Hi all-

I took the GMAT this past week with the intention of applying first round to the majority of the top 10 programs assuming I scored adequately on the GMAT. I got a 700, which I know is solid, but isn't as well as I had been scoring on my last practice tests (about 750). I'm trying to figure out whether or not it makes sense for me to retake the GMAT and apply second round, or whether to go ahead and apply now. I've read conflicting advice on applying first round v. second round. My math score was not good, but my verbal score was very high.

The rest of my profile is this:
-graduated Magna Cum Laude in Economics from top 5 liberal arts college
-In my 3rd year working at the Federal Reserve Board of Governors in global financial stability policy (promoted twice in my first two years).
-Tons of math (Calculus 1-3, Linear Algebra, Statistics, Probability, Econometrics, Time Series Analysis)

If I retake the GMAT, I can't take it until October 21st, which means that I couldn't apply first round. Does it make sense to do this? Or should I apply now with the score and profile that I have.

Thanks!

Thanks for your post. Several thoughts on your dilemma. One, unless you have made some pretty serious progress on your applications already, you will be rushing to get round one applications in anyway, in my opinion, which is never a good idea. Two, you will always get conflicting advice on R1 vs. R2, a classic application discussion to say the least. It would be best to go R2 if it means putting the proverbial best foot forward, and if by going R2 your would be submitting a higher quality application including a potentially higher GMAT score, then i would say it is worth it to go R2. One thing that concerns me is that you say your math score was not good. Truthfully, the quant section is generally more important to b-schools than the verbal score, so I would feel more comfortable with your 700 (a great score) if you had had better quant performance than verbal. Having said this, it's certainly not about any one thing, and you do seem to have a very interesting background, which should catch the attention of the adcoms. If you have some good work done towards your essays and feel they adequately weave your story into a compelling case for admission, you could certainly have good shot in R1 with a 700. let us know if you need help.