When should I retake the GMAT.

Question

Hi all,

I am new to this forum so not sure how everything exactly works but I have a question concerning when I should book my Gmat(retake).

Situation: I took my first GMAT on the 1st of march where I got a 680(Q49,V34) I prepared for slightly over a month with an intensive study schedule. I made two official practice tests scoring 690(Q45, V40) and 730(Q49,V41), so I was quite disappointed with my score, or more specifically my verbal score. Now 1.5 months later without looking at any GMAT material whatsoever, I decided a week ago to do a practice test today. I did not prepare or anything and I scored 710(Q47,V40). The minimum score I want to achieve is 700 but ideally 730/740(realistic target) for higher chance of admit and perhaps scholarship.

Question: Do you guys have advice on when I should plan to retake the GMAT, there is an option in 1.5 weeks(26th of april) and since I already am above my minimum score it is possible to take it, or should I wait a bit longer and prepare more to ensure I get my goal score, possibly trying in May or June then.
I don't have that much time to prepare but an hour or two a day should be possible. In the summer I might have slightly more time but not sure yet. And I need my scores before november/december as the first round of my business school(Bocconi/Luiss Guido Carli) application will start then.

I hope anyone can help me with spending my 250 dollar wisely.

Kind regards

pushpitkc · Answer

Hi  alantjee

Welcome to GMATClub.

My advice to you would be to take the other 4 tests(from GMAC) and work on your weaknesses
for the next month atleast. This will give you sufficient time to boost your Verbal score as you 
will know exactly what topics you are weak in and work on it. Additionally, you could work on
the GMATClub tests to try and improve your Quant score. These tests have what you need in
order to increase your Quant score from 49 to 50-51.

So, in essence, I wouldn't recommend you to take the test date on 26th April.

Hope this helps.

P.S I have moved your thread to the relavant forum

u1983 · Answer

I second  pushpitkc . Generally, I would have 1 month of time and take the GMAT remaining practice tests ( 1 in 5 days) ... and last 10 days would be for revising & relaxing. Although if I am super confident taking the test in 1.5 weeks is tempting. But, I would stick to plan 1. All the best !!

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi alantjee,

Many Test Takers spend 3 months (or more) of consistent study time before they hit their 'peak' scores, so you might naturally improve over time as you continue to study and hone your skills. That having been said, GMAC has publicly stated that the Official Score that you earn on Test Day is within +/- 30 points of actual ability. Assuming a similar 'swing' in how your CATs function, your various CAT score results - along with your Official Score - show that you essentially performed the same each time (about 700 +/- a few points). You handle certain aspects of the GMAT consistently well, but you also make certain consistent mistakes. To consistently score 730+, you'll need to train to 'respond' to the GMAT in new ways - and that training will likely take more than just a couple of weeks. This is meant to say that rushing in to retake the GMAT is probably not a good idea at this point - and planning for at least another month of study would be a good idea.

You might also choose to purchase the Enhanced Score Report for your first Official Test. While the ESR doesn’t provide a lot of information, there are usually a few data points that we can use to define what went wrong on Test Day (and what you should work on to score higher). If you purchase the ESR, then I'll be happy to analyze it for you.

Before I can offer you the specific advice that you’re looking for, it would help if you could provide a bit more information on how you've been studying and your goals:

1) What type of study routine were you following? How many hours did you typically study each week?
2) What study materials have you used so far?
3) What "brand" of CAT was your 3rd CAT? Did you retake one of the earlier 2 CATs you had taken?

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

AjiteshArun · Answer

I think it's safer to prepare for a little longer than just 1.5 weeks. Do you want to study a bit and take a few more practice tests before taking a decision?

alantjee · Answer

Thanks everyone for your responses.

Right now I am inclined to take it on the 24th of may, since I also have an important exam in the end of june which I would like to prepare for. I guess like you guys said it would be a waste to not prepare more to have a higher chance of getting my desired score.

and  EMPOWERgmatRichC  Thanks for your offer, I would love some help because I am quite disorganized when it comes to preparing for tests like this. I already bough the ESR and I scored weakly on CR and RC compared to how I normally do, as normally sentence correction is my weak spot. Maybe we could get in touch somehow so I can give a more detailed answer.

EducationAisle · Answer

Hi  alantjee , not sure if you realize that your  Quant  scores (along with the fluctuation) are actually  more  of a concern than Verbal.

In Verbal, 41 is the 93rd Percentile. So that's actually quite an exceptional score already. On the other hand, Q49 is the 74th percentile.

alantjee · Answer

EducationAisle

I think the way I wrote it down is not very clear. I was disappointed with my verbal score in the actual exam(34). I know my quant score is not the highest but I did not underperform on quant on testday. However my verbal score was significantly lower than In all my other tests.

EMPOWERgmatRichC · Answer

Hi alantjee,

You can feel free to email or PM your ESR to me directly (although you need to have at least 5 posts in the GMATClub forums before you are allowed to include attachments to your PMs or posts). We can also privately discuss your studies, if that's what you would prefer to do.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

ScottTargetTestPrep · Answer

Hi alantjee,

I agree that you should give yourself more than just 1.5 weeks before taking your GMAT. Sure, you scored 710 on your most recent practice exam; however, by giving yourself more time, you can ensure that you’ve filled in your knowledge gaps and improved your weaknesses prior to taking your GMAT.

If you need any advice regarding your study plan, feel free to reach out, and I’d be happy to help. You also may find it helpful to read this article:  How to Score a 700+ on the GMAT — A Mini Guide for Success .

Good luck!

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