Tag: retaking GMAT

Mar 16 2016

GMAT Score Cancellation and Reinstatement Periods

GMAT Score Cancellation and ReinstatementThe Graduate Management Admission Council recently announced longer GMAT score cancellation and score reinstatement time periods. These changes are beneficial to GMAT test takers, and expand upon the enhanced score cancellation features that the GMAC introduced in July 2015.

GMAT Score Cancellation Options

You can continue to cancel your scores immediately upon completion of the GMAT. After you see your scores, you have two minutes in which to either cancel or report your test scores. This option remains free, and removes any indication of a test attempt from your score reports.

A new option allows you to cancel your GMAT scores within 72 hours of your test administration, for a $25 fee. You take advantage of this option online, by logging in to your MBA.com account. As with the immediate cancellation option, your score reports will have no record of the GMAT administration.

Enhanced Score Reinstatement Period

You previously had 60 days to reinstate cancelled scores, for a $100 fee. You can now reinstate cancelled scores up to 4 years 11 months after your exam date. Furthermore, the GMAC has lowered the score reinstatement fee to $50 and will now automatically send score reports to the schools that you selected during your exam. You also take advantage of this option online at your MBA.com account.

GMAT Genius’ Interpretation

As the GMAT faces greater competition from the GRE, the GMAC has been striving to introduce greater flexibility and control to GMAT takers. Rather than deciding immediately, you can now more carefully consider over the subsequent three days whether to cancel your GMAT scores. You can also seek the advice of others, such as your GMAT tutor, before deciding whether to cancel. The longer timeframe should reduce the pressure you face over this decision after completing a grueling exam.

The enhanced score reinstatement period also provides greater flexibility, now at a much more reasonable cost. You can cancel your GMAT scores knowing that you are able to reinstate the scores at any time during their 5-year validity. As a result, we expect that many more MBA aspirants will cancel their scores when they don’t meet their score objectives, and then ultimately reinstate their highest scores after further GMAT attempts. You can read more about the changes on mba.com.

Jun 25 2015

GMAT Policy Changes – Cancelled Scores

Cancelled ScoresThe Graduate Management Admission Council announced two significant changes to GMAT policies. Both of these changes, which take effect July 19, are beneficial to GMAT test takers.

Attempts with Cancelled Scores Not Shown

After completing the GMAT, a test taker is shown her scores and has two minutes in which to decide whether to keep or cancel those scores. If she chooses to cancel the scores, her score report currently indicates a cancelled GMAT attempt with a “C” notation. Effective July 19, score reports will no longer show test attempts in which users cancelled their scores. The GMAC will retroactively apply this change to all previously cancelled scores. This policy change does not affect score cancellations generated by the GMAC, such as those due to technical issues or policy violations.

Reduced GMAT Waiting Period

Currently you can take the GMAT a subsequent time only after a 31-day gap. This waiting period will be reduced to 16 days effective July 19. As before, you are limited to a maximum of five GMAT attempts in any 12-month period. Frankly, we cannot imagine why anyone would want to take the GMAT more often than that.

Why Were These Changes Made?

The GMAC said that it received feedback from test takers that business schools may negatively perceive cancelled scores, and that test takers therefore wanted this change. Since candidates may cancel their GMAT scores for a variety of reasons, removal of score cancellations will prevent schools from misinterpreting score cancellations. Although most business schools would probably overlook one cancelled score, several cancelled attempts may raise questions for an admissions officer.

These changes are also in the GMAC’s interest. Without any indication of score cancellation, test takers will be more willing to take the test more often, generating more fees for the GMAC. Perhaps not so coincidentally, the GMAC will now also allow test takers to retake the GMAT sooner.

GMAT Genius’ Interpretation

Both of these changes are beneficial to GMAT takers. You can now retake the GMAT with significantly less risk. For example, consider a test taker who scored 680 on the GMAT the first time and wants to try for a 700+ score. She can now retake the GMAT knowing that she can cancel any score that doesn’t exceed her prior 680, and business schools will be none the wiser. She may now even be motivated to try a few times for a 700+ score.

As another example, consider a test taker who falls sick just before his exam. A test taker who reschedules his exam within seven days of the scheduled date loses the entire test fee. Previously, someone who fell sick would either waste the $250 fee by rescheduling or risk the dreaded “C” on his score report. Our test taker can now take the test while sick as a practice run, knowing that he can cancel his score without the cancellation showing on his report. Furthermore, he can retake the GMAT sooner, while he has greater retention from his studies in advance of the first test date.

We recommend that GMAT aspirants retake the GMAT only if they have good reason to believe that they can score higher. The GMAC has just reduced your risk in doing so. You can read more about the changes on mba.com.