ieGAT score question — what's considered competitive for IE Business School admission?
I'm preparing for the iegat exam and trying to figure out what score range actually matters for admission. The IE website is vague — they say they look at it holistically but that doesn't help me calibrate my prep effort.
I'm currently scoring around 62-65% on practice tests. Verbal reasoning feels okay, quantitative is my weak spot, especially data sufficiency questions. I have a strong academic background (3.8 GPA, 4 years work experience) so I'm hoping the ieGAT isn't weighted as heavily as a GMAT would be.
Has anyone been admitted with a below-average ieGAT score or been rejected despite a strong score? Trying to understand how much it actually moves the needle versus the interview and essays.
IE admissions told me directly that the ieGAT is a threshold test, not a ranking tool. Above the threshold, other factors dominate. Below it, it's very hard to compensate.
Data sufficiency is the hardest part for most people — it's not about getting the answer, it's about knowing when you have enough information. That's a learnable skill, not intelligence. Drill it specifically.
I was admitted with a 68% score and an otherwise strong application. A classmate got in with 71% but average work experience. The interview and essays seemed to carry more weight in both our cases.
Great discussion. One thing nobody mentions: sleep the night before matters more than one more study session. Went in fully rested for my ieGAT and felt sharper than expected.
Quick update: just cleared 80% on my most recent ieGAT practice set using iegat practice test pdf. Sitting for the real thing in 3 weeks. Feeling cautiously optimistic.
I failed my first attempt with a 61% and honestly it wasn't the content that killed me, it was time management on the verbal section. Second time around I stopped trying to answer every question perfectly and started cutting losses on the ones I knew were going to eat my time. Also spent a lot more time working through a iegat practice test pdf under actual timed conditions instead of just reading through questions casually — that shift alone probably added 8-10 points to my score.
For context I ended up with a 74% on the retake and got admitted, but I've seen people get in with scores in the high 60s depending on the rest of their application. If you're hitting 62-65% right now you're closer than you think. Focus on your weak subsection rather than grinding the whole test again, and really nail the pacing.
I was in the same boat last year, juggling a full-time project management role while prepping for the ieGAT on weekends. Honestly, 62-65% is closer than you think -- most people I know who got in were sitting around 65-70% in the final weeks, so you're not far off. The verbal reasoning section killed me at first too, but it clicked once I started doing timed drills instead of just reading through practice sets casually. I found the iegat practice test pdf really useful for this because I could print sections and work through them during my commute.
What helped me fit it in was treating prep like a meeting I couldn't cancel -- 45 minutes before work, three days a week, no exceptions. It's not glamorous but it adds up fast. IE really does look at the full picture, so don't stress if your score isn't perfect, but getting above 70% consistently gave me a lot more confidence going in. Keep pushing on the verbal section and you'll get there.
I went through the ieGAT while working full-time last year, so I feel this. My honest take: 62-65% is a decent starting point but you'll want to push closer to 70%+ if you're aiming at a competitive cohort. The verbal section was what dragged me down initially too, and it wasn't until I started doing 20-minute focused drills during my lunch break instead of marathon weekend sessions that it actually clicked.
For fitting it in around a busy schedule, I basically treated it like a second job but in micro-doses. Fifteen minutes on the train, one practice section before dinner, that kind of thing. It's not glamorous but it adds up faster than you'd think. Consistency beat intensity every time for me.
Honestly, I almost stopped prepping when I was stuck around 63% for weeks. It felt pointless. But I kept at it, used a iegat practice test pdf to drill specific sections, and my score jumped about 8 points in the last two weeks before the exam. Where you are now isn't where you'll end up.
From what I've seen, 70-75% seems to be the range where IE stops worrying about your ieGAT and focuses more on your essays and interview. Below that doesn't mean rejection, but your other materials need to be strong. You're close enough that consistent practice will get you there, so don't give up yet.