low GMAT score - Msc.Finance - please evaluate profile

I'm looking to get into one of the top 1-year pre-experience Masters in Finance programs (Cambridge, Oxford, MIT, LSE, ...)

I just finished writing the GMAT and I was quite disappointed with the results (690, Q48, V35). Until then I thought I had a pretty good profile. My question: should I retake or take GRE, or is the rest of my profile good enough to account for low score?

profile:

3.95/4.00 GPA in engineering from top 20 university in the world
2 full summers of trading floor experience in Tier 1 banks
Teaching Assistant in mathematics at my university
played national level sports and am still very involved
very active with university life, founded two clubs (one academic and one sports-related)
perfectly bilingual

any thoughts comments are appreciated!!

Thanks

 
angelinajolie:
I know 2 ppl that got into LSE for MSc risk management with 680, 660 gmat's, and gpa's a bit lower than yours, also from engineering...i would guess you'd be ok..europe isnt as gmat crazy as the US is.
GMAT average : LSE Msc Finance - 720 MIT - 750

Yes you should retake the GMAT

 
Best Response
fours:
angelinajolie:
I know 2 ppl that got into LSE for MSc risk management with 680, 660 gmat's, and gpa's a bit lower than yours, also from engineering...i would guess you'd be ok..europe isnt as gmat crazy as the US is.
GMAT average : LSE Msc Finance - 720 MIT - 750

Yes you should retake the GMAT

But I mean, is it a complete killer, like they will discard the application right away? MIT states their Quant and Verbal ranges as: 48-51 and 35-42 respectively. I felt the rest of my profile could be okay to account for the lower score. I'm just not very good at taking these standardized tests (it was the same with the SATs...)

 
voyageur:

But I mean, is it a complete killer, like they will discard the application right away? MIT states their Quant and Verbal ranges as: 48-51 and 35-42 respectively. I felt the rest of my profile could be okay to account for the lower score. I'm just not very good at taking these standardized tests (it was the same with the SATs...)

Average scores suggest different things. Can be 51Q and 35V or 48Q 42V. 720 average can also be from combos such as with 650 and another with 790.

Your profile is good enough to be the 650 guy but I would aim for Q50+ in GMAT

 

Ratione aut quae delectus error eos dignissimos. Soluta perspiciatis vel quibusdam ipsa tenetur.

Est corrupti adipisci minima nisi ipsa. Eius quam sed rerum ad quae voluptates. Deserunt ex explicabo porro consequuntur. Commodi aut quis cum dolor aut commodi vitae. Sapiente quia qui rerum at laboriosam tenetur.

Career Advancement Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Jefferies & Company 02 99.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 19 98.8%
  • Harris Williams & Co. New 98.3%
  • Lazard Freres 02 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 03 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Harris Williams & Co. 18 99.4%
  • JPMorgan Chase 10 98.8%
  • Lazard Freres 05 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.7%
  • William Blair 03 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Lazard Freres 01 99.4%
  • Jefferies & Company 02 98.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 17 98.3%
  • Moelis & Company 07 97.7%
  • JPMorgan Chase 05 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

April 2024 Investment Banking

  • Director/MD (5) $648
  • Vice President (19) $385
  • Associates (86) $261
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (14) $181
  • Intern/Summer Associate (33) $170
  • 2nd Year Analyst (66) $168
  • 1st Year Analyst (205) $159
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (145) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
5
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
6
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
7
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
8
kanon's picture
kanon
98.9
9
bolo up's picture
bolo up
98.8
10
Jamoldo's picture
Jamoldo
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”