GMAT 700 to 780 Superwoman!

700 to 780 GMAT Score Superwoman!

She’d had no GMAT classes or tutoring and had only studied quant but Lauren still managed a 700 GMAT score on her practice tests with the verbal score in the 99th percentile. The quant score dragged at a 40 (47th percentile). Her goal: GMAT 700 to GMAT 720 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 720 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 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 700 GMAT score all by her lonesome.

GMAT 700 to 720 and beyond…

Two weeks into our preparation, on her first GMAT Prep Test, Lauren scored a 760! Q48 V47. A true GMAT superhero! Five days later her second GMAT prep: 780 GMAT Score with a 50Q 49V. The next test, Exam Pack 1: 780 again, 50Q 49V. Improving the 700 to a 720 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 780 GMAT score, Q50 V49. 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 760 with a small tutoring budget.

780 GMAT Score FAQ

Is a 780 a good GMAT score?

You’re kidding right? A 780 GMAT score is: out of this world! Yes, of course it’s a good GMAT score. A 780 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 780 Percentile?

A 780 GMAT score is in the 99th percentile. Actually it’s above the 99th percentile but GMAC rounds off to the nearest integer.

Can you be rejected with a mighty GMAT 780?

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 780.

Is a 780 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 780 GMAT score in 30 days. That just doesn’t happen. Heck, you could be a grizzled GMAT tutor and still miss a 780. That said, sure, it’s possible to reach a 780 in 30 days. If you already notched around a 700 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 780 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 780 GMAT strategy?

Yes and no. For a 780 you’ll have to know everything required for a 600, 650, 700, 720 and so on. If there is a secret sauce for a 780 or any 730+ 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 mid 40s makes a massive difference on your composite score.