Chicago Booth Admissions FAQ Highlights
If you haven’t visited the FAQ pages of your target schools, I highly recommend it. Among a lot of standard information similar across schools, there are often school-specific policies and procedures that may impact your application strategy. These include whether or not applying in earlier rounds is advantageous (UCLA - yes, Kellogg - no difference between round 1 and 2); whether you can submit additional materials/test scores after you’ve submitted your application (HBS, Stanford - no, Wharton - yes, but no guarantee it will be considered, Kellogg - only changes in data, but that includes test scores); and do campus visits strengthen an application (Wharton, Kellogg - no). I’ll be sifting through them over the next few weeks and posting what I think are the most interesting bits. From Chicago Booth Admissions FAQ:
Q: What should I know about the GMAT? A: 1) You should have your GMAT scores sent directly to Chicago Booth. Pearson VUE and ACT, Inc. administer the GMAT. Our school code is H9X-9F-34. 2) Your GMAT score is just one of the criteria we evaluate. While we don't have a cut-off score for consideration, we do recommend that you try to make all areas of your application as strong as possible. 3) If you score lower than you like, taking the test again can be a way to strengthen your application. The Admissions Committee looks favorably on taking the GMAT more than once, although we do not recommend taking the test more than three times. The highest of your valid scores will be considered the official one. 4) We recommend preparing for the GMAT well before the test date so that you are not struggling to take the test, write your MBA application, and manage your day-to-day life all at once. 5) The GMAT score is valid if the test was taken less than five years before the date of the application deadline. The test date makes no difference in the assessment of an application as long as it was within five years.
Q: Are late test scores accepted? A: No. It is best to apply when all of your paperwork is in order, as we do not review incomplete applications. GMAT test scores may be self-reported via the online application for the initial review of your materials. Self-reported scores are considered unofficial. We require all official scores to be reported to Booth via Pearson and ACT, Inc by the round deadline to which you are applying. Failure to submit your official scores may result in a delay of your application being sent for review. We will not make a final decision on your application without official GMAT scores.
My Note: This is policy at most schools. I'm including it here because it might also imply that Booth will not accept an improved GMAT score sent after your completed application has already been submitted.