We have two important updates from the GMAC to share. First, the GMAC announced today that effective this Friday (June 27), all GMAT test takers can preview their four unofficial scores (Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, Verbal, and Overall) before they decide whether to report or cancel the scores. The AWA score is not included, since that score is not immediately available due to the human scoring element. Ashok Sarathy, GMAC VP of Produce Management, said, “We are pleased to offer this feature as part of our efforts to make preparing for and taking the GMAT exam easier. The new score reporting feature gives test takers more certainty and control in the testing process and in how their scores are reported to schools.”
How Score Preview Works
Test takers currently must decide to report or cancel their scores without any indication of how they actually performed on the GMAT. If a test taker currently cancels her scores, she will never know what the scores actually were. This change should prove to be a big anxiety relief for test takers. This should also reduce stress levels for test takers during the exam. GMAT examinees will now confidently be able to decide whether to keep or cancel scores, depending on how the scores match up to their goals and expectations. Examinees will no longer need to guess how they performed and then second-guess their decision if they cancel or if they report and receive a lower-than-expected score.
The process works as follows. Immediately after finishing the GMAT, test takers will be shown their four scores. A test taker has two minutes to decide whether to report or cancel. If a test taker does not make a choice, her scores will be automatically canceled. A test taker whose scores are cancelled (either by choice or automatically) will have to option to reinstate the scores within 60 days of the test date for a $100 fee. Since two minutes is not much time, the GMAC wisely recommends that you decide in advance what are the minimum scores you would want in order to report the scores. You can read more about the announcement here.
New Official Guides
The second update is that new versions of all three Official Guides for GMAT Review will release on July 8. If you are just starting your preparations and your test date is far enough out, we suggest that you wait for the new Official Guides. The latest versions will include online access to the questions, and you can create custom practice tests. You can buy the three books as a bundle or individually: Official Guide, Quantitative Guide, and Verbal Guide. We will provide our analysis of the books once we receive and go through our copies.