Another NYC Quant Battle to a 645 GMAT Score! But is it good enough?

A 585, a dubious quant score, a 645 on the horizon

Lara sent over a sweet, detailed email looking to schedule a consultation. I always appreciate prospective students taking the time to relate their GMAT war stories. This info really helps get the ball rolling. Lara had under-performed on her first GMAT (585, with a Q73 V86 DI78). I know, not terrible, but the score was absurdly verbal heavy/quant light to the point of being an issue for admissions. In the end we achieved a 645 GMAT score. Was it enough for the gatekeepers at Columbia? Read on to see what went wrong with her initial GMAT quant preparation and how we got her GMAT score moving in the right direction!

A Positive Consultation

Although she’d hit a dead end with her previous GMAT studying, Lara still seemed highly motivated. I have a lot of respect for a positive attitude (especially when it is coupled with a great work ethic!). We decided on 7 weeks of quant only preparation. Somewhat zippy, but for people who have already been studying for months, have the verbal section totally locked down, and have 50-60 points to the goal short but sweet works well.

GMAT Preparation

GMAT quant questions are based on very basic math (mixed with a healthy dose of critical thinking). Many people underperforming on the quant section aren’t as comfortable as they should be with this basic underlying math and because of the “math stress” that this causes are severely under-utilizing their critical thinking skills. Lara fell into this category as do many of my NYC tutoring students. She had taken a certain big box GMAT class which emphasized very tough Quant. I find this “shock and awe” quant approach counter-productive – it dings your confidence and saddles you with techniques specific to these ultra-tough-not-GMAT questions. It took a moment for Lara to buy-in to the idea that the “math” part of the GMAT quant isn’t all that tough and that the tough part is actually the critical thinking. After she got over her Quant fear, Lara was surprised at the simplicity of many GMAT questions. There was a lot of “that’s all that is?” Yep!. Her practice test scores rose into the mid 600s with the quant surging. The verbal lagged a bit and Data Insights sat right where it started.

GMAT Day: 575

Oh crap… Her score had gone down! The quant had improved nicely from a 73 to a 76 but surprisingly the verbal score had shrunken to an 82. More tutoring? She didn’t need it. The fundamentals were in place. Sometimes it just takes a second for the scores to catch up. I offered another GMAT study schedule to organize her preparation for the second exam. She stayed on point. The quant looked great – the verbal still sluggish.

GMAT Day: 585

Flat… but still we were hopeful. The quant was a whopping 80, a full seven points from the 73 she had started from and in the 60th+ percentile range that seems to be the sensitive zone for admission to the best MBA programs. Woohoo. The verbal score was decent but a far cry from the 86 she’d started with. And Data Insights had slid to a 75. It was a bit of a whack-a-mole. We traded emails and felt that it was worthwhile to take one more GMAT. She still felt motivated and we were both confident that she could add some meaningful points to her GMAT score.

GMAT Day: 645

She’d almost sealed the deal for an incredible score but hadn’t quite managed to crush the verbal. Why? A mystery. My guess: she needed a more structured technique for critical reasoning. She was good at CR but relied a bit too much on gut instinct. This approach can be time consuming and can fail you in the stress of test day. Even for natural verbal masters it is super helpful to have some structure to rely on. Still, a Q84 V85 DI77 got her from the 61st percentile to the 87th. After the GMAT trilogy we decided to move forward with the 645 GMAT. Did she get in to Columbia? Affirmative!

645 GMAT Score FAQ

What is the 645 GMAT Percentile Score?

As of 2026 a 645 GMAT score is in the 87th percentile (a 655 is in the 90%). Keep in mind that GMAT percentile scores change based on the pool of test takers so the percentile for a 645 could be different in the future. Worth knowing too that the bands aren’t evenly spaced. Ten points from a 635 to a 645 moves you five percentile points. Ten points from a 615 to a 625 moves you three. Same ten points different mileage.

Here is an in depth look at GMAT percentiles and some analysis on why your GMAT quant percentile is in the dumps.

Is a 645 GMAT Score Good Enough?

Yes, a 645 GMAT score is good enough. No MBA program will auto-reject a 645 and there are many programs for which a 645 is at or above the median. A 645 is an excellent GMAT score. Still, if you’re applying to Harvard, Stanford, Columbia or any of the other ultra elite schools the 645 will be below the median. Again, your 645 may still be good enough. It’s just not going to be an asset. And further, you’ll need other highlights to balance out the below-the-median GMAT score.

Retake a 645 GMAT Score?

It depends. If you’ve got a ton of gas in the tank and feel motivated to do so then yes: retake the 645! Why not? If you’re absolutely sick of the GMAT and ready to move on with your life then you might move forward with the 645. A 645 GMAT score is good enough for a great majority of MBA programs and if you’ve got a great application the 645 is good enough for any MBA program on the planet. Also, if you severely underperformed on test day that would be a push in the direction of retaking the 645. Will it make a difference to get that 645 up ten points to a 655? Up there ten points buys three percentile points. Other parts of your application are more important than that. However, maybe you’ll hit a 675? 30 points do mean something – that’s the 95th percentile. And, consider, especially if you’re really getting nauseous thinking about more GMAT studying, that you might earn a scholarship with a higher score.