How Late Can I Register For A Gmat Exam?

If you're planning to apply to business school, you lot've probable started to recollect about when to have the GMAT.Should you have the examination as soon equally possible? Or expect until correct earlier your deadlines?

In this guide, I'll help y'all answer the question "when should I have the GMAT?" We'll cover the rules about when you can take the test and go through how to decide the best time for you lot to take the GMAT.

When Tin can You Take the GMAT?

Unlike standardized tests similar the Saturday or ACT, the GMAT is offered on many days throughout the yr. Particularly if you alive in a larger metropolitan surface area, y'all can usually detect the GMAT given on almost every day of the week.

You can register for GMAT appointments anytime between six months and 24 hours before y'all're desired engagement, depending on availability. In practise, yous'll likely need to sign up at least a few weeks in accelerate to secure a spot.

Still, there are a few restrictions on how often you lot can take the exam: you can only take the GMAT once in any 16-day menstruation, v times in a year, and viii times in your lifetime.

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When Should You lot Take the GMAT?

As a general rule of thumb, you should aim to take the GMAT at least ii months before your application deadline, so that you exit enough fourth dimension for your scores to be reported to schools. For instance, if your first application is due January 1, you'll want to take the GMAT past November 1 in order to brand sure your scores are sent in fourth dimension to make that deadline.

Still, deciding exactly when to accept the GMAT is a personal decision for every test taker. In the next section, I'll talk more almost the factors that go into deciding the perfect date and time for your GMAT test.

Deciding When to Take the GMAT: 6 Considerations

However asking yourself "when should I accept the GMAT"? Consider these half-dozen questions to help you lot pick the best time to accept the exam.

#1: When Is Your First Application Deadline?

Think, you'll want to have taken the GMAT at least 2 months before your first application borderline.Having the test completed a few months before your first borderline helps ensure that your scores will be fix to go out to all of your target programs on or before their awarding deadlines.

Yous can find the application deadlines for each of your programs by visiting the schools' websites. Proceed in mind that many MBA programs accept applications in rounds, so if you don't recollect y'all have enough time to prep for and accept the GMAT before the first deadline, consider pushing your awarding to a later circular.

#2: How Many Hours of Prep Exercise You Need?

You lot'll also want to consider how many hours of GMAT prep you need, based on how much you are hoping to amend your score. The more hours of prep you need, the more you'll want to push dorsum your GMAT test date (keeping in mind your application deadlines) so that you have enough time to improve.

For instance, if you lot need to prep for 100 hours, you'll probably want to requite yourself at least 3 months of solid prep time. Condensing many prep hours into a brusque period of time volition go out y'all burnt out and stressed. Spread out your test prep then that you're spending quality time truly learning the material.

As function of this process, consider how many hours per week you tin can truly devote to studying for the GMAT. You lot'll want to recollect about how much test prep you tin can build in between other activities yous're involved in. Brand sure you give yourself plenty weeks of prep time and then that y'all're edifice a solid foundation of skills.

#three: Do Y'all Desire to Build in Time to Retake the Examination?

Many examination-takers end upward retaking the GMAT at least once. Retrieve, though, that you lot tin only take the GMAT once every 16 days. You need to leave at to the lowest degree 4 weeks of extra time in your schedule if y'all retrieve that you'll want to retake the test, which volition requite yous time to report the parts of the exam that you struggled with during your previous examination.

#4: What Dates Are Available to Take the GMAT Most You?

While test-takers in large metropolitan areas probable take a wide range of exam dates available to them, those who live in less urban locales may non have every bit many dates to choose from. Make certain you lot view and register for available dates well alee of your awarding due dates, then that you lot're non stuck traveling a great altitude to take the GMAT at the last minute.

#5: What Times Are Convenient With Your Schedule?

Brand certain that y'all're picking a examination time that is convenient with your schedule. If you lot work everyday until 4 pm, don't schedule a four:xxx pm exam unless you can get off of work early, because you'll probable exist rushing to get from one identify to some other. Pick a time where you have at least five hours to arrive at the testing location early, take the exam, and leave comfortably.

#six: Are You a Morning or Afternoon Person?

When information technology comes to picking a test time, you want to decide when you'll be most focused. If you lot can barely open your eyes by 9 AM, don't option a test time that starts at 7:30 AM. Likewise, if you observe yourself falling comatose at your desk at 2 PM everyday, afternoon testing is probably not for you lot. Ready yourself up for success by taking the test a fourth dimension that works for yous.

iii Mutual Questions About When to Take the GMAT

In this section, I'll discuss some of the about common questions exam-takers have well-nigh when to take the GMAT.

#1: Should You Take the GMAT While Yous're Still an Undergrad?

There are several pros to taking the GMAT when you're still an undergrad. For ane thing, undergrad students often have more than freedom over their schedules if they're not even so working total-fourth dimension. Having more freedom over your schedule volition give you more time to study and more flexibility in picking a test date.

Taking the exam as an undergrad means that you've likely spent fourth dimension recently reviewing the concepts tested on the GMAT, such equally skills you'll need for the quantitative section. Taking the GMAT equally an undergrad means these concepts are fresher in your memory.

However, if you don't plan to apply to business school right away, taking the GMAT may non be necessary and yous can spend your time on applications for jobs or other programs, rather than on studying for the test.

#two: Should You Accept the GMAT If You're Not Certain When You're Applying to Concern School?

GMAT scores are valid for five years, so you practice have a pretty long window of time to use your scores, fifty-fifty if you don't know exactly when you're applying to business school.

If y'all detect yourself with a solid corporeality of fourth dimension to written report (generally two-3 months) leading upwards to the exam, taking the GMAT earlier yous actually apply to business concern school can be a good way to ensure that y'all take enough of time to prep, your scores will be consummate by your awarding due dates, and you won't be feeling any stress to complete the test by a certain date or time.

You can also retake the GMAT at a afterward appointment. While programs will see all the times you lot've taken the examination, more often than not, only your highest score truly matters on your application. Still you shouldn't spend time studying for and taking the GMAT unless you're fairly sure yous want to go to business school, since it's a big time investment that'due south really but useful for MBA applications.

#3: When Should You Register to Accept the GMAT?

Information technology's a skillful idea to register for the GMAT every bit soon as you've decided on the date and time which will work best for you. Testing centers tin can often exist quite small, with just a few open seats at each. Registering when y'all've picked a working test appointment will assist ensure that y'all get the test appointment and fourth dimension that works all-time for yous.

What's Adjacent?

Ready to sign up for the GMAT? Larn the ins and outs of GMAT registration with our complete guide.

How do yous send your GMAT scores to schools? We walk you through the whole procedure.

Craft a personalized GMAT study plan with our in-depth commodity and sample report schedules.

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