How many times should one take the GMAT?

With the GMAT - ideally you want to get it out of the way. It's one of lots of data points. You want to show your best but should not dwell on it for too long. Twice is fine but don't keep taking the test until you score the maximum potential that you think you deserve.

Just aim for your target score for your school / applicant profile pool and move on.

Remember, it's about effectiveness and efficiency.

The first time I took the GMAT I experienced an administrative error and the GMAC let me take the test again free of charge (although they would no cancel my score).

Excluding that experience, I took the test 3 times in one year: 640, 690, 680. Then I took a year long break, studied 40hrs/week for 2 months, took the test again, and scored a 760.

So I took the test 5 times over the course of 2 years. I didn't feel that it was necessary to explain my multiple attempts in my application. I think that if anything, it showed my commitment to my goals.

I noticed that a lot of schools do not ask how many times you took the GMAT, nor do they confirm your scores, until after you're accepted. You just list your highest score in the application, and even if you took the test 20 times, they wouldn't find this out until you were admitted.

If you think you're reaching a plateau, take a lengthy break if you can and come back to it. That's what I did and it worked for me. I really don't think schools care how many times you take the test as long as you are improving your score....think about it, if they admit you, you'll just be boosting their averages.

I agree with the last post. Even the columbia adcom in one of the youtube videos says that it doesn't matter how many times you take it and that only the HIGHEST SCORE is considered with the rest of your application. If Gmat is not a measure of IQ then frankly it doesnt really matter if your earlier averages are lower than your latest score even if it's by luck. My personal opinion. What we do know is that schools are hell bent on seeing a good GMAT score in majority of the cases because thats what move rankings.

It would be great if you could improve your score, but your prior 2 retakes didn't yield any real improvements. If you are going to take it again make sure you are doing significantly better on your practice tests first to make sure that you don't just waste the $250.

All these arguments are invalid to admission counselors. Its Ultimatly, the schools choice to accept the gmat as a predictor, and its your job as the applicant to submit your best application, better said, best overall application, work experience, number of years in a leadership role, how many people have you managed and did you do good job at it? At the end of the day, mba programs are looking for leaders, not just great standarized test takers. great that you can get a 760 on the gmat but can you lead others or help others in obtaining that same score, are you the type that will help someone get there or watch someone fail in life, are you the type that watches someone fall, and you don't have the decency to give them a hand? You know who you are! You will make an excellent spreadsheet monkey!

Schools ask for LOR for this reasons, they are sick of scumbag blood sucking leaches that drain the life of people, stay away from high MBA programs, I don't want to see you, or be near you! Unless you give a crap about leading, innovating, and creating change, and helping your classmates, you have no reason in an MBA program, go to a small **** state school, that school is for you.

This is why B schools evaluate an overall application, and completly throws away the argument that if you get a high gmat score your mostlikely to enter the program. Who cares if you get a high GMAT score? Seriously, it does not, not by a long shot. If your a scumbag in life, you'll most likely sound like on on paper. MBA Programs are looking for people who are sincere, authentic and honest, and give a ****, and own up to who they are as individuals, and you can apply putting a great essay, under 1,000 words, as to why they should choose you, if you got a 530? So be it, apply. Don't be discouraged. Be more than encouraged to submit a better essay, and better recommendations.

I know a HBS alum that just graduated this last may, he told me he took the exam like 4 times, that automactically debunks the myth of retaking it over and over will hurt you overall, especially coming from a guy that worked directly as a admission counselor his second year of his MBA program.

Business schools want leaders, not followers, people who can make a difference. I bet someone who gets a 580 can get into HBS or Stanford, or Columbia, with great leadership potential awesome essays and 2 great letters of recom, it might not be the best of applications, but it's still worth it to apply because if these people are human, they will see through a simple score that is used to predict a likelihood of success of passing all his/her classes.

If your scoring low, don't be discouraged on the exam, try, and try again, if you choose to stop at your higher shift your focus on essays, and letters of recom. If you can retake the gmat and do better power to you, and you should if you want to, but you should move forward to apply, don't let the psychology of an exam bother your dreams, challenges will always make you stumble in life, it's up to you to overcome those challenges, especially if you don't, you'll never know their reponse, and you'll be left with a lingering could of, should of, would of.
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Hi Guys,
while i have red discussions on this topic, I think the reality is that one should re-take GMAT, only if one is super convinced of an improvement in 40+ range score.
I for one, took it today the second time and greatly disappointed by my performance. My first core of 680 (Q47,v35) went down to 670 (Q49,V31). This is when in last 3 mocks in the last 3 weeks (including one on GMAT prep) , i have been scoring 720+. I was confident of a Q50 which i didnt get, but never thought of a verbal score of less than what i made in first GMAT. It's a little disturbing to go through such shocks. Do you suggest i should take another GMAT in a month?

Does B school actually count cancelled test? I had to attend to a family emergency during the week and I cancelled the test before i get the chance to reschedule it.