How and When to Register for the GMAT
Are you getting ready to take the GMAT? Let’s talk about the logistics of registering for and taking the exam!
When Should I Register for the GMAT?
You’re allowed to register for the GMAT up to 6 months in advance—but most people should register anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months in advance. Here are the factors to consider:
Consideration: Do you know your current score and goal score?
- Yes. The ideal is to register after you’ve hit your goal on a practice test. If you don’t want to wait until then, you can also register when you’re within about 50 points of your goal score. Register for about 2 to 4 weeks later, depending on how far you are from your goal.
- No. Please do not register now. This is a very common mistake that people make.
Consideration: Do you have an application deadline?
- Yes. Register more than 16 days before the deadline (I’ll explain why in a bit).
Consideration: Do you want to have a “dry run” exam?
- A dry run is a practice run using the real test. You’ll take it “for real” a second time. Pro: You get to experience the testing center in its full glory. Con: It’ll cost money. If you want to do this, schedule your dry run after your first pass through all of your study materials. If you’re taking a class, schedule this a week or so after the class ends. Note: We recommend a dry run for anyone who knows that they are extra nervous when taking these kinds of exams. (You can cancel your score if you like! More about this later.)
You can reschedule your exam; you will just have to pay a fee for that privilege.
How Do I Register for the GMAT?
If you haven’t already, create an account on the mba.com site. (Even if you’re not planning to register any time soon, go create an account now. You’ll get access to some great free study resources.)
After you log in, you’ll see the option to register for an exam. You can select several centers to compare availability. You can enter a desired date—like making a dinner reservation—or you can ask it to tell you the next available appointments. If a seat is open and you’re free, you could take the exam tomorrow!
Pro tip: The further out you look, the more likely that you’ll see fewer available appointments—often only at 8am. Pearson, the organization that runs the testing centers, administers all kinds of exams, not just the GMAT, and those exams are all different lengths. So if you look 4 months out, they’ll be releasing only 8am slots. Once they see which exams are booked, they’ll release more slots in the later morning and afternoon. (This is another reason why you don’t want to book too far out, unless you’re a morning person. I think my score would drop 50 points if I took the exam at 8am.)
How Much Will the GMAT Cost?
As of February 2020, if you’re in the US or Canada, it’s going to set you back USD275. (This recently increased from $250. It’s the first price increase in something like 15 years, so I guess we’ll forgive them. 🙂 ) In the UK, you’ll pay £225; in the EU, you’ll pay €250. If you reschedule, the fee will depend upon where you are and how far in advance you’re rescheduling.Check the mba.com site for current pricing in your country.
Should I Keep or Cancel My GMAT Scores?
At the end of the exam, you can choose to cancel your scores (after you see them); this won’t cost anything and the schools won’t know that you took the exam and then canceled. After you leave the test center, you have 3 additional days to cancel your scores (this time for a fee). You can also reinstate a canceled score within 4 years and 11 months of your test date (again, for a fee).
Really, most people never need to consider canceling, because the vast majority of schools care only about your highest score (check with your schools to see what they say). But I know that a lot of people feel uncomfortable with the thought of leaving a really low score on record, so I generally recommend keeping your scores if your Total score is within 100 points of your goal score.
Why? First, the depressing reason: You don’t know for sure that you’ll get to your goal and you need some score on record in order to apply. Second, the good reason: In certain circumstances, some interviewers or admissions officers will actually think it’s a good thing that you first got a lower score and then tried again and earned a higher one—that demonstrates perseverance.
If you don’t cancel your exam, you’ll be given a paper printout of your scores (not including the essay score) when you leave. It will be called an Unofficial Score Report but it’s incredibly rare for there to be any difference on your official score report. A few days to a week after, you’ll get an email from GMAC saying that your official scores are ready (including your essay score this time); log into your mba.com account to view them.
A few days after your exam, you’ll also be given the option to buy an Enhanced Score Report (ESR). The ESR provides additional data about your exam that can be quite useful if you are going to take the GMAT again.
What If I Do Want To Take The GMAT Again?
Remember when I said earlier to schedule your exam for more than 16 days before your application deadline? You’re required to wait 16 days between exams. If you get sick in the testing center or have some other emergency, I want you to be able to get in there again before your deadline.
Plus, if you want to take it again, that’s because you want a higher score and, in most cases, that’s going to take more than 16 days to achieve. If you got sick in the testing center or you’re going back in with very little additional prep just to see whether you can eke out another 10-20 points, then 16 days is fine. Other than that, though, please give yourself at least a month before you retake the exam.
If you have any other questions about registering for or taking the exam, our Student Services team is ready to answer. Send us an email at gmat@manhattanprep.com or jump into a chat on our website. And as always, you can also find us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Good luck and happy studying!
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Stacey Koprince is a Manhattan Prep instructor based in Montreal, Canada and Los Angeles, California. Stacey has been teaching the GMAT, GRE, and LSAT for more than 15 years and is one of the most well-known instructors in the industry. Stacey loves to teach and is absolutely fascinated by standardized tests. Check out Stacey’s upcoming GMAT courses here.