When Should I Take the GMAT®?

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT®) is one of the entrance exams often required for graduate school studies. For example, those who wish to pursue a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) may need this test as a condition for business school admission. In deciding when to take the GMAT®, preparation time is often a significant factor. Many students will require three to four months to adequately prepare, and this time must often be scheduled in relation to the business school’s application deadlines. Life events and the days on which the GMAT® are available in one’s region may pose additional considerations.

People considering a Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) degree in the United States may be required to complete the GMAT®. This is a standardized exam administered on a computer to accommodate individual capabilities. To illustrate, test takers are presented with a question of medium difficulty at the beginning of each multiple-choice section. The computer scores each answer to identify that question to present next. Correct answers are likely to prompt questions of increased difficulty, whereas incorrect responses generally lead to questions of lesser difficulty.

Business school graduate admissions often consider one’s GMAT® scores as part of his or her complete application. This is because those numbers have been found to forecast one’s ability to complete graduate coursework. Scores may also provide measures of certain skills deemed important in management studies. Determining the right time to take the GMAT® is thus a likely aspect of one’s success with the test.

Students often need to consider the time spent preparing for the GMAT® test before scheduling it. Preparation is likely to take between three and four months. When studying for aptitude tests, applicants are often advised to set aside two months for learning the test format and reacquainting themselves with relevant information. The remaining one or two months can then be devoted to practice tests, which may predict one’s score on the real assessment. Practice tests can often be taken multiple times until applicants feel comfortable in their performances.

Understanding business school admissions processes is another factor in deciding when to take the GMAT®. Most schools incorporate multiple admissions rounds — such as early bird or rounds one and two — that are designated by deadlines. Applications must therefore meet those deadlines for timely consideration, and many college advisors suggest acceptance rates vary significantly between rounds one and two. Students may thus be advised to submit their materials for round one consideration to receive the best possible chance of acceptance.

For many schools, round one deadlines are in the first week of October, with round two deadlines likely in the first week of January. Applicants may begin to study for the GMAT® approximately six months in advance to allow time for potential test retakes and completion of additional application materials. This would mean starting studies in April and June respectively.

One’s timeline for taking the GMAT® should also be made with regard to life events. Undergraduate students who wish to pursue an MBA immediately after graduation may choose to take the GMAT® while still in school. Although this may be difficult to arrange with study schedules, one advantage is posed in discussing results with an advisor. He or she may then be able to recommend business schools based on scores.

Conversely, those applicants who are out of school may be faced with other obligations, such as work and family. It is often important to account for these factors and adjust the test preparation schedule accordingly. For example, a demanding job may force some applicants to allow more time in studying for the GMAT®. Those with more flexible schedules, however, may be able to prepare for the test in less time.

In the United States, U.S. territories, Canada and Puerto Rico, the GMAT® is often available year-round. It may thus be possible to schedule the test within a few days. International test takers, on the other hand, may be in areas where the GMAT® is offered only once or twice annually. Early planning may thus be essential.