Applying to MBA programs? Which test to take – GMAT or GRE?
“I’m a reapplicant. Do I need to send official GMAT score again this year?”
“I took GMAT three years back, but I’m applying only this year. Do I need to send my official score again to the schools which I selected while taking the test?”
These are some of the questions regarding reporting of official GMAT score that bewilder applicants to MBA programs. This post tries to clarify most such questions.
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What’s the report-sending process?
Every school requires an official (the one that GMAC sends directly to the school) GMAT transcript as a confirmation of your self-reported (the one you report to the school through the online application) score.
The official transcript is made available to schools through an online system, and, according to GMAC, it takes up to 20 days (in practice, though, the turnaround time is much less) to make these reports available to the schools.
That’s how it works.
Here are few GMAT-reporting scenarios whose answers aren’t obvious. (Click on the boxes below to see the responses):
(Note: Pearson UVE and B-schools keep changing their processes with respect to reporting of test scores. So, for the latest on these, you should check with them.):
FAQs
While taking GMAT, can I choose not to select any school for sending the official GMAT transcript?
Yes. You’ve the option to select up to five programs on the test day. But, if you want you can completely pass this option.
How do I send official scores to additional schools?
Say you selected four programs – P1, P2, P3, and P4 – while writing GMAT where you want GMAC to send the official transcript. But, when applying to programs, you choose only three of these (P1, P3, and P4) and pick two additional programs (P5 and P6). In such case, you need not bother about P1, P3, and P4 as GMAC will send the official transcript on their own, but you need to request GMAC to send ASRs to P5 and P6 @ $28 per school.
Do I need to go to the test centre with the codes for each program where I want my score to be sent?
No. As you key in the name of the school, the system will throw up all the programs from that school. You should, though, be clear about which particular program from that school you want your score to be sent.
I’m taking GMAT today, and the application deadline for my target school is just four days away. How can I send official GMAT transcript to the school so soon?
You don’t need to, for almost all schools. (There are exceptions such as Tuck which want official score by application deadline.) At the time of submitting application, schools only want self-reported score – either by keying in the score or by uploading a scanned copy of your unofficial report, which you get immediately after you finish the test. The school, though, will need it in due course, by which time they’ll receive it from GMAC.
INSEAD, for example, has this to say:
You can take the GMAT up until the day of the Admissions deadline but you would need to provide us with a copy of your ‘Unofficial Score Report’ (to be uploaded as part of the supporting documents).
For most schools, absence of official transcript is not a bottleneck in starting the review of your file.
However, you can’t retake the test (to apply for this particular school) if you fair badly, because you can take the test only once during any 16-day period (in this case, application is due in four days), and you’ve no option but to self-report a score in the application.
I’ve already received my official score. Unfortunately, I decided to apply to a school only now, and the deadline for its application is just ten days away. Am I late for requesting an ASR?
As explained in the previous question, you can apply to almost all schools (but for exceptions such as Tuck) without requesting an ASR.
Although GMAC says that ASRs are sent within seven calendar days (longer for non-U.S. test takers), in practice it takes just 48 hours. However, you should check on this with GMAC as these things keep changing.
I sent my official score to MIT two years back when I took GMAT the first time. I’m taking the test again next month, but won’t pick any program (out of up to five programs) on the test day. If I get a better score than the last time, I’ll report it through ASR. Otherwise, not. If I choose not to report my second score to MIT and apply with my first score this year, will they still be able to see my second score when they access my official score online?
Schools can see all your scores for the last five years. In this case, even if you don’t report your second score, the school can still see it. The only way you can prevent the school from accessing the second score is by cancelling the score immediately after the test. [Based on response from Pearson VUE]
I applied to three programs (P1, P2, and P3) last year. Since then I’ve taken GMAT again, and will be applying to P2, P4, and P5 (only P2 remains constant) this year. And during GMAT, I didn’t select any school for sending my official score. In such a case, do I need to send an ASR to P2 as well? Don’t they continue their access to my GMAT file from last year?
You need to resend the score through ASR to P2 as well. [Based on response from Pearson VUE]
I’m a reapplicant to school P1, and am planning to apply with the same score as last year. Do I need to resend the score through ASR when I apply this year?
The school can still access your official score that you sent with your earlier application, so you need not resend the score. [Based on response from Pearson VUE]
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