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What is a good GMAT score?

📚 Additional Study ResourceThis content is not part of the original "30 Day GMAT Success" book by Brandon Wu. It has been created as a supplementary resource to help GMAT students with additional practice questions, guides, and study materials.

Quick Answer​

A good GMAT score is 700+ (88th percentile) for top schools, 650+ (72nd percentile) for mid-tier schools, and 600+ (53rd percentile) for most programs. The median GMAT at top 10 schools is 730.

Detailed Explanation​

Understanding GMAT scores requires knowing both the absolute numbers and percentiles:

Score Ranges​

  • Total Score: 200-800 (10-point increments)
  • Quantitative: 6-51
  • Verbal: 6-51
  • IR: 1-8
  • AWA: 0-6

Percentile Rankings​

Scores are compared to all test-takers from the past 3 years.

Key Points to Remember​

  • Median GMAT globally: 582
  • Top 10 schools median: 730
  • 700+ is 88th percentile
  • 750+ is 98th percentile
  • Schools focus on total score

What Most People Don't Know​

Your target score should be 20 points above your dream school's median to be competitive. Subscores matter for specific careers (high Quant for consulting).

Common Misconceptions​

  • "Perfect score is necessary" - False, 760+ has same impact as 800
  • "Below median means rejection" - False, 40% admitted below median
  • "All sections weighted equally" - False, Q+V determine total score

Expert Tips​

  1. Aim for balanced subscores
  2. Target school median + 20 points
  3. Consider retaking if 30+ below target
  4. One very strong section can compensate

Next Steps​

  1. Research target school medians
  2. Calculate your target score
  3. Take diagnostic test
  4. Plan preparation accordingly

Additional Resources​

Answer based on official GMAT guidelines and analysis of thousands of test-taker experiences.