Trending Content - Business School and GMAT Forum
Career Resources
WSO Free Modeling Series - Now Open Through
August 31, 2026
9 Free Financial Modeling Lessons
Get instant access to lessons taught by experienced private equity pros and bulge bracket investment bankers including financial statement modeling, DCF, M&A, LBO, Comps and Excel Modeling.
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
+Bonus: Get 27 financial modeling templates in swipe file
High Finance Applications
Guaranteed
Get at least one offer GUARANTEED
- 1:1 support
- 92% success rate
- 2,000+ mentor network
- Unlimited Live bootcamps
- AI for resume + LinkedIn
- Networking automation tools
- HireVue simulation tool
- Full course library
- Private Slack community
- 20hrs of mocks
- + much more...
Everything
BOTH
Both is the short answer, but essays are more important. Your GMAT is what gets you a first look. It can break you, but it cant make you. Your essays can stop an otherwise good app in its tracks, If they suck there is not much to mitigate. If they're outstanding, you'd probably have to be u acceptable in several other metrics to dinged.
Cartwright is on the money here. Get 700+ on the GMAT and set it aside. The real effort should go into your essays as these will make or break your application. If they suck, you're pretty much fucked. On the other hand, if your GMAT is borderline ok (think mid 600s) but your essays rock, you have a good shot at the M7.
The GMAT is a hurdle, the essays are what get you in.
Tough to say on GMAT b/c we don't know the OP's background. If he/she comes from a finance/consulting background like a lot of the people on this site, a 700+ GMAT score will be necessary to "check the box" and get the M7 schools to seriously consider you. If you're a non-traditional candidate, you'll be lumped into a different category than the finance/consulting guys and you may not necessarily need a 700+.
In any case, first round deadlines are still 5 or so months away. You have time to focus on the GMAT, so put the time in, get the best score you can, and then evaluate whether it's more worth your while to keep studying for a re-take or to focus on your essays as the app deadlines approach.
In a nutshell though, the GMAT will not make you but it can break you. Well written essays can actually make you stand out, but if you don't put the time in and they are sub-par they will hurt you.
Mollitia voluptas facere numquam. Illum facilis asperiores et et sunt facilis. Sunt beatae mollitia iste sit ut aliquid.
Velit fugiat deserunt ut repellendus facere enim omnis distinctio. Voluptate quibusdam occaecati commodi quo.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...