You think you have not done your best in GMAT? Want to retake GMAT, but unsure? Below are some pointers to help you make your decision:
For
How old is your GMAT score? If your GMAT score is older than a couple of years, think about retaking it. GMAT is a reflection of your current abitiles. A 2 year old score does not reflect your current abilities.
Target schools? Which tier schools are you targeting? Look at the average scores of those schools and add 30 points more. That should be your target. If you are a Indian/IT/Male/4+ work-ex, then add 50 points more at least and start praying.
Skewed score? Do your verbal and quant scores differ a lot? From what I have read & heard is that most schools look for a balanced score.
How much do you think your score will increase? Do you think taking a GMAT again will increase your score by 40-50 points? If your really confident of this then retake it.
Weak undergrad scores? Ideally speaking, GMAT is in no way representative of your future performance at b-school. But if you have a weak undergrad score due to unavoidable circumstances, then a strong GMAT score can cover it up.
How do your target schools treat multiple GMAT scores? Most of the colleges take the highest score or the one you select as your GMAT score. But remember that all your scores are sent to the college. Be really sure how your college treats multiple scores. Maybe they only consider the latest score? Or do they average it?
Against
Wasted valuable time for peanuts? You might have wasted valuable time which could have been used to write your b-school essays.
Another 250$ down the drain? This money could be used towards your applications