GMAT Online - What We Know [Master Topic]

There won't be any scratch pads during the test, instead we would have to work on digital scratchpads provided by GMAC. I haven't really practiced using the digital scratch pad, will the committee be providing any mock tests following the new system.

Scratch pads aren’t allowed and online whiteboards are allowed. Does it make any sense to practice math on a screen with us trying to draw numbers and solve. What will we focus on? Drawing the numbers or answering the question ? Can all of us possibly request the company to think through this decision as for most of us , it’s too late to consider whether GMAT or GRE

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bb Say we are using a Laptop.....Are we allowed to use an external mouse instead of the touch pad.......Guys using a mouse on whiteboard wont be that difficult.....I tried......I would add that I just tried to solve problems on normal image file using edit option....does not create too much of an issue.

The last few posts show that test takers seem to be very concerned about the Online GMAT, but here is the advice I'm giving my students: for most test takers, the risk is limited to $200 (and some time).

1. For test takers concerned about security: The GMAC must assume that the entire question pool will be leaked. I don't know if they'll tell us what they're doing about that, but any reasonably organized group of test takers can obtain the entire pool even with the limit on the number of attempts (only one attempt allowed).

2. For test takers worried about the impact of various policies on their score: The Online GMAT doesn't count towards either the twelve month or the lifetime limits. In other words, taking the Online GMAT doesn't hurt your ability to take the exam at a test center when that option becomes available.

3. For test takers who don't know which programs they want to apply to: The Online GMAT, unlike the normal GMAT, will allow you to select programs after the test for free (after you receive your score) as well. This is something they should have done for the normal GMAT long back.

4. For anyone who already has a score and is concerned about the "advantage" that people taking the Online GMAT will receive: I'm not sure whether this will actually be an advantage, but the main point is that in these times, we have to be willing to support measures to help people who simply must take the GMAT now (whatever their reasons). I'm not an applicant, but I do work with test takers every single day, and I believe it would be better to help genuine applicants than to deny options to everyone because of (1).

In my opinion this is an excellent opportunity for test takers especially for working professionals as you dont have to take leave from work. On the plus side one can easily give the exam from the comfort of their home.]

Thank you for a nice summary and pointing out some missed conclusions and implications. I would really love for GMAC to allow choosing schools after the score is provided. However, I’m not sure that one can do that for free. The policy is not very clear in my reading and it seems, it rather suggests that you can order paid additional score reports.




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bb, you are right about that third point. I think it was just wishful thinking on my part.

EDIT: Additional score reports will be free for the Online GMAT (confirmed in the GMAC webinar).

From what I read and understand, there's no so called "digital scratchpad". No touch screens are allowed either. The only option you have is to revert to keyboard and "writing" (ie drawing) with your mouse.

This is frankly ridiculous. Or GMAC thinks note taking is not required to do well in the GMAT (to those few geniuses out there that think they can do this, please be my guest and go ahead. I'm mortal and need notes) or else they must assume taking notes with a mouse is as smooth as writing. Well, have they tried this? Have they had a sample group of people do 10 exercises taking notes with a mouse vs 10 exercises taking physical notes? Have they compared results?

GMAT is supposed to be a standardized test. Meaning results are supposed to be comparable. For a test to be standardized, the setup needs to be standardized. Note taking is the only tool you have at your disposal in the GMAT. Physically writing and drawing on a whiteboard vs writing with your keyboard and mouse on a screen is a MAJOR difference. Just run your own little test (open Onenote, tap Draw and select a pen) and see how much slower you are. You learned to physically write your whole life. Learning to take digital notes with a keyboard and mouse achieving the same skill/speed would take years of practice.

Alternatively, someone suggested the questions would be different / easier. Again, GMAT is a standardized test. Tweaking the questions would make the results NOT comparable.

If everything ceteris paribus and this digital note-taking is enforced, then this is a change that fails to comply with the standardized nature of the test. I predict scores will be a lot lower in this online delivery vs the same person taking a test in a test center.

Lastly: can anyone explain me the rationale why you would not be able to cancel your online score? There’s absolutely zero rationale behind why this would have to be different from taking a test in a test center. You can not see your score before you decide to accept/cancel and if you accept, it’s in your records for five years. Why??

In General, is there any disadvantage of taking the test when it is not necessary? I would like to do the gmat for a possible future mba application in 2-3 years therefore I wouldn’t select schools to send my score to but just want the result as email within the 7 working days they mentioned. I started to prepare for the gmat one week ago and I am thinking about doing the online gmat exam in the end of may to get a feeling for it. What I would like to say is that maybe it works out and I will be happy af But if it doesn’t and I score low I couldn’t care less and would do it again in July or august in a real test centre. Would there be any disadvantage of this plan? Could the fact that I screwed up the online gmat diminish my chances of getting in the top bs? Thank you for getting this clear to me.

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I'd hold off for now, just so I don't take up any of the capacity that other test takers may need. But apart from that, I don't think there is any disadvantage in taking the Online GMAT.

2-3 years down the line, will B schools look at the gmat online test results as inferior or invalid compared to test center tests?

Apart from only the online whiteboards being allowed in the exam, i have few more concerns
1. Will the applicants get practice tests according to the new format
2. Will we be allowed to use mouse or will we need to use the laptop's trackpad
3. Will we be allowed to use the touch screen of the laptop in case the laptop is touch screen enabled

Exactly, the new online GMAT exam is ridiculous. pls start the petition.

My Note to GMAC:

Dear Sir/Ma'am,

I hope you are doing well and hope you and your family are safe during these tough times. However, I am writing to express my disappointment with this shoehorn of an Online Test that GMAT has introduced.

I was hoping for a much better and creative solution. The biggest challenge that I, and other test-takers, have with this is the lack of 'accessible' note-taking ability. While you have introduced an online whiteboard, it does little for us candidates, who are accustomed to solving on physical scratch paper. It is just a hefty waste of time to try mousing over the screen and solving problems on the board. I do not know if the GMAC cares for their average candidates, ones who are not mental geniuses. I roughly score a Q49-50 and even I have a major problem with this. Maybe to the creators of GMAT Q49-50 seems like a low score but for many of us, it's not. Majority of the reason why we score that are the expedited calculations through scratch paper we get. Without it, I can guarantee you I would not score above a Q46.

Please advice on what the thought process was while designing the scratch paper policy, or the lack of. I look forward to hearing from you.

Would anyone know if I can change my schedules exam (currently at the test centre), to an online exam?

My biggest concern is the one test limit for the at home. Some of us have no idea when test centers will reopen, what if we burn our only shot with a 550 and test centers are closed for the next 3-4 months? In this case, I couldn’t use the GMAT for ‘20 R3 apps, potentially even putting my ‘21 R1 process in jeopardy.

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I think you can cancel the exam that is at the centre, get the full refund and then opt of the online one.