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May 1912:00 PM PDT
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Scoring 329 on the GRE is not always about using more books, more courses, or a longer study plan. In this episode of GRE Success Talks, Ashutosh shares his GRE preparation strategy, study plan, and test-day experience, explaining how he kept his prep....
May 2008:00 AM PDT
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What’s in it for you- Live Profile Evaluation Chat Session with Jenifer Turtschanow, CEO, ARINGO. Come with your details prepared and ARINGO will share insights! Pre-MBA Role/Industry, YOE, Exam Score, C/GPA, ECs Post-MBA Role/ Industry & School List.
May 1501:00 PM IST
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Start your journey with a fully customized action plan and work with a dedicated mentor to achieve a 735+ score.- Jun 10
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03 Aug 2021, 12:27
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Should I Retake the GMAT?
All test-takers hope the GMAT exam will be a “one-shot deal,” but the fact is, many test-takers end up retaking the GMAT. If you’ve spent any time on GMAT forums or the MBA subreddit, you’ve probably seen countless posts by test-takers soliciting advice on whether to retake the test.If you’re wondering whether retaking the GMAT is the right move for you, how long to wait to retake the test, or whether to focus on your applications instead of trying to improve your score, keep reading! In this article, I’ll answer the most common questions about retaking GMAT exams and give you key guidelines for crafting a GMAT retake strategy that you can use regardless of your score goal or your target schools.
Before we dive into strategy, we need to review the GMAT retake policy. Let’s take a look.
GMAT Retake Policy: How Soon Can I Retake the GMAT?
Test-takers can sit for the GMAT exam once every 16 days, but no more than 5 times in a continuous 12-month period and no more than 8 times in total. Note that GMAT Online retakes are permitted only once, and that online retake follows the same scheduling guidelines as the in-person GMAT. So, if for example you sit for the online exam on June 1, you won’t be able to complete a GMAT Online retake until June 17. If you need another GMAT retake after that, you will have to sit for the in-person exam. And of course, all 3 of those exams will count toward your 12-month and lifetime GMAT limits.
Now, if you’ve taken the in-person GMAT but want to switch to the online GMAT for your second attempt (or vice versa), you DO NOT need to wait 16 days between exams. You can switch from the in-person to online GMAT (or vice versa) with no waiting period between exams.
Basically, you can sit for either the in-person or online GMAT in any order you like, and switch back and forth between the two, but the maximum number of times you’re allowed to take the GMAT Online over the course of your lifetime is 2. And, unless you’re switching test formats, you have to wait 16 days between exams.
Check out this article for more details on the GMAT retake policy. For now, let’s look at some common situations in which a GMAT retake is a good idea.
Common Reasons to Retake the GMAT
If you’ve been asking yourself, “Should I retake the GMAT?”, generally speaking, the answer tends to be YES. Now, there are of course some caveats, which I’ll discuss later, but more often than not, retaking the GMAT to earn a higher score is a wise strategy. In other words, if you think that you need a GMAT retake, you probably do.Let’s look at some common scenarios in which it’s a good idea to retake the GMAT as soon as you can.
More often than not, retaking the GMAT to earn a higher score is a wise strategy.
Anxiety Got the Best of You on Test Day
Sometimes being well-prepared for the GMAT isn’t enough to quell your nerves on test day, and they get the best of you. Your heart feels like it’s racing, you’re sweating, your mouth is dry, and worst of all, you can’t think straight. Test anxiety is extremely common, and it can wreak havoc on your GMAT score.If you think that nerves, or stress, or the pressure of the exam held you back from earning your highest score possible, the best thing you can do is get right back on the horse. Of course, you don’t want to run into the same issues on your second attempt at the exam. So, before you sit for your retake, it’s important that you practice some techniques for calming your nerves and refocusing yourself on test day and during your exam.
There are plenty of simple yet very effective strategies, from breathing deeply to reciting a mantra, that can help you combat nerves on test day. And if you’re prone to test anxiety in general, you may want to incorporate some stress-reduction strategies such as visualization into your daily life in the 16 days leading up to your retake.
If test anxiety took a toll on your GMAT performance, check out this article with 16 expert strategies for eliminating test anxiety. Then walk into your GMAT retake ready to kick some butt!
The Test Center Threw Off Your Game
While you should always do your best to approximate test-day conditions when taking practice GMATs, there is only so much control you have over how the test center environment is going to affect your GMAT performance. Maybe the temperature in the exam room was at arctic levels, or the person at the desk next to yours kept clearing his throat or tapping his fingers on his desk. Maybe a fire alarm went off in the middle of your exam, or there was a glitch with your computer that required the assistance of the proctor, or your markers kept running out of ink.Any number of distractions and calamities at the test center could throw off your GMAT game, but that is no reason to give up! The best thing you can do is tell yourself that lightning will not strike twice, and schedule your GMAT retake for as soon as possible.
You may also want to seriously consider taking the online GMAT in the comfort of your home (provided you have the necessary space and equipment). Particularly if you feel as though the test center environment is somewhat distracting to you in general, the GMAT Online can be a great option.
To read the complete article, view my full article on Target Test Prep’s blog.
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