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Last Updated on May 15, 2023
It’s quite common for students applying to business school to have multiple GMAT attempts under their belts by the time they submit their MBA applications. In fact, if you’re a test-taker planning to sit for the GMAT exam, factoring in enough time to retake the exam at least once is a wise strategy. Of course, this begs the question of whether leaving gaps between GMAT attempts is necessary, and if so, how long to take between GMAT attempts.
The truth is, whether test-takers should leave time between GMAT attempts, and the amount of time they should leave, depends on multiple factors. So, in this article, we’ll discuss those factors and provide some recommendations to help ensure that you retake the GMAT when doing so is most strategic for you.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- How Long to Take Between GMAT Attempts
- Extended Time Between GMAT Attempts
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Key Takeaways
- What’s Next?
How Long to Take Between GMAT Attempts
When thinking about how long to take between GMAT attempts, there are actually three questions to consider:
- whether you are required to leave time between GMAT attempts
- whether you should leave time between GMAT attempts
- how much time you should leave between attempts
The answer to each of these questions depends on your unique circumstances. So, let’s first discuss whether you may be required to leave time between GMAT attempts.
GMAT Retake Policies
Unless you’re switching between taking the GMAT at a test center and taking the GMAT online, you must wait at least 16 days between exams. So, if you took the GMAT at a test center and your retake will also be at a test center, you must wait at least 16 days for your retake. Likewise, if you took the GMAT online, and you’ll take the online exam again for your retake, you’re required to wait at least 16 days.
On the other hand, if you took an in-person GMAT and will sit for the GMAT online for your retake, or vice versa, there is no waiting period.
Keep in mind that you can sit for the GMAT no more than 5 times in a consecutive 12-month period. So, regardless of whether you’re switching between test center and online versions, if you’ve already taken the GMAT 5 times in the past 12 months, you’ll have to wait until 12 months have passed since the first of those 5 GMATs to take another GMAT.
That said, 6 GMAT attempts in the span of a little over 12 months (or in any amount of time) is an inordinate number of test sittings. With the strategies we’ll discuss in this article, it’s highly unlikely you would reach your annual limit of GMAT attempts.
KEY FACT:
Unless you’re switching between taking the GMAT at a test center and taking the GMAT online, you must wait at least 16 days between test attempts.
We now know when we are required to leave time between GMAT attempts, but when should we leave time? Let’s first examine some scenarios in which leaving gaps between GMAT attempts is generally not necessary.
Immediate Retake
Sometimes all the GMAT prep in the world can’t prepare us for a test day that simply goes wrong. In these unfortunate cases, it’s generally smart to get right back on the horse, retaking your exam without delay.
Let’s look at some common test-day troubles that can negatively affect your GMAT score and usually warrant an immediate retake, along with strategies for dealing with them.
Test-Day Troubles
Problem: You were sick or coming down with a cold.
Solution: These things happen! Wait until you’re back at 100% and sit for your retake with confidence.
Problem: You had a rough night’s sleep.
Solution: Schedule your retake, but consider making adjustments to your pre-test day routine. Did you get to bed later than you should have the night before your test? Were you tossing and turning all night because you were worried about your exam? Better planning, relaxation techniques, or just taking it easier the day before test day can help ensure you go into your retake fully rested.
Problem: You had car trouble, or the commute to the test center took longer than expected, and you felt rushed once you arrived.
Solution: Don’t sweat it! Reschedule your exam, and just be sure to give yourself some extra time for the commute. Alternatively, consider taking the GMAT online to avoid a commute altogether.
Problem: Test anxiety got the best of you.
Solution: Sometimes being well-prepared for the GMAT isn’t enough to quell test-day nerves. Don’t beat yourself up about it! Before you sit for your retake, practice some techniques for reducing anxiety and refocusing during your exam. You’ve got this!
Problem: The test center threw off your game.
Solution: There is only so much control you have over the test center environment. Maybe the exam room was too cold or your markers kept running out of ink. Maybe the person next to you kept clearing his throat. Whatever the distraction or calamity, reassure yourself that lightning won’t strike twice. Also, consider the GMAT online for your retake, so you can have more control over your testing space.
Now, let’s discuss what to do when a poor test-day performance is a symptom of larger problems.
Deferred Retake
As we just saw, when life’s little surprises prevent you from earning your highest score possible on test day, in most cases there is no reason not to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and give the GMAT another shot right away.
However, lower-than-expected test scores are often a sign of problems that may require more than just 16 days to correct. Let’s discuss.
Lacking GMAT Skills
More often than not, a lackluster GMAT performance stems from a need to spend more time preparing for the GMAT.
Here are some common signs that you need to devote more time to bolstering your GMAT skills:
- You felt unprepared to solve many of the questions you saw on test day.
- You felt a general lack of ease and efficiency in dealing with GMAT questions.
- You had pacing issues either in a particular section(s) or throughout the exam.
- You consistently had to guess on questions of a particular type(s).
All of these signs often point to gaps in your GMAT knowledge or skill set that need to be filled. Even pacing issues, which test-takers often assume are unrelated to content issues, can point to knowledge or skill gaps. After all, if you’re really well-prepared to answer GMAT questions, you’ll generally be able to answer them at test pace.
Whether you’re dealing with content issues, pacing issues, or a combination of the two, depending on how far your GMAT score is from your target, you may need more than 16 days to be test-ready.
TTP PRO TIP:
Students often need more than 16 days to effectively prep for a GMAT retake if content and/or pacing issues caused their disappointing score.
16 Days Is An Arbitrary Time Period
The fact that you can retake the GMAT after 16 days doesn’t mean that you’ll be ready to retake it after 16 days. You may need more, or even much more, than 16 days to prepare for your retake. The point is, when it comes to retaking the GMAT, 16 days is an arbitrary period of time.
In other words, the fact that you can retake your exam in 16 days should have absolutely no impact on whether you do! You should take the GMAT only when you feel fully prepared to hit your score goal.
Your ESR can help you identify strengths and weaknesses in your test-day performance and uncover patterns that may have been particularly damaging to your score, such as losing steam toward the end of each section. In some cases, the issue may be straightforward enough that you can sit for your retake relatively soon.
For example, maybe you were just shy of your score goal, and you can see that brushing up on Critical Reasoning concepts for the next 2-3 weeks will get you over the finish line. Or maybe your ESR shows that a flawed time-management strategy held back your score, and you can quickly adjust to a more effective strategy.
Just be sure to analyze the reasons for your underwhelming GMAT performance honestly and objectively. Otherwise, you could end up wasting time and money on a retake that produces the same result.
Moreover, if you gave your GMAT prep your all but still found yourself at a loss on many questions on test day, consider investing in a more comprehensive GMAT study resource. It could be that your prior resource doesn’t teach all the skills and strategies you need to reach your goal.
Extended Time Between GMAT Attempts
In some cases, test-takers don’t really have a choice about leaving a large gap between GMAT attempts. A big new project at work, an unexpected family situation, or even just the realization that GMAT burnout has seriously set in — any of these scenarios could cause even the most committed student to put retaking and the further study it requires on the back burner.
While extended time away from the GMAT may not be ideal, it often doesn’t mean starting from scratch. Many students who take a couple of months off from prepping for a retake need only 2 to 3 weeks of brushing up on their skills to get back to where they were with the GMAT, so they can then focus on the areas they need to strengthen for their retake.
Even if you’ve been away from the GMAT for 6 months or a year — that is, you haven’t been studying for your retake during that time — you probably won’t feel like you’re starting from square one when you resume your GMAT prep. You may need a few more weeks of review than a student who took 3 months off would need to get back up to speed. However, you may be surprised at how readily you’re able to move through certain topics.
Of course, if you’ve been away from the GMAT for a number of years, there is much more of a chance that you’ll have to start fresh when you resume your studies.
TTP PRO TIP:
A long gap between GMAT attempts doesn’t necessarily mean starting from scratch when you prep for your retake. Still, expect to do some review to get back up to speed.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about taking the GMAT multiple times.
How many times can I attempt the GMAT?
You can take the GMAT a total of 8 times over the course of your life. Those 8 attempts can be made up of any combination of in-person and online tests.
Whether you’re taking the test online or in person, you can sit for the GMAT no more than 5 times in a consecutive 12-month period. Also, you must wait at least 16 days between each GMAT attempt, unless you’re switching between online and in-person tests.
Does the number of attempts matter in GMAT score reporting?
Schools generally aren’t concerned if an applicant takes the GMAT more than once. In fact, they are well-aware that many GMAT test-takers retake the exam at least once. In general, MBA programs are far more concerned with what your GMAT scores are than with whether you needed a couple of tries to earn those scores.
That said, if possible, having a single, impressive GMAT score in your MBA applications is optimal. And since you have the option to cancel GMAT scores that fall below your target, schools never have to see anything but your highest score. (In the case of the GMAT Online, you can’t cancel scores but can select which ones you report to schools.) Remember, canceled scores are not indicated on the official score report you send to schools.
So, it’s certainly important to have a score reporting strategy in place before test day. Additionally, keep in mind that, although there is no stigma associated with taking the GMAT more than once, 5 or 6 GMAT attempts may look different from 2 or 3 in the eyes of admissions.
Does a canceled GMAT count as an attempt?
Any time you sit for the actual GMAT, it counts as a test attempt. So, if you cancel your GMAT score from an exam, that exam still counts toward your lifetime limit of GMAT attempts, even though the score isn’t included in your official score report.
Now, if you cancel your test appointment, that canceled GMAT will NOT count toward your lifetime limit. After all, you did not actually sit for the exam.
Likewise, if you are a no-show on test day (i.e., you didn’t cancel your appointment, but you also didn’t show up for the test), that exam will NOT count toward your lifetime limit, since you did not actually take the GMAT.
Can I score 700+ on a GMAT first attempt?
Many GMAT students score 700+ on their first test attempt! With the right study resources and a commitment to your goal, any GMAT score is possible. The trick is to take the real GMAT only when you’re consistently hitting your score goal on official mock tests.
Also, don’t be discouraged if you miss the 700 mark on your first GMAT attempt. Here at Target Test Prep, we’ve had many students come to us after a disappointing first attempt and go on to earn top GMAT scores.
To learn more about this topic, check out our article about how hard it is to earn a 700 GMAT score.
Key Takeaways
- Unless you’re switching between taking the GMAT at a test center and taking the GMAT online, you must wait at least 16 days between GMAT attempts.
- You don’t have to retake the GMAT in exactly 16 days just because you can!
- An immediate retake is likely warranted if your disappointing GMAT performance was due to test-day troubles such as being sick, not getting enough sleep the night before, having a bad commute to the test center, suffering from test-day nerves, or getting thrown off by the testing environment.
- Examine your ESR to help identify any knowledge gaps and/or pacing issues that may have negatively affected your score. Such issues often require more than 16 days to correct.
- If you gave your GMAT prep your all but still found yourself still at a loss on many questions on test day, consider investing in a more comprehensive GMAT resource to study for your retake.
- Take the GMAT only when you feel fully prepared to hit your score goal!
What’s Next?
Looking to increase your GMAT score? Check out this article for tips on the best GMAT practice methods.
You also may want to read this expert guide to improving your GMAT score.
