A good GMAT score usually ranges from 700 to 740. Also, an excellent GMAT score is above 740. However, a good GMAT score depends on the individual and the target set by the specific business school. Hence, a good GMAT score is subjective. A score earned by a student can be a good GMAT score for one business school and an inappropriate score for the other.
A good GMAT score reflects your capability in quantitative aptitude, reasoning skills, and verbal section. Therefore, a good GMAT preparation guide will get you a good score and determines that you are capable of getting into business school and getting through the MBA program. This is the major reason behind the high weightage of the GMAT within the MBA application.
Score vs Percentile
A GMAT score is not sufficient alone. You are required to understand the percentile ranking as well. The percentile ranking displays your performance in comparison to the performance of your peers. For instance, if you obtain an 88% percentile rank, it would mean that you received a higher or an equal total score compared to the 88% of your peers. Thus, you can analyze your percentile ranking through the total GMAT score attained currently. Take a look at the table provided below to comprehend the concept of percentile ranking:
| GMAT TOTAL SCORE | PERCENTILE RANKING |
| 760-800 | 99% |
| 750 | 98% |
| 730 | 96% |
| 720 | 94% |
| 700 | 88% |
| 660 | 76% |
| 650 | 72% |
| 640 | 66% |
| 610 | 57% |
| 580 | 46% |
| 550 | 36% |
| 520 | 28% |
| 510 | 26% |
| 470 | 18% |
| 400 | 9% |
| 340 | 4% |
| 200-210 | 0% |
Identify what’s the best GMAT score for you.
Abide by the steps mentioned below and get to know what’s the best GMAT score for you. Also, find out free GMAT resources.
Self-Introspection
If you desire to reach your dream business school, you must be aware of your beginning point. Given below are two ways to pursue self-introspection:
- Recognize what you are scoring currently. This can be done by taking mock exams.
- Evaluate your profile based on factors such as:
- Nationality
- Average GPA
- Average age
- Gender
- Pre-MBA Industry
The fundamental motive of this step is to know where you are currently and how much you need to work to reach your goal. This is the first and foremost step that should be followed carefully.
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Recognize your target business schools
Once you are done with self-introspection, you are required to recognize those business schools which you want to get into. This step is vital to identify your career goals. Take the free GMAT Practice test to know your score.
Research your target business schools
You are required to research your target business schools under this step. There are two aspects of pursuing this:
- The average score of the incoming batch belonging to last year
- Class profile of last year
Filter out the list of target business schools
As you have researched the target business schools, it’s time to filter out the target business schools and categorize them into three terms:
- Reasonable business schools (Your profile and current score are appropriate)
- Optimistic business schools (Only a little chance is there for you to get admitted here)
- Safety nets (You are sure of your admission here)
Analyze what is a good GMAT score for you
Now you have completed all the steps. The final step to identifying your good GMAT score is to evaluate what is the good GMAT score for your profile. Further, calculate your good GMAT score based on the following factors:
- Comprehend the level of competition
- The average score of the previous incoming class
- Receiving the scholarship
- Calculate the ROI
Here’s an example given for you to understand the above procedure:
Suppose you are an engineer belonging to India. You have work experience of approximately 4-5 years. Also, your baseline score is 680 at present. Right now, you desire to target the top 10 business schools. Considering the level of competition and the average GMAT score provided by your target business school, your best score will come out to be over 30 points compared to the highest average of the business schools. However, if there’s less time left for your preparation, you must filter out the list of your target business schools and apply to schools accepting the score you are currently obtaining. Therefore, a good GMAT score depends upon you and the target business schools.
