750 GMAT Score with Low IR

If you have a 750 GMAT score with a low IR you may be wondering what your focus should be. Instead of focusing on the GMAT you need to focus on your application. This means making sure your essays are substantive and that your letters of recommendation are all high quality. Determine which round you … Read more

GMAT Score of 710 with Very Low IR

What should you do with a good GMAT score but very low IR? Ideally you would apply first round. You will also want to focus heavily on creating substantive essays. You will also want to make sure that all of your letters of recommendation are top notch. There are other steps you can take to … Read more

Ask Kate: Good Overall GMAT Score with Low IR

A low IR doesn’t keep top MBA programs out of reach, but is still worth retaking the GMAT for.     hi! I took the gmat this week and scored 720 – 47 on Quant and 42 on verbal, but only a 5 on IR. should i be concerned about the quant + IR for … Read more

Ask Kate: 750 GMAT Score with Low IR

Does a Low IR call for a GMAT retake?     Hi Kate, I am a Senior graduating from an ivy league school summa cum laude (4.0) with lots of extra curriculars. I am not a “diverse” nor “legacy” candidate and intend to apply to HBS 2+2 R3. I took the GMAT once, scoring a … Read more

Ask Kate: GMAT Score of 710 with Very Low IR

A low IR doesn’t put top schools out of reach.     Kate, I’m a prospective applicant with a 710 (49Q 38V) but my IR score is really bad (2 / 8). I am a reapplicant at my top choice – I was waitlisted after applying in the third round last year with a 660 … Read more

Answer for GMAT 710 91% (Q44 48%, V41 94%, IR 7 81%, AWA 6 88%)

Good question. MFinc is normally a more technically demanding degree. If I am understanding you, you intend to do a Masters in Finance in order to break into asset management. If that’s not quite correct, add your comment below. Assuming that’s correct, you have 2 challenges with the quant: 1. it is low for the … Read more

GMAT 710 91% (Q44 48%, V41 94%, IR 7 81%, AWA 6 88%)

Hi Kate, I am planning to apply for a Master in finance pre-experience in a business European school to break into the asset management industry after my master. My main options include LSE, HEC, Imperial College London, St. Gallen, ESSEC. I am a bit concerned that my quant score will affect my application. My academics … Read more

GMAT 670 (Q49, V31, IR7, AWA6)

Hi Kate, I am an Indian female, currently working full-time in the US. I have 13+ years of experience in IT and I am looking to join a Full-time MBA program (preferably 1 year) in the Top 30 US schools. My GMAT score is 670 (Q49, V31, IR7, AWA6). I have already exhausted 4 attempts … Read more

Answer for GMAT 640 (Q49/V28/IR6/AWA5)- MSc finance

Good news, bad news.   While MS Finc is a very quant based program, 640 is not competitive in the top 15 schools. I’m less familiar with those below that. The 49 is okay, but because the MS Finc is a quant based program, a 49 is basically at the LOW end of the scale … Read more

Fair Lending Research

Redlining was a thing. It was banned 50 years ago. But it looks like the same neighborhoods deemed unworthy in the 30s are still more likely to be poor today. That’s pretty sad, and pretty interesting. I’m not really seeing any numbers for Fair Lending. There are a few papers from ages ago, like the … Read more

Know Yourself First

For long term fulfillment, it is important to get in touch with your personal values and your personal mission. This is an imperfect process. Expect this to take you a few iterations. Start here and come back to this when you realize you’re out of synch or stuck – or even just to review! It’s … Read more