What's the use of sending GMAT scores directly to 5 schools?

Question

GMAC gives the (free) option of sending one's GMAT scores directly to 5 schools of one's choice. What's the benefit of doing this, if any, when one is nevertheless gonna fill full-fledged application forms for the same 5 schools (and thus include one's official GMAT scores)?

BM · Answer

The number that you enter is not official and will not be recognized as such by the schools. Ultimately, schools will only rely on the official score report, which is sent by GMAC.

mohater · Answer

As bmillan01 stated, schools only accept officially reported scores. If you do not send via the GMAC during your sitting, you must pay $28/per school. $28 @ five schools, you're already over half the cost of another exam sitting.

Hussain15 · Answer

@Mohater: How do school trace a candidate's gmat score with his/her application?? I mean do a candidate submit the unique GMAT ID with application?? & then schools trace that ID from sent reports from GMAT??

rishabhsingla · Answer

Thanks for the info.

But yeah, I too am concerned about the same thing. GMAC would email me my official score report 20 days after my GMAT, and shouldn't I just attach a printed version of this "official" score report with all the applications?

Also, do you really mean that whoever applies to business schools (using GMAT), *each and every one* gets one's GMAT score sent via GMAC?
(because schools don't accept "unofficial" report... but GMAC does send every candidate his "official" score report 20 days later...)

BM · Answer

Yes, each target school will receive an official score report from GMAC. You can inform the schools of your score before the official score report reaches them, and they will temporarily recognize that information during this time. But the schools require the official score from GMAC. There's no way around it.

bb · Answer

They will use your name, country, and the schools that do ask for it, may also use date of birth.
Schools assemble application packages and track if it is complete/incomplete since they need to get essays, recommendations, resume, gmat score, toefl score, transcripts - a few things go into it... everyone gets a file. It used to be a paper file; it is more organized now that everything or almost everything is electronic.

gurpreetsingh · Answer

28$/ school is too high. If I m sending my score to ABC school, then obviously I will be paying the application fee to the school. Why 28$/ school is applied by Gmac? Just to raise funds or to discourage the mass send of score reports?

mohater · Answer

The applications, along with the GMAC, use a number of unique identifiers to verify identity and connect scores.

Name, date of birth, address, soc # (for US citizens/work visas/perm residents), date of exam sitting, etc.

You do not submit anything other than your unofficial score in your application. The GMAC submits a file to the school with the scores released to the school.

Note: I have had to call the GMAC/the school (different schools) to ensure my score was submitted. Each time, the GMAC had submitted my score, the dots were not connected for some reason from the GMAC submission file to my application.

Edit: Looks like bb already got to this one...

frank1 · Answer

yup and that 20 days just for sending it is completely illogical in this modern age of IT and promt service.I think DHL now a days can send document to any part of world with in 2-3 days....
so 20 days is totally illogical when you consider it may hamper someone's application process...
is $250 just for setting hard questions ?

rishabhsingla · Answer

So you're saying that one doesn't need to send one's "official" score via GMAC? It's okay to attach a print of one's official score report with the applications?

mohater · Answer

No, your score MUST be submitted by the GMAC.

Contact your the admission committee at your schools of choice for more info.

lalithajob · Answer

I have another question on this topic. What is if, I am still undecided between EMBA and Part-time program in the same school. Do I need to send it to both of these programs or just one? Later on, depending on which program I can apply, school will be able to take the scores?

Please let me know.

Please let me know.

mohater · Answer

Again, we're not admission committees here.

You need to contact the school you are applying to. The reps at the schools will let you know where you need to submit. You may also check if there are multiple listings for GMAT score submission for one school, but to the different programs offered (through the GMAC and mba.com)

bb · Answer

You want to send them to 2 different programs, so yes, send them twice just in case. Programs are usually listed separately and may have a different admissions committee/administrator/etc.

frank1 · Answer

sorry for some what diverting from main tropic...

any way what i mean is
it takes around 20 days to send official score to you after you take the test and i think those 20 days(so long) is illogical in the rapid world of IT....

mohater · Answer

This is the max. Every process has its maximum turn around. For the GMAC, it is 20 days.

Most people have reported scores are released within two weeks.

admad10 · Answer

well.. i hav a problem at hand....
there are 2 schools for whom i am going to apply on their 2nd deadline...

and the best part is my gmat is scheduled on the day of deadline... so can i ask gmac to send scores to those 2 schools as a part of 5 free schools at the time of exam, meanwhile i complete rest of the application from my side...

will my score reach those schools thru gmac on that same day????

plzz help...

bb · Answer

So, planning is not your strongest skill, huh? :lol:

It is usually acceptable to submit your self-reported score to the school and they they will verify later but that may or not always work. Check with school.

frank1 · Answer

even 2 weeks is quite a long period when you consider they show the score with in some minutes
and we should not forget if we really want even paper result can reach(or can be sent) to most of the part of the world in 2-5 days with modern courier and other services....so...

	Magoosh increases your score, guaranteed - 15% off ALL Magoosh GMAT plans with code GMATCLUB15 + Free GMAT Club Tests.
	Manhattan Prep: $79 Bonus Score Higher on Your GMAT Exam. Guaranteed.
	Target Test Prep - Save up to $325 $200 Discount + $79 Bonus GMAT Club Tests
	e-GMAT: 60% Off on GMAT Focus Get to 735+ from any starting point
	Experts' Global - ~~$1720~~ $960 End-to-End GMAT Prep + App Support: 150+ Videos, 2000+ Questions, 15 FLTs +
	GMATWhiz - $299 ~~$499~~ Experience the course through a free trial.
	GMAT Club Tests - Free Included with every course purchase of $149+ View all deals

What's the use of sending GMAT scores directly to 5 schools?

Prep Toolkit

Top 5 GMAT Debrief Videos

615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

More than Quant/Verbal Abilities: Speed vs. Accuracy

745 with Only Self-Prep and GMAT Club

From 555 to 765: 210-point Improvement

Perfect 805 Score Debrief by Julia

My Rewards