Are you taking the GMAT soon or have you recently taken it? If so, you might be wondering, how long does it take to get GMAT scores? It’s important to know when you’ll get your GMAT scores so that you can plan how early you’ll need to take the test in order to get your scores sent in time for school application deadlines.

In this guide, I’ll be explaining how long it will take to get your GMAT scores, when schools school receive your GMAT score reports, and how to use this information to plan for your GMAT test.

How Long Does It Take to Get GMAT Scores?

Your GMAT score consists of five parts: verbal, quantitative, total score, integrated reasoning, and analytical writing. You will receive your integrated reasoning, verbal, quantitative, and total scores on your unofficial score report. You will receive all five of your scores when you receive your official score report.

For more information about GMAT scores, check our our guide to the GMAT score range.

Unofficial GMAT Score Reporting

As soon as you finish the GMAT, you will receive your GMAT unofficial score. After you complete your test, the computer screen will show your unofficial verbal, unofficial quantitative, and unofficial integrated reasoning scores, as well as your unofficial total score. You will also see your unofficial percentile ranking for each section. Check out this sample unofficial score report from MBA.com.

Source: MBA.com

As you can see, on your unofficial score report, you receive your scaled scores for four sections, including the total score, which is scored according to your quantitative and verbal scores. Your analytical writing section will be scored by human graders, so it’s not included in your official score.

What is an unofficial score? Well, every student who takes the GMAT takes a slightly different version of the test, depending on where and when they take it. Your GMAT score and percentile for each section is compared with other students who are taking the same test. Sometimes, you may take a slightly more difficult or slightly easier version of the test. The unofficial score gives a snapshot of how you performed based to other test takers.

However, the unofficial score doesn’t take into account whether your version of the test was slightly easier or more difficult than a different version. Your official scores are double-checked against other test takers to ensure that every test is weighted according to its difficulty. It’s very rare, however, for there to be a difference between unofficial and official scores. If there’s any difference, it’s usually only a few points.

You have the option to cancel your GMAT score if you’re not happy with your performance. After viewing your unofficial score, you should decide whether or not you want to keep your scores. If you keep your scores, they will be sent to the schools you chose on your GMAT registration. If you decide to cancel, your scores will not be sent to any schools. Only you will know if you cancel your scores. You can cancel your score right after the exam at the test center for free, or within 72 hours of taking the exam (for $25).

Source: MBA.com

Official GMAT Score Reporting

Your official GMAT score report will be available within 20 days of taking your exam. Once your scores are available, you will receive an email from Pearson VUE with a unique link to view your scores. You can also view, download, and print your scores by visiting MBA.com.

Your official score report includes your final, official scores and percentile ranking for the verbal, quantitative and integrated reasoning sections. You will also see your final, official total score and your final, official analytical writing score. Remember, this is the first time you’ll be seeing your analytical writing score.

Source: MBA.com

How Long Does It Take Schools to Get GMAT Scores?

While you’re the only one who sees your unofficial scores, you’re not the only one who will get to see your GMAT official scores. You have the option of sending your official scores to schools before or after the exam.

Your GMAT exam fee includes sending your official GMAT score report to up to five schools. You need to select these schools at the test center before you start your exam. It’s a good idea to have a list of schools in mind that you want to send your scores to so that you can take advantage of this reporting on the date of your test. You don’t have to send any scores when you take the test, but it won’t be free if you send your scores at a later date. It costs $28 to send additional score reports.

Remember, if you cancel your scores, the schools you select won’t receive your score report.

The schools you select at the test center will receive your official score report within 20 calendar days of your exam (the same as you). It’s important to consider application deadlines when planning when to take your exam. Since it takes about three weeks to send your scores, you want to make sure you schedule your exam with plenty of time for your scores to arrive before the deadline.

If you choose to send additional schools your scores, or to send your score reports at a later time, a $28 fee per school will apply. You can’t do this until after you receive your official scores, so you’ll need to wait at least 20 days to send additional score reports.

Additional score reports will be sent about five business days after you place an order.

Your GMAT score is valid for five years and you can pay to send additional score reports for as long as your scores are valid. If you cancel your scores at the test center, but wish to reinstate them at a later date, a $50 fee applies. After it’s reinstated, your official score report will be sent to the school you selected at the test center for no additional fees. All additional score reports will still cost $28 per report.

GMAT Score Reporting: What Does It Mean For You?

It’s important to know when and how schools will receive your official score report. This will help you decide when to take the GMAT so that you meet all your application deadlines. For instance, if you want to apply to a school that has a deadline of December 1, you’ll want to take the GMAT at least 20 days before this so that the school will receive your scores on time.

If you’re unhappy with your scores or decide to cancel them, know that you have to wait at least 16 days to take the GMAT again. However, you’ll likely need more time to study if you want to improve your score so seriously consider whether you have enough time to fit in a test retake before your application deadline.

If you do decide to retake the exam, check out PrepScholar GMAT’s comprehensive online course. It’s the only online course that offers a 60 point score improvement guarantee!

Summary: How Long Does It Take to Get GMAT Scores?

You’ll get your unofficial verbal, quantitative, integrated reasoning, and total scores immediately after finishing the GMAT. You can decided whether you want to keep or cancel these scores.

Your official GMAT score report will be available within 20 calendar days after you take the test. The schools you chose at the test center will also receive your scores at this time. You can order additional score reports after you receive your official scores.

What’s Next?

Wondering how long you should study for the GMAT? Check out our step-by-step guide to planning your GMAT prep.

Still not sure when to take the exam? Learn more about choosing the best GMAT test date for you.

Trying to figure out how important the GMAT total score is? Learn all about it in our GMAT total score guide.

The post How Long Does It Take to Get GMAT Scores? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

With everything going on in your busy life, when should you schedule the GMAT? Should you take the test months before your application deadlines or give yourself as much time to study as possible? Would you do better bright and early in the morning, or should you opt for an appointment in the afternoon?

Selecting the right date and time for your GMAT is an important step along the path to business school. To help you choose, this guide will tell you everything you need to know about GMAT test dates, how to pick one, and when to register.

First, when is the GMAT administered?

When Is the GMAT Administered?

The GMAT is administered on an on-demand basis most days of the year. There are no set GMAT test dates. Instead, you can pick out almost any date and time that works for you. Many GMAT test centers offer the test nearly every day of the year.

Some test centers aren’t open on Sundays or holidays, so you’ll have to check with test centers in your area to see their exact GMAT schedule. University-based test centers, for instance, might be closed for extended periods around holidays or other campus breaks.

Wherever you are in the world, most test centers offer morning, midday, and evening appointments. Appointment times vary by test center. At one of the Pearson VUE centers in Boston, to give one example, the GMAT is administered Monday through Saturday at 8 AM, 12 PM, and 4:30 PM.

You can look for GMAT exam dates and availability online at MBA.com. At MBA.com, you can explore test locations, GMAT dates, and times before committing to one. When I look up the Pearson VUE Test Center in Boston, for instance, I see three available time slots on February 18 —

You’ll see a similar feature when you explore test dates. GMAT test dates with availability show up in green, while dates that are all filled up appear in gray. A date will be green as long as it has at least one open time slot.

Once you’ve taken some time to explore your options, when should you choose a GMAT exam date and time and officially register?

When Should You Register for the GMAT?

You can register for the GMAT online or by phone (for $10 extra) anywhere from six months to 24 hours before a test date. If you decide to register by mail, then your request must arrive at least 10 days before your preferred test date.

Hundreds of thousands of students across the world take the GMAT every year, and spots at testing centers can fill up fast. To make sure you get your preferred test date and time, a good rule of thumb is to register at least two to three months in advance.

You may want to register even earlier if you’re looking for an appointment during peak times. The months right before application deadlines are popular, like August, November, and February, as are Saturday GMAT test dates.

It’s also been my experience that afternoon time slots fill up faster than morning ones. If you’re looking to take the GMAT on a Saturday afternoon in November, then you should make sure to complete your registration well in advance.

That being said, what if you’re reading this article and panicking that you waited too long to sign up. Can you still register for the GMAT at the last minute?

Can You Register for the GMAT Last Minute?

As mentioned above, you can technically register for the GMAT online or over the phone up to 24 hours in advance of a test date, assuming that date is available. If you wait until just 24 hours before, though, you may find there are no available dates left, especially if you’ve only got one or two test centers in your area.

The Graduate Management Admission Council and Pearson VUE state their commitment to ensuring that you can find a testing appointment within 30 days, wherever you are in the world. Try your best not to wait any longer than 30 days before a test date, especially if your application deadline is just around the corner.

Whenever you decide to register, how can you zero in on the GMAT exam date and time that will work best for you? You should start by asking yourself five key questions.

How to Choose the Best GMAT Test Date: 5 Key Questions

Just as you should be strategic about how you take the GMAT, you should also be strategic about choosing your GMAT exam date and time. First and foremost, you need to make sure you take the test in time for your application deadlines.

Beyond deadlines, you also want to think about ways to optimize your performance. If you choose a date in the midst of a big work project or right around a holiday, then you might find yourself distracted. If you choose an 8 AM time slot but are useless before your late morning latte, then you won’t be able to give it your all.

The right exam date and time for your GMAT vary by individual. To do some digging into your personal preferences, you should ask yourself these five questions.

#1: When Are My Business School Application Deadlines?

No matter how much you enjoy strictly-timed, computer-adaptive exams, you’re probably not taking the GMAT just for fun. People take the GMAT to get into business school, and they need to make sure that schools receive their scores before an application deadline.

Most business schools have three rounds of admissions deadlines. Round one deadlines tend to land in September or October, round two is in early January, and round three is in March or April. A general rule of thumb for applying to business school is to apply as early as you can as long as you can send off the strongest application possible.

Ideally, you can apply by a round one deadline when the largest number of spots are open. If you’re frantically rushing to meet this deadline, though, then you might wait for a later round or plan instead for the following year.

Official score reports are sent to schools about 20 days after you take the GMAT. You should schedule your test at least a month before your first deadline, or even further out if you think you might retake the test. So for example, if you’re applying to Harvard Business School by its 2017 deadline, September 7, then you should take the GMAT by August 7 at the latest.

You also need to consider all of the other work you have to do on your graduate school application, like writing essays and gathering letters of recommendation from former professors and managers. Taking the GMAT in time for your application deadlines is just one piece of the puzzle. You should also think about your other commitments and application requirements.

#2: Is There a Possibility I’ll Retake the GMAT?

When you finish up the last section of the GMAT, you’ll get a preview of your scores. This unofficial score report will tell you how you did on the Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, and Verbal scores, plus you’ll get to see your total scores. The only score you won’t see yet is your Analytical Writing Assessment, or essay, since it needs to be assessed by two graders.

At this point, you’ll be asked whether you want to keep or cancel your scores. If you fall short of your target scores, then you may choose to cancel the scores completely. They won’t be sent to any schools, and it will be like you never took the GMAT — except that your bank account will be $250 lighter.

If you’re not satisfied with your scores, you can retake the GMAT after waiting a couple of weeks. You can schedule a retake up to five times per year, but your next test date must be at least 16 days after the first one.

Ideally, you’ll be satisfied with your scores and won’t have to take the test again or pay another registration fee. If you want to leave yourself the option, though, then you should register for your first test at least two months before your application deadline. That way, you will have time to retake the test and make sure your retake scores arrive at schools before the deadlines.

#3: How Much Time Do I Have to Study?

According to GMAC, students who scored above a 700 on the GMAT studied for an average of 121 hours. The GMAT is a challenging test, and many test takers prepare for months. When you choose a date, you should leave yourself plenty of time to prepare.

Let’s say you set aside ten hours a week to get ready for the GMAT. After 12 weeks, you’d have accumulated 120 hours of studying. If this sounds like a study plan that would work for you, then you should choose a test date that’s at least three months from the time you start preparing.

Of course, you can start preparing even before you register so that you have a sense of your current scoring level and how much you need to study. Setting a date in stone, though, can help you get motivated. You’re more likely to commit to studying if you know your test date is swiftly approaching.

#4: What Else Is Going On in My Schedule?

Changing your GMAT registration can incur some pretty hefty fees, so you want to make sure you don’t have any competing commitments before you pick a date. Check your schedule for upcoming work events, social obligations, vacations, or holidays.

You may want to get the exam done before a holiday break so you’re not studying while, say, everyone else is eating Thanksgiving turkey. Perhaps you’d do better taking the test on a Monday or Tuesday, rather than waiting until Thursday or Friday when you’re tired from the work week or thinking about a professional project.

If it were me, I’d prefer to take off a Tuesday for the GMAT after a three-day weekend, so I had a full three days beforehand to get ready and focus entirely on taking the exam. If you can’t take any time off work, then you may have to search for the best weekend date.

When you start thinking about a GMAT date, consider any competing commitments and the day of the week that would optimize your testing performance.

#5: Am I a Morning or Afternoon Person?

Just as you should be thoughtful about the day of the week you choose — I would be useless on a Friday afternoon, for instance — you should also think carefully about the best time of day. As long as you register early, you should have choices for taking the exam in the morning or the afternoon.

At this point in your educational and professional career, you probably know when you’re most alert, in the morning or the afternoon. If you heavily favor one time of day over the other, then the time slot you choose for the GMAT could have a big effect on how you do. Choose the time when you’ll be most focused and motivated to take on a three and a half-hour test.

Finalizing Your GMAT Schedule

Taken together, all of these questions prompt you to think about the date and time that would optimize your testing performance and chances of getting into business school. On the practical side, you need to leave yourself time to meet application deadlines and log some serious studying hours.

On the personal level, you should consider whether you’re most productive in the morning or afternoon, in the beginning of the week or at the end. By registering several months in advance, you can ensure that you have plenty of choices when it comes to taking the GMAT.

Let’s say you’re applying for a round one admission deadline in early September. You’d like to log about 100 hours of studying in total and can commit 10 hours a week to GMAT prep. As a peppy sunrise jogger, you’re at your peak energy in the morning and prefer to take the test early in the work week.

You also want to leave yourself one extra chance to take the GMAT, just in case you’re not satisfied with your scores. When should you register?

In the ideal scenario, you’re asking yourself this question in May. You schedule your GMAT in early July, leaving yourself three months to study. If you’re not satisfied with your scores, then you could take the GMAT again in August. Since you’re such a morning person, you opt to take the test on a Monday at 8 AM.

By considering your deadlines, study time, and personal preferences, you registered early for the GMAT and found your ideal testing time. Well done!

While everything’s looking rosy at this point, what if an emergency arises that forces you to change your GMAT date? Despite all your careful planning, what do you do if you need to reschedule your test?

What If You Need to Change Your GMAT Registration?

It is possible to make changes to your GMAT schedule. If you need to alter your test date, then you should try your best to do so more than seven days before your test date.

You can reschedule your test more than seven days in advance for a $50 fee. If you wait until the appointment is seven or fewer days away, then you won’t get any discount and will have to pay the entire $250 registration fee again.

If you need to cancel your GMAT, you can do so and get a refund of $80 if you cancel more than seven days prior to your test date. Again, if you wait until last minute, then you won’t get any money back.

If you’ve asked yourself the five questions above and thoughtfully chosen a GMAT test date, then you most likely won’t have to make any changes to your registration. If something unexpected does come up, though, then hopefully you can cancel or reschedule more than seven days in advance of your test date and get a bit of a financial break.

As we finish up this guide on choosing a date for your GMAT registration, let’s go over some key takeaways you should remember about when to take the test.

Choosing a GMAT Test Date: Final Thoughts

The GMAT is given continuously throughout the year, so you can take it on almost any day that works with your schedule and application deadlines. While you have a lot of choice of GMAT test dates, you should know that spots fill up fast. To make sure you get your preferred date and time, try your best to register two to three months in advance.

When you choose a test date, make sure to leave enough time for your official score report to reach business schools. Score reports usually arrive about 20 days after you take the test. If you want to leave yourself the option of retaking the GMAT, then you need at least an additional 16 days of buffer time.

You should also try to be strategic about taking the GMAT on a day and time when you can perform your best. That might mean signing up early in the week, like a Monday or Tuesday, before you’re tired from the work week. It might also mean choosing a morning or afternoon slot to take advantage of the time of day when you’re most energized and productive.

Once you’ve signed up for the GMAT, you’ll likely feel a boost in how motivated you are to study. Having that test date set in stone means you only have a limited amount of time to prepare and work toward your target scores. Register early so that you can score your preferred test date and start getting ready for this important business school exam.

What’s Next?

Once you’ve chosen your GMAT test date, how do you sign up? Check out this full guide on registering for the GMAT, step by step.

Did you know that the math and verbal sections of the GMAT are adaptive, or that the Integrated Reasoning section always presents the same four question types? Check out this guide on the GMAT exam pattern to learn all about the format, structure, and question types of the GMAT.

Are you ready to start preparing? This complete GMAT study guide (coming soon) will help you design your personalized study plan and achieve your target scores.

The post GMAT Test Dates: Full Guide to Choosing (2018, 2019) appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

So you’re ready to study for the GMAT. But where should you start? The demands of prepping for the exam can be overwhelming, but if you know how to begin, you’ll set yourself up for success.

In this article, I’ll go over everything you need to know about how to start preparing for GMAT test day, including when to start studying, how to make a prep plan, and what to focus on first.

When Should You Start Preparing for the GMAT?

Before we get into how to start studying for the GMAT, let’s establish when to start GMAT preparations. I recommend you start studying around five months before your earliest business school application deadline. This will give you about three months to study and prepare before the GMAT, and plenty of time for your official score reports to be sent out to your MBA programs of choice.

A gap between your GMAT test date and your MBA application deadlines is important, because your official score report will be sent to the business schools you’ve selected (you can choose up to five at the time of your exam) 20 days after you take the exam. Any additional score reports you order after that will take about a week to arrive at your chosen programs. To be safe, then, you should take the GMAT at least six to eight weeks before the application deadlines. An exception is if you want to leave time to retake the test if you don’t do as well as you hoped, in which case you should leave several more months for additional preparation.

Three months of regular prep is the gold standard for an ideal GMAT study timeline, as it’s long enough to allow you to hone in on your weaknesses, complete regular drills, and take several full-length practice tests.

In those three months, you should allot at least 10 hours a week to studying, over at least three days a week. It takes time to get organized, become familiar with the test, and develop the GMAT test-taking strategies that work for you. Trying to cram for the GMAT usually doesn’t result in substantial score improvements, and one or two long study sessions a week won’t do you nearly as much good as three or more shorter weekly sessions. Building a routine around GMAT prep will allow the skills you build to become second nature.

At the same time, starting to prepare too early isn’t optimal either. Spreading your studying out over more than six months may cause you to plateau, and will become tedious. Targeted, organized prep is the key to your GMAT success, and that starts with a study plan.

Making a GMAT Study Plan

The very first step in your GMAT preparation is to make a study plan. Studying methodically and effectively requires organization; starting to prepare blindly or in a disjointed way won’t maximize your score increase.

As you formulate your study plan, you should take a diagnostic test (full-length, timed, and in computerized adaptive format) through the official GMATPrep software. This will help you to know your starting point in terms of your GMAT score. Knowing where you’re starting out will also help you set a target GMAT score using the average scores of admitted students at your prospective MBA programs. With your initial score, you’ll know how far you are from your goals, which will help you know when and how to start preparing for the GMAT based on how much time you need to prep in terms of months before the exam and hours per week.

A diagnostic test will also help you learn more about your weaknesses. Which sections were hardest for you, and which question types? Did you have trouble with timing and pacing? This information will help you decide exactly how to prep and what to focus on as you tailor a study plan to your needs.

Create a detailed schedule to complete your study plan before the test date. Instead of simply allotting a certain number of hours a week, each study session should have a particular goal, i.e., “Use the GMATPrep Software to complete a 20-question reading comprehension quiz.” Keeping track of what you will practice each week will help you track your progress and make specific goals as you work to eliminate your weaknesses. It will also help you adjust your study plan if necessary to accommodate how you’re progressing in your GMAT prep.

How to Start Preparing for the GMAT: 4 Important Steps

So, once you’ve created your study schedule, what are your first steps? Let’s go over four strategies for how to start preparing for the GMAT.

#1: Learn the Format

Use your early prep time to become as familiar as possible with the format of the exam. This seems simple enough, but knowing you won’t be seeing any surprises on test day is a major factor in reducing your stress and feeling like an expert rather than overwhelmed when faced with the official GMAT.

Become familiar with the individual sections, the question types in each section, and what each question type is asking of you. This will help you as you decide on strategies for tackling each kind of question.

#2: Analyze Your Strengths and Weaknesses

When you take your first practice test, start to notice your error patterns. What was your weakest section? Within that section, what question types did you struggle most with?

To analyze your weaknesses, read the answer explanations of the questions you struggled with on your diagnostic test. Figure out where you went wrong. Organize your GMAT prep around your weakest links, and schedule accordingly. You should allot more time to drilling your weaknesses and reviewing the relevant skills than on anything else.

#3: Work On Fundamental Skills

Once you know your weaknesses, decide what fundamental skills you need to review. Have you forgotten how remainders work? Do you need to practice reading and analyzing short texts?

If you have trouble with getting through reading comprehension passages quickly enough or in gleaning the necessary details from them, for example, you might need to regularly practice reading newspaper articles or other high-level materials. The New York Times, Science, The New Yorker, and The Economist are good places to start.

Alternatively, you might need to review the fundamental math skills tested on the GMAT, such as algebraic equations or statistics and probability. Our guides to GMAT fractions and decimals, GMAT percentages, and GMAT statistics questions are helpful starting points for your math review.

Grammar basics, such as parts of speech and sentence structure, is another common area that test-takers need to review. Learning or reviewing grammar terms and rules will help you recognize sentence correction errors more quickly. Our guide to the most important GMAT grammar rules will help you learn to recognize the most common grammar errors that are tested on the exam.

Your GMAT prep plan should reflect any gaps in your knowledge or background, incorporating not just practice questions and tests but drills and outside readings (such as a grammar guide or math quizzes in the areas you find most difficult). Using practice questions and familiarizing yourself with the format of the exam is important, but building the underlying skills necessary to answer the questions is just as, if not more, significant to your performance on the GMAT. With those skills as your foundation, you can tackle any curveballs that are thrown at you on the exam.

#4: Edit Your Study Plan as Needed

Once you’ve taken your weaknesses into account, edit your initial study plan to reflect them. For example, if you find you’re having trouble with timing, set a goal to finish a certain number of questions in a given time limit, and lower the time limit as you get closer to your exam date. If you realize you’re having trouble with GMAT vocabulary words, make time to use flashcards to test yourself on words that show up frequently on the test. While sticking to the basics of your original plan, make sure to update it based on your progress as you continue.

Review: How to Start Preparing for GMAT Test Day

Remember, the keys to beginning your GMAT prep are giving yourself enough time and staying organized. Using these tips will help you get rolling on your GMAT study plan with confidence.

What’s Next?

Still not sure when to start GMAT preparations? For more information about creating a detailed study plan, our guide to the ideal GMAT study timeline will help you make a prep schedule that works for you.

Our guide to taking and using a GMAT diagnostic test as part of your study plan will help you learn how to analyze those test results and tailor your prep plan to your unique needs.

Use our comprehensive guide to GMAT preparation to help you along from registration to test day.

The post How to Start Preparing for the GMAT: 4 First Steps appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

Sometimes, as your GMAT test day quickly approaches, you may have to make the difficult decision to cancel your GMAT appointment. Maybe you’re sick and don’t feel well enough to take the test, or you’ve had a family emergency come up. Maybe you’ve decided you’re not prepared enough to do well. Maybe you’ve already gotten into business school and don’t need to take the GMAT again!

No matter what your reason for canceling a GMAT appointment, it’s important to understand the process for canceling so that you don’t lose a lot of money or get saddled with other unforeseen consequences. In this guide, I’ll talk about what cancelling your GMAT really means. I’ll discuss the GMAT cancellation policy, how to cancel a GMAT appointment, and how to decide whether or not you should cancel your GMAT appointment.

What Are My Options to Cancel GMAT Appointments?

GMAC has a strict GMAT cancellation policy. However, you do have several options if you need to cancel a GMAT appointment.

First, you can cancel your exam any time up to seven days before your test date to receive an $80 refund. When you cancel a GMAT appointment, you lose your test date and will have to pay the entire $250 registration fee if you decide to register for a different test date.

You can also cancel your exam between one to seven days before your GMAT appointment. If you cancel between one to seven days before your GMAT appointment, you won’t receive a refund.

You cannot cancel GMAT appointments within 24 hours of your test date. If you don’t show up to your scheduled GMAT appointment, and haven’t cancelled within 24 hours of your test date, your account history with GMAC will display a no-show. Your no-show status shows up on your own test history on your GMAC dashboard online. However, you won’t ever have a no-show appear on a score report, so don’t worry about your no-show status getting sent to business schools.

What Is the GMAT Cancellation Fee?

GMAC has a pretty harsh GMAT cancellation fee structure.

If you cancel your exam seven or more days before your GMAT appointment, you’ll receive an $80 refund. That means you’ll lose the rest of your $250 registration fee.

You can also reschedule your exam seven or more days for your GMAT appointment. Rescheduling a GMAT appointment costs $50, so it’s definitely a better financial decision if you still want to take the GMAT.

If you’re within seven calendar days of your test date, you’ll lose your entire $250 registration fee if you cancel a GMAT appointment. You’ll also have to pay the full $250 registration fee if you decide to register for a different test date.

What Happens If I Have an Emergency?

Unfortunately, there’s no way to recoup your full registration fee, even if you have an emergency. If you cancel more than seven days in advance, you can get the standard $80 refund. If it’s within seven calendar days of your test date, you’ll still have to pay the full $250 GMAT cancellation fee to register for a different GMAT date.

How Can I Decide Whether or Not to Cancel GMAT Appointments?

Because GMAC has such a strict GMAT cancellation policy, if you have to cancel a GMAT appointment, you stand to lose a lot of money. You should only completely cancel a GMAT appointment if you don’t want to take the GMAT at all, or at least not for many months. Otherwise, it’s better to reschedule your appointment.

If you’ve had an unforeseen emergency come up, such as a severe illness or family crisis, try to reschedule your GMAT for another time. Remember, you can reschedule your GMAT up to seven days before your test date. So, if you’re feeling under the weather as your test date approaches and are worried that you won’t be well before the test, you can decide to reschedule so you don’t have to worry about losing your registration fee. However, if an emergency pops up closer to test day, know that you’ll have to pay the $250 GMAT registration fee again if you decide to take the test at a later date.

If you’re worried about how you’ll score, rescheduling your test for a later date might make sense. Scheduling your test for a later date means that you’ll have time to study more and feel more prepared. However, you need to keep in mind the amount of time it takes to send and receive GMAT scores. Pushing your test date back might mean that you don’t have enough time to send your GMAT scores to MBA programs before their application deadlines. If you’ve decided that you have enough time to push back your GMAT appointment, make sure you reschedule at least seven days before your current GMAT appointment, so that you only have to pay $50 instead of the full $250 registration fee.

If you’ve already gotten into business school or have decided not to apply, canceling your GMAT makes sense. If you can cancel seven days or more before your exam, you’ll at least get $80 of your GMAT registration fee back.

What’s Next?

Choosing a GMAT test date that works for you will go a long way in making sure you don’t have to cancel your exam and lose a lot of money. If you’re looking for more information about how to choose a correct GMAT test date, our complete guide to choosing a GMAT test date will help you make the best decision that works for your schedule.

Picking a GMAT test center that’s convenient to your location is also an important part of your registration process. Find out more about what to expect at a GMAT test center and how to choose the right one for you in our guide to GMAT test centers.

It’s important to send your GMAT scores well before your application deadlines. In our guide to sending GMAT scores, you’ll learn when schools receive them, how to send them, and what to do if you need to send extra GMAT scores.

The post Can You Cancel GMAT Appointments? Should You? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

So you’ve scheduled your GMAT appointment and feel good about it. A month later, you find out that’s your sister’s wedding date. What can you do? Don’t panic: you can reschedule the GMAT, though there is a fee. 

In this article, I’ll go over how to reschedule your GMAT date, how much it costs, and when it’s a good or bad move to reschedule.

Can You Reschedule GMAT Appointments? How Much Does It Cost?

The short answer is yes, you can reschedule your GMAT appointment. However, there are some limitations.

When you register for your GMAT date on mba.com, you’ll pay a scheduling fee of $250 for selecting the date, time, and location of your exam. You can’t get that fee refunded no matter what, so keep that in mind when deciding whether or not to reschedule.

If you decide to reschedule, you’ll pay a $50 fee if you change your exam date more than seven calendar days before your GMAT appointment. If you change your exam date seven days or fewer before your appointment, you’ll pay a $250 GMAT reschedule fee (meaning that you’re essentially paying to register for the test again).

You cannot reschedule or cancel your GMAT appointment 24 hours or less before your scheduled exam date. If you don’t appear on your exam date, your mba.com account will label that date a no-show. However, no-shows won’t appear on the score reports that go to business schools.

Rescheduling the GMAT: Step by Step

If you’ve decided to reschedule your GMAT appointment, it’s a fairly simple process.

1. To reschedule GMAT dates online, log into your mba.com account that you used to register for the exam.
2. Under “Future Exams,” on the first page, rescheduling your appointment will be one of the options under “Actions.” After clicking on ‘reschedule,’ you can select your new testing location (if applicable), exam date, and time.
3. Depending on when you’re rescheduling your exam, you will pay a $50 GMAT reschedule fee (more than seven days before your appointment) or $250 fee (seven days or fewer before your appointment). You’ll be directed to do this online in order to complete your new exam registration. Watch out for an email confirmation of your new exam date.

Note: You can also reschedule GMAT appointments by phone (find the appropriate number here). By phone, there is a $10 rescheduling fee. You are required to reschedule your appointment by phone if you want to reschedule an exam in a different country from the original one in which you registered.

Should You Reschedule the GMAT?

So, now you know you can reschedule GMAT dates. But is it a good idea? Let’s go over the do’s and don’ts of rescheduling the exam.

Avoid Rescheduling the GMAT If Possible

Rescheduling the GMAT is expensive, and your initial registration fee can’t be refunded. Also, depending on when you plan to apply to business schools, putting the test off until a later date can interfere with your admissions deadlines.

If possible, it’s usually best to stick to your initial plan and take the test on your scheduled date. If you don’t do well on your scheduled GMAT date, you can always retake the exam after further preparation—usually a better idea than putting it off to begin with.

Don’t Reschedule Because You’re Doing Poorly on Practice Tests

MBA programs don’t look down on taking the GMAT more than once, so it won’t reflect poorly on you if you take the GMAT twice or even several times. If you’ve prepared extensively but are not scoring exactly where you want on your practice tests, it’s usually a better bet to take the exam anyway. Taking the test at a real testing location may actually help you prepare and feel more relaxed and ready for your next GMAT appointment.

If you do decide to take the test more than once, just make sure to leave yourself plenty of time to prepare before your next exam date. You can’t take the GMAT more than once in a month, but depending on your target score, you’ll likely need at least three months to substantially prepare before retaking the test.

The one exception to this rule is if you truly haven’t prepared much for the GMAT at all due to work or other stressors in your life. If you’re still unfamiliar with the exam content and format, or haven’t focused on your weak spots at all, it’s better to reschedule. Taking the GMAT while woefully underprepared will only increase your fear of the exam.

Do Reschedule If You Have a Personal Emergency or Health Crisis

If you’re having an issue such as a personal crisis or illness, it may be better to reschedule. It’s best not to take the GMAT under more pressure than you need to, as it will likely lower your score and create anxiety around the process of taking the exam for next time. Taking time to heal and prepare before your next GMAT appointment will be better for your exam score and your health.

What’s Next?

If you’re ready to schedule your GMAT appointment, learn how to schedule wisely with our guides to choosing GMAT test dates.

Not sure how long you need to study for the GMAT? Our guide will help you set a timetable for your GMAT prep.

Meanwhile, our comprehensive GMAT Study Guide will cover everything you need for your GMAT preparation.

The post Can You Reschedule Your GMAT? Is There a Fee? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

Unlike a diamond, a GMAT score isn’t forever. But how long do GMAT scores last, exactly? After five years, GMAT scores are no longer valid for business school admission. After 10 years, you can’t even see them!

If you’re applying to a business program, you’ll need to send scores that are five or fewer years old. Read on to find out the exact policies around how long GMAT scores last and how these policies affect your test-taking schedule.

First, let’s take a closer look at the rules for GMAT score validity.

How Long Are GMAT Scores Valid?

GMAT scores are valid for five years from the date you took the test. You can sign into your account at MBA.com to see any GMAT scores that you accepted in the past five years.

If you want to see scores from a GMAT that you took more than five but fewer than 10 years ago, then you can gain access to them via a special score report request. You’d have to call customer service and pay a fee of $28. This hard copy score report is mostly available for your own benefit, since business schools won’t accept GMAT scores that are older than five years.

If you took the GMAT over a decade ago and want to see your scores just for old time’s sake, then hopefully, you wrote them down. Any GMAT scores that are 10 years or older scores are long gone. You wouldn’t be able to get ahold of them unless you kept your own personal record.

As you just read, you can access scores that are older than five years (but younger than 10), but business schools probably won’t accept them. How long are GMAT scores valid for business schools?

Will Business Schools Accept Old GMAT Scores?

Business schools consider GMAT scores to be valid for five years. This five-year mark typically starts five years prior to a school’s application deadline. Any scores older than that don’t fulfill application requirements.

Harvard Business School, for example, had a Round 1 admissions deadline of September 7 in 2016. To apply, students had to send scores from a GMAT taken after September 7, 2011.

Stanford Business School has a similar policy. To apply for its Round 1 September 21, 2016 deadline, students had to have taken the GMAT on or after September 21, 2011.

Most schools set the cutoff five years prior to their application deadline. If you’re not sure if your scores make the cut, you should contact the admissions office to learn more. They should be able to tell you the exact date from which GMAT scores are considered valid.

While most schools will accept GMAT scores that are five years old, a few only want scores from the “Next Generation GMAT,” the redesigned version that was introduced in 2012.

Columbia Business School, for example, says that scores are valid for five years, but then it adds this caveat: “Both the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) and Integrated Reasoning (IR) sections are required if you take the GMAT.”

Since the IR section was introduced in 2012, GMAT scores from 2011 wouldn’t be valid. Old GMAT scores only count if they come from a test taken in or after June 2012, as that was the first month that the GMAT contained Integrated Reasoning.

If you’re solely concerned with accessing your GMAT scores, then all you need to know is that they’ll stay in your MBA.com account for five years. If you’re using them to apply to business school, though, then you should contact admissions offices to make sure you know any school-specific policies.

In other words, don’t assume that there’s a one size fits all rule when it comes to GMAT score validity in business school admissions. Each school is different, and each can set its own rules. Make sure you know what they are before applying.

Now let’s say that you took the GMAT more than once in the past few years to improve your scores. Will business schools see all your scores from every time you sat for the GMAT?

Do Business Schools See All Your GMAT Scores?

When you take the GMAT, you have the option of keeping or canceling your scores. Right after you finish taking the exam, you’ll see your unofficial score report with your IR, Quantitative, Verbal, and total scores (everything but Analytical Writing Assessment). Based on these scores, you can decide whether to keep or cancel the test.

In past years, business schools could see that you canceled scores from a test sitting. As of 2015, though, canceled scores are no longer indicated on score reports. Even canceled scores from tests taken prior to 2015 will no longer appear on score reports.

You don’t have to worry about schools knowing how many times you took the GMAT. If you crashed and burned during your first try, no one has to know but you.

You also now have the option to reinstate canceled scores from any test taken on or after January 1, 2014 for a fee of $50. You can reinstate scores up to four years and 11 months from your test date. This reinstatement period is a month shy of five years to allow time for processing your request.

Now that you have a sense of the rules around GMAT scores, let’s consider what they mean for your planning. How do these policies around score validity, cancellation, and reinstatement affect your test taking schedule?  

How Do GMAT Score Policies Affect Your Schedule?

The five-year rule for GMAT scores doesn’t affect most people’s test taking schedule a great deal. Generally speaking, people start preparing for the GMAT when they decide to go to business school, so they don’t have to worry about their scores being too old.

There are three main scenarios when GMAT score policies might affect your plans. Read on to see if any of them apply to you.

Scenario #1: You’re Worried Your Scores Are Too Old

If you took the GMAT years ago and are unsure if your scores are still valid, then you should check with each business school that you’re applying to. That way, you can confirm that you’re meeting individual, school-specific application requirements.

Most schools will accept scores that you took five years prior to their Round 1, Round 2, or Round 3 application deadline. Others only want scores from the most recent version of the GMAT, which was first administered in June of 2012.

You could start by looking for this information on each school’s admission website. If you can’t find it there, then you should email or call up the admissions office and ask about its GMAT policy.

Scenario #2: You Want to Take the GMAT as an Undergraduate

If you’re an undergraduate thinking about taking the GMAT, you should consider whether you’ll be applying to business school within five years. Most applicants have at least two to three years of work experience on their resume before applying, so you might be cutting it close.

As long as you meet the five-year cutoff, taking the GMAT during or right after college can be beneficial. Since you’ll still be in academic mode, you may not have to study as much as you would if you waited until several years after graduation. Your math, verbal, and test-taking skills might be as sharp as they’ll ever be.

If your plans change in subsequent years, you can always take the GMAT again, as long as you are able to pay the $250 registration fee again or get a voucher that covers all or part of the cost.

Scenario #3: You Need to Reapply to Business Schools

Finally, this five-year rule for GMAT validity is useful if you don’t get into business schools the first time around and decide to try again the following year. You won’t have to take the test over again, because you can send the same results along with your new applications.

The only reason you would take the GMAT again is if you seek higher scores. Otherwise, your scores will be just as valid for the following year’s admissions as they were for the current year’s, as long as they haven’t passed the five-year mark.

Unless any of the above three scenarios apply to you, the five-year rule of GMAT score validity probably won’t affect your test taking plans all that much. As we finish up, let’s go over some key points you should remember regarding our original query, How long are GMAT scores valid?

How Long Do GMAT Scores Last? Final Thoughts

When asking ourselves, “how long do GMAT scores last?”, it’s useful to come at the question from two angles.

First, we can think about how long the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) holds onto GMAT scores. GMAC keeps GMAT scores for five years, and you can access them online or over the phone. The organization also allows you to request a special score report for GMAT scores between five and 10 years old.

The second angle we should consider is how long GMAT scores are valid for business schools. Like GMAC, most business schools accept scores up to five years old. This five-year cutoff typically starts five years from the application deadline.

Because each school sets its own rules, you need to check requirements on a school by school basis, especially if you’re worried about your scores being too old.

What about if you’re interested in taking the GMAT, but don’t have any concrete plans to apply to business school yet? In this case, you may opt to take the exam if you feel you could get an especially strong score.

As long as you apply within five years, your scores will meet the application requirement. There doesn’t seem to be any advantage to sending scores that are a year old compared to scores that are three years old.

This five-year rule can be useful for anyone who wants to take the GMAT early and then be free to focus on the rest of their business school applications. As long as you fulfill business school requirements, then you can feel confident sending off your GMAT score reports.

What’s Next?

When you take the GMAT, you’ll have to decide whether to keep or cancel your scores. But what makes a good GMAT score? Check out this guide to find out.

What’s a competitive GMAT percentile for business school? Consult this guide to see how GMAT section scores and total scores match up with percentiles.

Are you scoring at or above average on your practice tests? This article on average GMAT scores explains what scores you need to stand out from the pack.

The post How Long Do GMAT Scores Last? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

Studying for and planning to take the GMAT can be a confusing process. No wonder you have questions!

We’ll answer all the key GMAT FAQs right here, covering a wide range of issues such as logistics; content, planning, and preparation; format and delivery; scores; and business school admissions.

Article Roadmap: GMAT FAQs

• GMAT Logistics
• GMAT Content, Planning, and Preparation
• GMAT Format and Delivery
• GMAT Scores
• Business School Admissions

GMAT FAQ: Logistics

These GMAT FAQs address the basics of taking the GMAT, including costs, scheduling, and registration.

#1: How Do I Register for the GMAT?

You can register for the GMAT at mba.com (the official GMAT website). After you create an account, you can select your testing date, time, and location by clicking on “Register for the GMAT” under “The GMAT Exam” on the main page.

You can also register by phone by calling GMAT Customer Service. Keep in mind that there’s a $10 phone service fee.

#2: How Much Does the GMAT Cost?

Scheduling a GMAT appointment costs $250. You can pay for your GMAT registration with credit or debit card, money order, cashier’s check, or personal check.

GMAT vouchers (which allow students who can demonstrate financial need to take a test for free) are not available through the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), but you can find them through external organizations like the Edmund S. Muskie Graduate Fellowship Program and the Fulbright Foundation. 

#3: How Often Can I Take the GMAT?

You can take the GMAT up to five times every 12 months.

You can’t take the GMAT more than once in a 16-day period, or more than eight times total.

#4: Can I Reschedule a GMAT Appointment?

You can reschedule by logging into your personal GMAT account at mba.com, but there’s a fee. If you reschedule your exam more than seven days before your appointment, it’ll cost you $50; if you reschedule seven days or fewer before your GMAT appointment, there’s a $250 fee.

You can’t reschedule or cancel the GMAT 24 hours or less before your exam appointment. Find more information about rescheduling the GMAT here.

#5: Can I Retake the GMAT?

You can take the GMAT up to five times every 12 months.

About a third of students retake the GMAT, and business schools don’t look down on it, especially if your score improves with each retake. About 10% of applicants have taken the GMAT three or more times.

GMAT FAQ: Content, Planning, and Preparation

These GMAT FAQs address what skills and concepts are tested on the GMAT, as well as how to best prepare for the exam.

#6: What Material Is Tested on the GMAT?

Each section of the GMAT tests essential skills that you will need in business school as well as in a subsequent career in business.

The analytical writing assessment includes a 30-minute essay prompt that tests your ability to analyze a given argument and communicate effectively in standard English. It includes one analysis of an argument question, which will ask you to unpack and critique a given argument in essay format.

The integrated reasoning section asks you to synthesize and analyze information presented in different formats (such as text, graphics, and charts) and from different sources and to solve problems based on complex information that has to be integrated. It includes graphics interpretation, two-part analysis, table analysis, and multi-source reasoning questions.

The quantitative section tests your skills in secondary school-level math, as well as your ability to analyze and solve numerical problems, evaluate graphs, and determine whether or not you have enough available data to answer a given question. It includes problem solving and data sufficiency questions.

The verbal section tests your ability to apply logical reasoning to analyze arguments, implement grammar rules, and understand complex reading passages. Overall, the section tests your ability to read, write, and reason in written standard English. It includes reading comprehension, sentence correction, and critical reasoning questions.

#7: How Should I Prepare for the GMAT?

Take an initial practice test with the GMATPrep Software to gauge your current level.

Next, to improve your score, target your weaknesses. Determine your weak spots by section and by question type. You should devote study time to every section, but you should spend the highest number of prep hours on the areas in which you struggle.

Your prep time should be divided between practice tests (using computerized adaptive practice exams whenever possible), sets of practice questions, reading test-taking strategies, and drills of particular skills. In addition, a review of basic math concepts and the rules of English grammar should be incorporated into your study plan. Find out more about preparing for the GMAT here.

#8: Where Can I Find Prep Material for the GMAT?

The best source of GMAT prep material is the Official GMATPrep Software, which you can download with an account at mba.com. It includes two full-length computerized adaptive practice GMATs, practice questions, and a math review. Other official practice materials include [links] the GMATPrep Exam Collection and Question Pack, the Integrated Reasoning Prep Tool, GMAT Write (which will help with the analytical writing assessment), and the GMAT Focus Online Quantitative Diagnostic Tool.

Find out more about GMAT prep materials here.

#9: How Long Should I Study for the GMAT?

Obviously the amount of time you spend studying depends on your current skill level, your target score, and your particular circumstances. However, a good rule of thumb is to prepare for at least three months before taking the GMAT if you want to improve your score by a modest amount—say, 30-50 points. This assumes that you are studying regularly throughout the week (approximately 10 hours a week).

If you need a more substantial boost in your score, it’s best to plan for six months of regular study if you can. This will ensure that you are familiar not only with the concepts tested on the GMAT, but with the nuances of the exam and the format as well, and that you have ample time to target your weaknesses.

#10: What Math Is on the GMAT?

The quant section tests basic math concepts in the areas of algebra, geometry, and arithmetic.

The GMAT quant section is divided into problem-solving questions and data sufficiency questions. Data sufficiency questions will ask you whether, given a question and two statements containing data, whether the data in the two statements are enough, or ‘sufficient,’ for answering the question.

Since you won’t have a calculator on the quant section, it’s also important to practice doing calculations in your head as part of your GMAT prep.

GMAT FAQ: Format and Delivery

The answers to these GMAT FAQs will go over what the GMAT will look like, how it will be delivered, and what to expect on the day of the exam.

#11: What Is the GMAT Format?

The GMAT consists of four separately scored sections. Let’s take a look at them.

As of July 2017, you can select the order in which you complete the sections of the GMAT. Find out more about this change here.

The analytical writing assessment requires you to complete an essay using a basic text editor.

The multiple-choice integrated reasoning section contains questions with multiple parts, all of which you’ll have to answer in order for your response to be marked as “correct.”

The multiple-choice quantitative section consists of data sufficiency questions, which ask you to decide whether given data would be sufficient to answer a question or solve an equation, and problem-solving questions (word problems).

The multiple-choice verbal section consists of reading comprehension questions with both short (about 200 words) and long (300-400 word) passages, critical reasoning (logic) questions, and sentence correction (grammar) questions.

The verbal and quantitative sections of the GMAT are always delivered in computerized adaptive format. All sections of the GMAT are completed on a computer. No paper GMAT is available.

#12: How Long Is the GMAT?

In total, the GMAT takes about 3.5 hours to complete (including breaks). The analytical writing assessment is 30 minutes long, and the integrated reasoning section is 30 minutes. The quantitative section takes 62 minutes, and the verbal section takes 65 minutes. 

There are two optional eight-minute breaks during the test.

#13: What Is a Computerized Adaptive Test (CAT)?

A computerized adaptive test adjusts to your skill level in real time as you take the GMAT. A computerized algorithm will determine the difficulty level of the questions you will receive, and your score, based on your answers.

You will begin the exam with questions of medium difficulty. If you complete “medium” questions correctly, you will receive more difficult questions. If you complete ‘medium’ questions incorrectly, you will receive easier questions. Your score will be determined not only by how many questions you answer correctly or incorrectly, but by how many questions of each difficulty level you answer correctly.

#14: Can I Use a Calculator on the GMAT?

You will have access to an onscreen calculator with basic functions during the integrated reasoning section. You will not have access to a calculator on the quantitative section, but don’t worry: You will not be asked to complete detailed or exact calculations for quant questions.

#15: Will I Get Scratch Paper on the GMAT?

Yes, you will get a double-sided, laminated scratch pad the size of a standard legal pad to use during the GMAT. You can write on the scratch pad with non-permanent markers that will be provided to you on the day of the test. You can ask the proctor for a new scratch pad at any time during the exam.

You can practice with Manhattan Prep’s simulation GMAT scratch pad while you take practice tests at home.

GMAT FAQ: Scores

In these GMAT FAQs, we’ll go over how the GMAT is scored, what your score means, and how long it will take to receive your score reports.

#16: How Is the GMAT Scored?

The four sections of the GMAT are scored separately. Your total score, between 200 and 800 (what people are generally referring to when they say “GMAT score”) reflects the combination of your verbal and quant scores. You will also receive individual verbal and quantitative scores between 0 and 60. On the integrated reasoning section, you’ll receive a score from 1-8.

The analytical writing assessment is scored by two graders. You’ll receive a score from 0-6 in half-point increments. Find out more about how the GMAT is scored here.

#17: What’s a Good GMAT Score?

While the average GMAT score is usually around 550, you’ll need a 600 or over to get into most top 50 business schools. For top 10 schools, a 700+ score is expected of most incoming students. At particularly elite programs like Harvard or Stanford, you’ll usually need a score of 720 or higher to be admitted.

What matters most is that your GMAT score gets you into the business school of your choice. To find the average GMAT score of the most recent incoming students at your MBA programs of choice, check out the most recent class profile at each of your prospective schools. Find out more about how to find out if your score will get you into your favorite business school here.

#18: What’s the Average GMAT Score?

The average GMAT score for all test-takers is 551.94. The average score on the analytical writing assessment is 4.37; on the integrated reasoning section, it’s 4.23.

The average verbal score is 26.8, and the average quant score is 38.91.

Remember that average scores aren’t a good barometer of where your score should land in order for you to get into an MBA program. Competitive business schools will expect scores much higher than the average.

#19: How Long Does It Take to Get GMAT Scores?

You’ll get an unofficial score report for every section except the analytical writing assessment at the testing location immediately after you take your exam. You’ll receive an official score report approximately 20 days after you take the GMAT.

You will be able to choose five schools to send your scores to before you take the exam. Those schools will receive your official score report approximately 20 days after your GMAT appointment. Additional score reports, which can be ordered online, cost $28 each and will be sent to the schools you select within a week.

GMAT FAQ: Applying to Business School

These FAQ address how your GMAT scores will affect your chances in the MBA admissions process.

#20: Do I Need to Take The GMAT for Business School?

Many business schools accept the GRE instead of the GMAT, but most do require one or the other as part of the admissions process.

A few business schools don’t require the GMAT. In particular, executive MBA programs—accelerated, advanced programs designed for working professionals or students with extensive relevant work experience—often accept GMAT waivers if you can demonstrate a certain number of years of work experience, success in former leadership roles, and/or a record of high academic achievement.

#21: What GMAT Score Do I Need to Get Into Business School?

At top 10 business schools, average GMAT scores of incoming students are above 700. A score of 720 or over will help you stand out among your peers in the admissions process.

At mid-ranking programs, a GMAT score of 600 or over is a fairly safe bet.

To find out more about the average GMAT scores at your prospective business schools, check out the class profiles of the most recent incoming class at each of your chosen MBA programs. Find out more about what GMAT score you’ll need to get into an MBA program here.

#22: Can I Get Into an MBA program With a Low GMAT Score?

There’s no cutoff GMAT score below which you absolutely can’t get into an MBA program.

Some students with lower scores are admitted to high-ranking MBA programs, but they are outliers. Usually, if a student with a lower score is admitted, he or she has an especially impressive work history or some especially exceptional achievement, such as awards or special recognition.

GMAT FAQ: Takeaways

In the GMAT FAQ, we’ve covered many common questions related to the GMAT, including logistics, content and preparation, format and delivery, scores, and MBA admissions. Hopefully we’ve helped you cut to the chase so that you understand the nuts and bolts of the GMAT and feel ready to prepare for the test.

What’s Next?

Choosing a 2017 GMAT test date? Our expert guide will help you.

Now that you know the basics about the GMAT, look up the most common GMAT mistakes and how to avoid them here.

To learn more about the relative difficulty of the exam, check out How Hard is the GMAT?

The post GMAT FAQ: 22 of Your Biggest Questions, Answered appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

If you’re planning to apply to business school, you’ve likely started to think about when to take the GMAT. Should you take the exam as soon as possible? Or wait until right before your deadlines?

In this guide, I’ll help you answer the question “when should I take the GMAT?” We’ll cover the rules about when you can take the exam and go through how to decide the best time for you to take the GMAT.

When Can You Take the GMAT?

Unlike standardized tests like the SAT or ACT, the GMAT is offered on many days throughout the year. Especially if you live in a larger metropolitan area, you can usually find the GMAT given on almost every day of the week.

You can register for GMAT appointments anytime between six months and 24 hours before you’re desired date, depending on availability. In practice, you’ll likely need to sign up at least a few weeks in advance to secure a spot.

However, there are a few restrictions on how often you can take the exam: you can only take the GMAT once in any 16-day period, five times in a year, and eight times in your lifetime.

When Should You Take the GMAT?

As a general rule of thumb, you should aim to take the GMAT at least two months before your application deadline, so that you leave enough time for your scores to be reported to schools. For example, if your first application is due January 1, you’ll want to take the GMAT by November 1 in order to make sure your scores are sent in time to make that deadline.

Nonetheless, deciding exactly when to take the GMAT is a personal decision for every test taker. In the next section, I’ll talk more about the factors that go into deciding the perfect date and time for your GMAT exam.

Deciding When to Take the GMAT: 6 Considerations

Still asking yourself “when should I take the GMAT”? Consider these six questions to help you pick the best time to take the exam.

#1: When Is Your First Application Deadline?

Remember, you’ll want to have taken the GMAT at least two months before your first application deadline. Having the test completed a few months before your first deadline helps ensure that your scores will be ready to go out to all of your target programs on or before their application deadlines.

You can find the application deadlines for each of your programs by visiting the schools’ websites. Keep in mind that many MBA programs accept applications in rounds, so if you don’t think you have enough time to prep for and take the GMAT before the first deadline, consider pushing your application to a later round.

#2: How Many Hours of Prep Do You Need?

You’ll also want to consider how many hours of GMAT prep you need, based on how much you are hoping to improve your score. The more hours of prep you need, the more you’ll want to push back your GMAT test date (keeping in mind your application deadlines) so that you have enough time to improve.

For instance, if you need to prep for 100 hours, you’ll probably want to give yourself at least three months of solid prep time. Condensing many prep hours into a short period of time will leave you burnt out and stressed. Spread out your test prep so that you’re spending quality time truly learning the material.

As part of this process, consider how many hours per week you can truly devote to studying for the GMAT. You’ll want to think about how much test prep you can build in between other activities you’re involved in. Make sure you give yourself enough weeks of prep time so that you’re building a solid foundation of skills.

#3: Do You Want to Build in Time to Retake the Test?

Many test-takers end up retaking the GMAT at least once. Remember, though, that you can only take the GMAT once every sixteen days. You need to leave at least four weeks of extra time in your schedule if you think that you’ll want to retake the test, which will give you time to study the parts of the exam that you struggled with during your previous test.

#4: What Dates Are Available to Take the GMAT Near You?

While test-takers in large metropolitan areas likely have a wide range of test dates available to them, those who live in less urban locales may not have as many dates to choose from. Make sure you view and register for available dates well ahead of your application due dates, so that you’re not stuck traveling a great distance to take the GMAT at the last minute.

#5: What Times Are Convenient With Your Schedule?

Make sure that you’re picking a test time that is convenient with your schedule. If you work everyday until 4 pm, don’t schedule a 4:30 pm test unless you can get off of work early, because you’ll likely be rushing to get from one place to another. Pick a time where you have at least five hours to arrive at the testing location early, take the test, and leave comfortably.

#6: Are You a Morning or Afternoon Person?

When it comes to picking a test time, you want to decide when you’ll be most focused. If you can barely open your eyes by 9 AM, don’t pick a test time that starts at 7:30 AM. Likewise, if you find yourself falling asleep at your desk at 2 PM everyday, afternoon testing is probably not for you. Set yourself up for success by taking the test a time that works for you.

3 Common Questions About When to Take the GMAT

In this section, I’ll discuss some of the most common questions test-takers have about when to take the GMAT.

#1: Should You Take the GMAT While You’re Still an Undergrad?

There are several pros to taking the GMAT when you’re still an undergrad. For one thing, undergrad students often have more freedom over their schedules if they’re not yet working full-time. Having more freedom over your schedule will give you more time to study and more flexibility in picking a test date.

Taking the test as an undergrad means that you’ve likely spent time recently reviewing the concepts tested on the GMAT, such as skills you’ll need for the quantitative section. Taking the GMAT as an undergrad means these concepts are fresher in your memory.

However, if you don’t plan to apply to business school right away, taking the GMAT may not be necessary and you can spend your time on applications for jobs or other programs, rather than on studying for the test.

#2: Should You Take the GMAT If You’re Not Sure When You’re Applying to Business School?

GMAT scores are valid for five years, so you do have a pretty long window of time to use your scores, even if you don’t know exactly when you’re applying to business school.

If you find yourself with a solid amount of time to study (generally 2-3 months) leading up to the exam, taking the GMAT before you actually apply to business school can be a good way to ensure that you have plenty of time to prep, your scores will be complete by your application due dates, and you won’t be feeling any stress to complete the test by a certain date or time.

You can also retake the GMAT at a later date. While programs will see all the times you’ve taken the test, generally, only your highest score truly matters on your application. Still you shouldn’t spend time studying for and taking the GMAT unless you’re fairly certain you want to go to business school, since it’s a big time investment that’s really only useful for MBA applications.

#3: When Should You Register to Take the GMAT?

It’s a good idea to register for the GMAT as soon as you’ve decided on the date and time which will work best for you. Testing centers can often be quite small, with only a few open seats at each. Registering when you’ve picked a working test date will help ensure that you get the test date and time that works best for you.

What’s Next?

Ready to sign up for the GMAT? Learn the ins and outs of GMAT registration with our complete guide.

How do you send your GMAT scores to schools? We walk you through the whole process.

Craft a personalized GMAT study plan with our in-depth article and sample study schedules.

The post 6 Steps for Deciding When to Take the GMAT appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

You’re applying to business school and you know you need to take the GMAT. But deciding to take the exam is just the beginning. When do you start studying? What should you be doing at each step along the way?

In this article, I’ll walk you through the ideal GMAT prep timeline, step by step, from registering for the test to taking the exam. I’ll also cover the  reasons why you might want to adjust your GMAT study timeline, so you can be confident that you have a solid plan leading up to test day.

6-Month GMAT Prep Timeline

Many students wonder when they should start studying for the GMAT in order to prepare effectively. You need enough time to take practice tests, assess your strengths and weaknesses, drill your skills with sets of practice questions, cover any gaps in your knowledge, and take a final diagnostic test. However, you also don’t want to start too early, as taking too long with your prep can cause your progress to plateau.

I recommend about three months of study time, with at least 10 hours devoted to GMAT prep each week. This schedule allows you to develop a regular routine of several weekly study sessions. Some students, however, will need more time. If you’re a non-native English speaker, particularly struggle with a certain GMAT section, haven’t taken any standardized tests in a while, or simply need more time to boost your score, you might consider extending your GMAT study timeline to include four or five months of prep.

Before you start your GMAT studying, though, you’ll need to research your MBA programs of choice and register for the GMAT. Let’s start there and go through the ideal GMAT study timeline step by step.

6 Months Before The Test: Research Business Schools and Register for the Exam

Before you even start studying for the GMAT, you need to research the MBA programs you plan to apply to in depth. Make a list of the ones that best fit your interests, life circumstances, and past work experience (for example, you might consider an accelerated executive MBA program if you already have an extensive resume, or a part-time or online MBA program if you’re working or raising a family).

Once you have a list of your chosen schools, you can figure out your target GMAT score. Your target score will allow you to set goals for yourself and assess your progress as you continue to prep. You can find more specific guidelines on setting a goal score here.

Before you can prep for the test, you need to know when the application deadlines for your prospective business schools are. Your scores will take at least 20 business days to go out to your schools of choice, and you’ll want at least a little wiggle room with that, so plan to take the GMAT at least a month before your earliest application deadline.

Next, register for an exam date and time with an account at mba.com. Once you’ve registered, you can begin to compile prep resources, take an initial diagnostic test, and begin to create a GMAT preparation timeline.

3 Months Before the Test: Take a Diagnostic GMAT and Review the Basics

Three months of studying before the test, with about ten hours of study time per week (broken up into several weekly sessions) is ideal for most students. It’s neither too short or too long, and gives you plenty of time to set up a regular study routine and hone in on your weaknesses.

You might need more time to study (say, four or five months) if it’s been a long time since you’ve taken a standardized test, if you have limited time to study each week because of work or other commitments, or if you are a non-native English speaker and will need outside tutoring or additional resources to help you in that area.

The first step in your GMAT study timeline is to take a diagnostic, computerized adaptive GMAT to see where you initially stand in terms of your score. I recommend starting with one of the two full-length GMATs offered on the free Official GMATPrep Software. All the practice questions on the software are written by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), the authors of the real GMAT, and the practice tests are in the same format as the actual exam.

You should also review the basics of the GMAT format to give yourself a well-rounded, comprehensive idea of what skills you’ll need to build for the exam and what will be expected of you. Our in-depth guide to each section of the GMAT is a good starting point, as is the GMAT Official Guide 2018. The more information you have about the format and content of the GMAT, the more prepared you’ll be to set up a study plan for yourself and prepare effectively.

After you take your first diagnostic test and learn about the format, assess your weaknesses and consider the best ways to address them. Which sections were hardest for you? Easiest? What about question types? Were you confused by the format or by what the questions were asking you to do? Did you struggle with timing? Take notes on all of the areas you need to improve, and read each of the answer explanations for the questions you missed or had to guess on. Once you know where you’re missing things, you’ll know exactly what you need to work on over the course of your study process.

1 to 3 Months Before the Test: Drill Your Skills, Assess Your Progress, and Adjust If Necessary

Now that you’ve identified your weaknesses, it’s time to drill your skills. Using practice questions from the Official GMATPrep Software or other prep resources, create sets of GMAT practice questions for yourself and complete them several times a week. Of course, you should devote more time to question types that you struggle with than the ones that come more easily to you.

You can also build your practice quizzes around your current scoring level: if you’re already scoring at a 700 level or above, practice with a higher number of hard questions than easy or medium-difficulty ones. You can customize your practice sets by difficulty level using the GMATPrep Software and most other prep resources. Check here for a more comprehensive list of sources of high-quality practice questions.

Beyond completing sets of practice questions, you will also need to spend time each week building your test-taking skills. If you have trouble with timing, for example, set up drills for yourself to work on your pacing. Each sentence correction question in the verbal section should take you about a minute to a minute and a half to complete. Try to complete a practice set of ten sentence correction questions in twenty minutes in one study session; in the next one, try to beat the clock at fifteen minutes, then ten.

Assess your progress as you prep. Take at least two additional full-length practice tests (outside of the first diagnostic test and the last one you take before the test, so four total) during the course of your study sessions. You should take note not only of how your score is improving, but if there are still areas you’re especially weak in.

Based on your assessment of how you’re progressing, don’t be afraid to change your study plan if necessary. If you find you’re not getting enough done in three study sessions a week, consider adding another. If you’re still having trouble with, say, quant questions, consider adding more sets of quant practice questions each week, getting a tutor, or reviewing your fundamental math skills in more detail. While you don’t want to radically deviate from your initial study plan, be as flexible as you can to accommodate your own progress and needs.

2 Weeks Before the Test: Take a Final Diagnostic Test

One to two weeks before your exam date, take a final official (GMAC-authored) diagnostic test. Try to mimic the test conditions as much as possible so you’re fully prepared: Take the optional eight-minute breaks, don’t use a calculator on the quant section, and use a thin marker rather than a pencil or pen to take notes as you read.

The results of this diagnostic test should give you a good idea of where you stand in terms of your likely score going into the actual GMAT. If it’s much lower than you want, it’s up to you whether to reschedule your exam date or go for it and retake the exam later. While every situation is different, if you feel you’ve prepared sufficiently, you should generally take the GMAT if you’ve already scheduled it. You can always use it as a learning experience and work on your mistakes before your next attempt.

Exam Day: Take the GMAT

Now you’re here: the fateful test day! To make sure it all goes smoothly, stay organized. Get all of your required identifying documents and personal items together the night before your test date, and plan your route to the testing location so you’re not scrambling the day of the exam.

The night before the GMAT, don’t study at all. Give yourself the night off to give your brain a much-needed rest. At the exam itself, make sure to take your two optional eight-minute breaks: they’ll definitely come in handy during the nearly four-hour testing process.

You’ll get your unofficial scores for all GMAT sections except the essay immediately following the test, and your official scores will be sent out to your chosen schools approximately 20 days after the exam.

After the GMAT

If you get your scores back and aren’t satisfied, remember that it’s perfectly fine to take the exam again. However, make sure that 1) you leave yourself plenty of time to study again before taking it, as if you don’t you’re likely to simply repeat the same mistakes and 2) you leave enough time between your second exam date and application deadlines at your prospective schools to get your new scores in on time.

Some business schools have several application deadlines per year or rolling admissions policies, so there will be plenty of chances for you to apply again without waiting another full year.

Reasons to Shift Your GMAT Prep Timeline

Generally speaking, you shouldn’t alter your study plan too much if you can help it. It can throw you off and cause the process to get chaotic and disorganized. However, there are a few significant reasons why you might need or want to shift your exam date or your GMAT prep timeline. Let’s go through four reasons why you might need to adjust your schedule.

#1: Applying Sooner to MBA Programs

If you decide to move up your application date for any reason—for example, if you decide to apply to a program with an earlier application deadline than the others you chose—you might need to reschedule your exam for an earlier test date. You can do this using your account at mba.com (here’s an in-depth guide to rescheduling the GMAT).

If you reschedule, at minimum, make sure you have at least two months to study before the exam. If you have two months instead of three to prep, up your game by increasing the number of study sessions you have per week. Also, make sure to take at least two full-length practice tests over the course of your prep to assess your progress. Our article on studying for the GMAT last-minute will also give you some helpful tips.

#2: Needing More Study Time

If you discover that you aren’t progressing as much as you’d like, you might want to extend your GMAT preparation timeline. For example, if you’re taking practice tests and your score isn’t improving much, if one section is significantly weaker than the others, or if you’re still having a lot of trouble with timing, you might benefit from more time to work on those areas.

You can work more study time into your GMAT prep plan by increasing the number of hours and/or the number of times you study each week. You can always, obviously, also reschedule the exam for a later date if you feel you need significantly more time to prepare.

#3: Illness or Emergency

You should also consider rescheduling your GMAT date if you’re sick or have a personal emergency, either during a significant portion of your prep time (say, if you miss a month or more of studying) or around the time of the exam itself. You’ll do yourself a disservice if you’re at anything but your absolute mental best on the day of your exam. You can reschedule your exam up to seven days before the exam date for a $50 fee, and from seven days to 24 hours before your test date for $250.

#4: Taking the Exam More Than Once

You might start out your study process already planning to take the GMAT more than once, perhaps in order to give yourself a safety net, to give yourself more shots at a good score before your application deadlines, or to feel less anxious about each one. If that’s the case, you might want to plan ahead to take the second exam sooner than you otherwise would (i.e., without giving yourself a full three additional months of study time before your second exam date).

Keep in mind that you can take the GMAT once every 16 calendar days, no more than five times in a 12-month period, and no more than eight times total, so plan for these restrictions. However, you can register for more than one exam date at a time, so you don’t have to wait until you’ve taken the test once to sign up for a retake.

What’s Next?

Once you’ve created your GMAT preparation timeline, it’s time to start studying. Get started with four expert tips on the best way to begin your prep for the exam.

To kick off your GMAT prep timeline, here’s our guide to the best GMAT practice questions.

To get more in-depth information about the GMAT format, start with our guide to what to expect on the test.

The post GMAT Prep Timeline: From Registration to Exam Day appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

So you’ve taken the GMAT! You spent hours and hours studying, you woke up at the crack of dawn on test day and got to the test center early, you remembered all of your formulas, and you mastered the obscure grammar rules. But you still didn’t get the score you hoped for. Should you retake the exam?

Many students think about retaking the GMAT exam, but have questions about the process: Can you retake the GMAT? Should you retake the GMAT? What do schools think about students who have retaken the GMAT?

In this guide, I’ll explain the GMAT retake policy and discuss whether or not it’s a good idea to take the exam more than once. By the end, you’ll have a clear idea of whether or not retaking the GMAT is the best choice for you.

Can You Retake the GMAT?

Yes! It’s absolutely possible to retake the GMAT, but there are restrictions on when and how often you can take the test.

You can only take the GMAT once every 16 calendar days. This time restriction means that you need to wait a little over two weeks in between each time you take the test.

You can take the GMAT no more than five times in a twelve-month period (i.e., one year).

You cannot take the GMAT more than eight times in your entire lifetime. 

Make sure you consider this GMAT retake policy when you’re deciding if and when to retake the exam. In the next section, I’ll talk more about how you can decide whether or not retaking the GMAT is the right choice for you.

Should You Retake the GMAT?

Well, it depends. If you got a score you’re happy with, then no, you don’t need to retake the GMAT. If you’re not happy with your score, on the other hand, you may want to take the exam again.

A good rule of thumb is that you should consider retaking the GMAT if your score is below the average scores of admitted applicants at your target schools.

Follow these steps to determine if your score is low enough to merit retaking the GMAT:

• First, put together a list of all the business school programs that you plan to apply to.

• Next, research the average GMAT scores of these schools. You can find this information in a number of places. Most schools share this information on the program’s admissions page. You can also try calling the admissions department if you can’t find the info there. Third party sources, like US News, also list the average GMAT scores of many schools.

• Add the average GMAT scores for each school to your list of business school programs. Find the highest average GMAT score of all the programs.

• You’ll want your score to at least as high as the highest average GMAT score of your target programs. This helps make sure you’ll be above the acceptable score range for all of your programs.

• If your score is lower the highest average GMAT score of your target programs, you’ll want to consider retaking the test.

However, before you commit to retaking the GMAT, there are a number of factors to consider. I’ll be discussing those factors in depth in the next two sections.

Does Retaking the GMAT Look Bad to Schools?

OK, so, you may want a higher score, but retaking the GMAT can make you a weaker candidate in MBA admissions, right?

In short, no, it won’t. Retaking the GMAT doesn’t make you look bad! Many students retake the GMAT, so schools are used to seeing applicants with more than one set of GMAT scores. In fact, taking the GMAT more than once can show a school that you’re committed to improving on your work.

However, make sure you spend time studying the concepts that you struggled with the first time you took the test. Making solid improvement each time you took the exam will help you look better in the committee’s eyes than taking the exam and not improving at all. Making improvements shows that you’re able to assess your strengths and weaknesses and improve your academic performance accordingly.

Consider the fact that the average net gain for test-takers taking the GMAT a second time is 31 points, according to GMAC. You’ll want to make sure your score is improving by at least 31 points in order to match the improvement rate of other applicants.

5 Factors to Consider When Retaking the GMAT

As I mentioned before, retaking the GMAT can be a wise decision for many test-takers. Most test-takers improve on their second time taking the test. However, before you go ahead and spend the extra time and money to take the GMAT again, consider these factors.

#1: How Far From Your Goal Score Are You?

The first thing you’ll want to consider when deciding whether or not to retake the GMAT is how far you are from your goal score. If you’re between 10 – 20 points away, retaking the GMAT might not be such a big deal. This range is close enough to put you within range of the average GMAT scores at your target programs.

If you’re between 20-50 points away from your goal score, retaking the GMAT could definitely help improve your score. Make sure you assess your strengths and weaknesses and spend time fixing the areas that gave you trouble the first-time around.

If you’re over 50 points away from your goal score, you might want to consider adjusting your target schools. An improvement of more than 30 points is above the average improvement made by test-takers when they retake the GMAT, so you’ll need to put in some serious study time to make those kinds of gains.

#2: How Much Time Do You Have Before Application Deadlines?

You’ll want to make sure that any new GMAT scores can be submitted prior to the application deadlines at your target schools. On average, GMAT scores take around 20 days to arrive at schools (if you select the program recipients before you take the test), so make sure you have enough time to get your scores in before the deadlines pass.

#3: How Much Time Have You Spent Preparing?

If you’ve already spent over 100 hours preparing for the GMAT, you won’t see as many gains as if you’ve only spent 50 hours preparing for the GMAT. You get the greatest score benefits from your first hours of studying, so preparing for more than 100-120 hours probably won’t make a substantial improvement to your score.

#4: What Can You Improve or Change About Your Test Day Experience?

Think about your test day experience. What can you do differently? Maybe you were thrown off by the fact that you can’t use a calculator on the quant section, so you can spend time preparing without a calculator. Maybe you were running late on test day and can practice the route to your test center ahead of time so you’re not stressed the second time around.

#5: Will Taking the GMAT Again Be a Financial Hardship?

The GMAT is an expensive test. It costs $250 every time you take the GMAT. Even if you got a fee waiver the first time you took the GMAT, you’ll more than likely have to pay out of pocket for your second round of testing.

Consider how much money you are willing to spend to improve your score and whether the cost will actually be worth it.

What’s Next?

Decided to retake the GMAT? Check out our GMAT study plans to help you build a plan to improve your scores.

Find the right GMAT prep tools for you with our guides to GMAT books, practice tests, apps, and other online prep resources.

Not sure if you can get your score high enough for the programs you’re interested in? Learn about MBA programs that don’t require the GMAT in our guide to 67 MBA programs that don’t require the GMAT.

The post Retaking the GMAT: Should You Do It? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.