow the program. Don’t forget to mention that you’re aware of the issue. And put forward elements in your profile that can balance the poor score, such as good university grades, or other academic performances.

“Also, mention any experience (professional or personal) demonstrating strong use of analytical or reasoning skills. Your recommenders should insist on these aspects as well in their reference letters.”

In addition, the uniqueness of your profile can compensate for a lower GMAT score, she says. “In this case, the candidate must

rely on their personality. Their career path is also a significant point in the application, as are experiences with startups or volunteer missions.”

Nevertheless, business schools themselves have a vested interest in admitting candidates with sky-high GMAT scores. For one, it demonstrates readiness for a rigorous curriculum covering advanced, analytical content.

But, GMAT averages also contribute to a school’s place in rankings, and a high GMAT average can indicate a quality cohort — important because MBAs learn as much from peers as from professors. So, maintaining a competitive GMAT average is important for attracting applications to schools’ expensive programs.

Candidates aware of this are striving to perform better in the GMAT. Admissions consultant Karen Marks says, “People are increasingly aware they need to have competitive scores, and are allocating more time and resources for test prep.

“There are also some logistical changes that help people achieve higher scores — like the ability to choose the best order for the test sections, and the option to cancel disappointing scores without schools ever seeing you took the exam.”

Indeed, GMAC, which owns the GMAT, says roughly a third of all candidates with a total score lower than 650 cancelled their exam scores. The cancelled score rate for these test-takers for last year’s testing year was 32.9 percent, up from 23.8 percent in 2015 and a mere 1.9 percent in 2014.

With this trend, GMAT averages are likely to keep rising, and MBA candidates will need to keep up with the inflation or face a much harder time getting into the elite business schools.