645 to 745 GMAT Score Superwoman!
She’d had no GMAT classes or tutoring and had only studied quant but Lauren still managed a 645 GMAT score on her practice tests with the verbal score in the 99th percentile and Data Insights at an 80 (83rd percentile). The quant score dragged at a 78 (50th percentile). Her goal: GMAT 645 to GMAT 675 in 4 weeks.
Even with the best GMAT prep possible it’s a challenge to improve what is already an excellent score and 4 weeks isn’t much time no matter how you slice it. I would counsel most people to give tutoring a minimum of 6 weeks as it takes a moment to acclimate to a new approach. We also agreed on sessions twice per week. Again, not something that I normally recommend as most people won’t be able to get through enough work to make the extra sessions worthwhile. With Lauren I was willing to take the risk as I had come away with an A+ impression and felt that with a bit more structure her Quant could improve to the point at which a 675 was all but guaranteed (I rarely use this word in this context) even with a pint sized preparation.
As fast as a speeding bullet
Lauren was as diligent as she was clever. She chomped through the homework putting up enviable numbers. I raised the difficulty but she remained unfazed. Working through one particularly tough data sufficiency question (DS lives in Data Insights now) I suggested picking some numbers to which she replied why not do the easy algebra? Solution improved. She was right. The pace was such that we could often dispatch two lessons in one session. To cut everyone else some slack, Lauren had the summer off to conquer the GMAT so there were no work distractions. Still, her commitment and her abilities were admirable. It was clear why she’d been able to hit a 645 GMAT score all by her lonesome.
GMAT 645 to 675 and beyond…
Two weeks into our preparation, on her first GMAT Official Practice Exam, Lauren scored a 735! Q85 V88 DI86. A true GMAT superhero! Five days later her second official practice exam: 745 GMAT Score with a Q86 V89 DI86. The next test, Official Practice Exam 3: 745 again, Q86 V89 DI86. Improving the 645 to a 675 would have been a victory so we didn’t put any pressure on breaking through the 99th percentile. Still, there’s always that hope. G-day: a 745 GMAT score, Q86 V89 DI86. The first student to match my highest GMAT score. Some months later she got in contact about her admissions results. In absolutely everywhere: Harvard, Stanford, Wharton… Good job Lauren!
Interested in another 99th percentile GMAT superstar? See how Harriet hit a huge GMAT 735 with a small tutoring budget.
745 GMAT Score FAQ
Is a 745 a good GMAT score?
You’re kidding right? A 745 GMAT score is: out of this world! Yes, of course it’s a good GMAT score. A 745 is in the 99th percentile. Nothing to worry about. Your GMAT days are over. Apply to (insert the great school here) and be done with it. Great job!
GMAT 745 Percentile?
A 745 GMAT score is in the 99th percentile. GMAC actually puts it at 99.7%, which shows up as a 100 on the rounded percentile table.
Can you be rejected with a mighty GMAT 745?
Of course. Combined GPA, work experience, recommendations, and essays have a bigger influence than your GMAT score. If those things aren’t aligning with what a school wants then your GMAT score isn’t going to save you even if it’s an incredible 99th percentile GMAT 745.
Is a 745 GMAT score doable in 30 days of GMAT prep?
Another joke? Ok, you’re serious. Well, maybe but not out of nowhere. It’s unlikely that you’d be a crappy test taker who hasn’t done math in 10 years and hit a 745 GMAT score in 30 days. That just doesn’t happen. Heck, you could be a grizzled GMAT tutor and still miss a 745. That said, sure, it’s possible to reach a 745 in 30 days. If you already notched around a 645 on your official practice test diagnostic and your score was heavily skewed towards verbal it’s not unlikely that with the right work you could do some damage in a month of studying.
What if I have a 745 GMAT score but a low GPA?
Your GPA is just one facet of your application. Will a high GMAT completely cancel out a low GPA? I’m not sure that it’s quite that simple. I think MBA programs do look at things somewhat holistically. That said, if you do have a low GPA really putting your back into your GMAT could be a great way to create some counterweight.
Is there a 745 GMAT strategy?
Yes and no. For a 745 you’ll have to know everything required for a 555, 605, 645, 675 and so on. If there is a secret sauce for a 745 or any 685+ GMAT score it’s perfecting the verbal. Most people neglect verbal studying. It’s more tiring and the verbal feels less threatening. But boosting verbal to the mid 80s makes a massive difference on your composite score. Same goes for Data Insights. All three sections carry equal weight now so there’s nowhere to hide. Leaving a 78 on the table in DI costs you exactly as much as leaving a 78 in quant.