Balancing a low GMAT score — the magic recipe

Catchy title and touchy subject? Well, we know that there are so many people with low GMAT scores wondering what to do next — to apply or not to apply. To be honest, you will run out of rose petals but may still not arrive at the answer to this question! One of our applicants was faced with a similar dilemma but she managed to put together a stellar application and rock her interview to make it to top MBA colleges globally including ISB in Round 1 with a 660! Shocked? Astonished? This is just one of the countless success stories of people who made it to the best colleges with LOW GMAT SCORES.

Well, after the looongest four hours of your life, the number on the screen seals your fate and aspiration to apply to the best MBA schools in the world. You rub your eyes and wish that the first number was a 7 and not a 5 or 6! Butttt, low and behold — you get a low score. What do you do then? You have two options:

Option 1: Re-take the GMAT until you reach your target score

Option 2: Work on your application and apply

If you are set on option 1, we wish you lots of luck but if you leaning towards option 2, get a pen and paper and start taking notes.

The five key ingredients, which can be used to your advantage:

1. 5 star LORs: Hello there recommenders! We will let you in on one secret — the word of your recommenders matters more than you think — it is the closest 360 degree feedback which Adcom members can get. While preparing your recommenders — you can include points to highlight your skills and technical dexterity with the help of your professional accomplishments. Something as easy as — XYZ is the go to person for financial modeling in the team can do wonders for your application!
2. Powerful resume: In addition to your recommendations, the quality of your work also speaks volumes of your ever-bright and shinning career. And, no place like your resume to show off that promotion or international experience or increase in responsibility. Remember when you led a team of five to bag the biggest project for your team and then delivered it like a boss — well do not hold back and put all of that down on your resume. Not to forget that time you went out of your way to organize knowledge management sessions or take on additional responsibility outside your work — trust us, all this matters! This really is the place to bring out your career narrative and display your greatest professional hits.
3. Memorable essays: The key here is to highlight your unique personality and life experiences — think of yourself as a product and pen down all your USPs. Include answers to questions such as what is your value proposition or what are the top reasons as to why you are a FIT for the school. Two tips here — be as specific as possible and use real life examples to substantiate your reasons for being an ideal match. You need to really convince the adcom and paint a picture that you understand the program and that you can enhance the learning experience of your peers in more ways than they can imagine.
   Moving on, have a hobby, which you are passionate about — the adcom is all ears. A conventional list of hobbies with the right plot and storyline can also make up for absence of professional experience or even gaps in your skillset (if any) — it exhibits your diverse interests and a more well-rounded personality. So strategically choose your extra-curricular activities such that they fit with other elements of your resume and application.
   Lastly, those of you coming from diverse backgrounds or from less traditional careers, ensure that your essays, resumes and recommendations feature unique and transferable skills. Whether you are a journalist or an athlete, remember to show how you have leveraged methodical and critical thinking in these roles.
   Do as we say and you will have nothing short of a memorable essay!
4. Interview performance: If you have received an interview invite — you are nearly there! This means that you have successfully managed to shift focus from your low score and impress the adcom members. This is your time to shine — the interview panelists have no access to your GMAT score and frankly speaking, they do not care about your score at this stage. They want to know you, your aspirations, your goals, why you want to do an MBA and a whole host of things, which are far far away from your GMAT score. Therefore, all you need to do this put on your best performance — this is your day!
5. Academic rigor: GMAT is used as a reliable indicator of your academic dexterity and skills which are required to excel in the field of management. There are other ways to demonstrate these skills also — for example, high undergraduate GPA or successful completion of online/ offline courses requiring a high quantitative competency. Having a post-graduate degree (ex. MS, M Tech etc.) or completing undergrad/postgrad from an international university will also do wonders for your profile.

Now that you own how to counter that low GMAT score, it is time to start putting together your application. If you need help in brainstorming your storyline or personalizing those unforgettable essays or highlighting your achievements on your resume — reach out to CrackAdmission.

Visit our website http://13.126.191.59/contact-us/ and book a Free Consultation to see if we’re a good fit for you.