When to take the GMAT Exam? : The Quandary

Are you confused with when to take the GMAT Exam?

The GMAT Exam seems like a milestone to several candidates who are preparing for the exam. They feel as if it is the test which will determine the course of their career (and life) post the exam. While this may be true for the candidates who succeed in their attempts and get into their dream colleges, it is certainly no disaster for the candidates who are unable to get the requisite score. This artificially created importance causes the candidates to delay their decision in determining the date on when to take the GMAT Exam. In this article, we'll try to chip in as many guidelines as we can, which would help you answer the question, "when to take the GMAT exam"?

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GMAT or Graduate Management Entrance Test can be your gateway to world-class universities. It is one of the most coveted proficiency exams that candidates go for while applying to international B-Schools. If you aspire to procure a high score, you need to consider when to take the GMAT exam as your entire admission procedure will be solely dependent on this decision. One thing is for sure; you are someone who stays quite occupied with his/her work or studies and still, wishes to eke out his/her internal business acumen by applying to foreign institutes and gaining international business exposure.

Why is it important to know when to take GMAT?

For several of the candidates who are appearing for the GMAT Exam, it represents an opportunity to move on to bigger and better things. It may even represent an escape from a dead end job. These circumstances surrounding the GMAT Exam ensures that the candidate bears the full weight of the opportunity.

The level of importance ensures that every decision regarding the GMAT Exam is second chance and the decision on when to take the GMAT Exam is no exception. This is one of the foremost reason for the confusion regarding when to take the GMAT Exam.

Another factor is the flexibility given by GMAC about giving the GMAT Exam whenever the candidate wishes to throughout the year. This flexibility gives rise to a lot of second guessing by the candidate about their level of preparation and when would be the ideal time to take the GMAT Exam.

These are the major reasons for the confusion surrounding when to take the GMAT Exam. There is always going to debate on choosing the exam date when it is left to the candidates but to help make this decision, we are listing a number of factors that should be taken into account when making the decision.

When is GMAT usually conducted?

There is no fixed calendar for a candidate to take the GMAT exams, unlike standardized tests like GRE or SAT. If you live in a metropolitan city, you can usually find GMAT given on almost every day of the week. In all, GMAT is conducted on a free note on most days of the year, keeping in mind the ease of accessibility of an MBA aspirant and the long-winded registration procedure of international B-Schools.

Also, since it is conducted in a flexible mode, the candidate has the liberty of scheduling a date and time for the test on his/her own. Every year, round one of admissions is conducted somewhere between September/October. After that, round two is held somewhere during the early January. Round 3 is due in April. Since September-December is when most of the candidates prefer to go for GMAT, you should also plan to take it somewhere around the same set of months.

GMAT Registration

The registration for GMAT solely depends on the test-taker. Keeping this in mind, you should make it a point to register 90 days before the actual examination to get the date of your choice and not exceed the application deadline of your shortlisted B-Schools. The time window would ensure that you have enough time in hand for the preparation of your examination and submission of your scores to the respective schools. For example, if your first application is due January 1, you'll want to take the GMAT by November 1 to make sure your scores are sent in time to make that deadline.

Factors that determine when to take the GMAT Exam

There are several factors that can determine when to take the GMAT Exam. There are certainly going to be some personal factors that the candidates will take into account when they decide on when to take the GMAT Exam. Some of the more common factors will be discussed in this article so that the candidate can take a more informed decision.

  1. College Application Dates: This factor will be most important for candidates who wish to gain admission into the B-School immediately. While the GMAT Exam is held throughout the year, the colleges continue their own academic calendar. Therefore it is important for candidates to get their scorecards in time for the college applications. For candidates who do not wish to pursue their Post Graduation immediately, the college applications are not very important since the GMAT Score is deemed valid for 5 years post the GMAT Exam.

  2.  Preparation Level: The GMAT Exam is quite expensive for most people due to which the decision on when to take the GMAT Exam becomes extremely important. At this stage, it is important to gauge the level of preparation of the candidate so that they can put their best foot forward when they decide to give the GMAT Exam. The delay between the date of selecting the GMAT Exam Date and the actual GMAT Exam Date has to be kept in mind when the candidate decides on when to take the GMAT Exam.

  3. Retake Possibility: Any Entrance Exam depends not just on the knowledge of the candidate but also their state of mind at that point in time. In order to remove this factor as much as possible, GMAC allows candidates to give the GMAT Exam multiple times, specifically 8 times. When deciding on when to take the GMAT Exam, the candidate has to be mindful of the fact that they may need to give the GMAT Exam again and decide on the final GMAT Exam leaving that buffer in place.

  4. Slot Timing: In any exam, it is important for the candidate to be as comfortable and alert as possible during the exam so that they can exhibit the knowledge that they have garnered during the preparation. There are generally three GMAT Exam slots per center per day. These slots are the morning slot, midday slot and the evening slot. When the candidates are deciding on when to take the GMAT Exam, it is important to find the slot that they are most comfortable so that they can give their best effort in the exam.

  5. GMAT Exam Date Availability: While the GMAT Exam can be taken throughout the year, it has seasons as well when it becomes very difficult to book a slot unless the booking is done months in advance. Therefore while deciding on when to take the GMAT Exam, it is wise to have a look at the availability of slots during those particular dates.

 

When is the best time to go for GMAT?

The question of when to take the GMAT Exam is extremely important because of the cost associated with it. We will try to answer the answer question for candidates under different circumstances:

  • Undergraduates: These are candidates who wish to keep their options open. When you are about to complete your graduation and get started with your employment, you would tend to lose your test-taking intuition. Taking a test is more of a psychological decision. You factor analyze your preparation strategy and work best under pressure while you’re still in college. Due to the long validity of the GMAT Scores (5 Years), it means that the candidates who are appearing for the final undergraduate exam can appear for the GMAT Exam and gain the work experience required post the GMAT Exam.Thw prolonged validity also gives the candidate enough time to populate their intentions regarding their admission process. It leaves the candidates a lot of flexibility since it means that even if the candidate does not score too well in the GMAT Exam, they would at least gain experience of being in the exam. On the other hand, if they do score well, they will be able to work on building their profile accordingly with the security of the good GMAT Score.
  • Working Professionals: For these candidates, the GMAT Exam has more importance, arguably, than the undergraduates. This is mainly because it is their means to give their careers a boost or upscale the current position of an employee, single handedly. deally for these candidates, the GMAT Exam should be given one year prior to the actual application. This would give them enough time to prepare for the processes post the GMAT Exam (Statement of Purpose/ Essay & Interview) while continuing to work. It is the optimum method of reducing the risk that the candidate faces since he/she does not need to quit their job without certainty of gaining admission in the college of their choice.Also, as GMAT is a costly affair, working professionals are certain about this investment and the perks it carries along.

These are a few guidelines to answer the question of "When should you take the GMAT Exam?" that plagues the minds of most of the candidates. It might help you make up your mind on when to take the GMAT Exam.

How do I start studying for GMAT?

Every candidate has a different answer to this question. Some like to jump right into the complex problems while others prefer a slow and steady approach. However, the strategy that is best for any aspirant is to go back to the basics. This might sound elementary and something you might’ve heard several times from people from different walks of life but is true nonetheless. If your basics are not clear then you cannot hope to solve the complex questions that GMAT has to offer. So, the best advice we can give you is that you should have absolute clarity of the most fundamental concepts. Dig up old textbooks or buy them online and start solving the elementary problems. Take it up a notch if you feel that the level of difficulty is too easy for you.

Read More :How to prepare for GMAT?

Integrated Reasoning for GMAT

Integrated Reasoning or IR is a new addition to the GMAT exam. Added in 2012, this section replaced one 30 minute essay section. This section is non-adaptive and contains 12 questions which you need to complete in 30 minutes. The score you’ll get in this section will be calculated separately from your overall GMAT score. IR is slightly different from other reasoning sections. There are four primary question types that you’ll come across in this section. These are - two-part analysis, multi-source reasoning, graphic interpretation and table analysis. Many of the questions are on similar lines of quant and verbal sections. IR shouldn’t be a problem for you if you have thoroughly practiced the other sections.

Conclusion

It is extremely important to remember that while the GMAT Exam might appear to be a mountain standing between you and the promised land, it is truly just the first obstacle to overcome before you can enter the hallowed halls. The GMAT Exam is merely a qualifier that the colleges use to ensure that the candidate has the caliber to keep up with their coursework.

Therefore while careful thought has to be given to the decision of when to take the GMAT Exam, it should not intimidate you into inaction. Being an entrance exam with a vast syllabus, it is practically impossible for the candidate to be completely prepared for the GMAT Exam however this fact should not hold the candidate back from giving the exam itself. Based on the trends of the mock test scores, the candidate should be able to gauge how well-prepared they are. Once the candidate reaches the optimum level of preparation, they should be willing to roll the dice and try their luck in the GMAT Exam.

It is but another obstacle to conquer. So go forth with fire in your heart and calm in your mind.