It’s Test Day!
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Serene is a GMAT expert who lives and works in Evanston, IL. Visit Grockit's Learning Center for more test prep advice. |
The GMAT is unlike the SAT, ACT or any other standardized exam you took in high school. Instead of sitting in a classroom with 25 other students all going through exactly the same experience, you will be on your own. After weeks and months of preparation, the last thing you should worry about on the day of your GMAT is the testing environment. While there may be slight differences from test center to test center, the basic sequence of events will be the same.
Here are some tips about what to expect from the testing environment from arrival to departure. Get comfortable with the procedures so that, on test day, you can avoid distractions and concentrate solely on your performance.
Arrival:
Try to arrive at the test center 15-30 minutes early because of the sign-in process. First, you’ll need to show proper photo identification and tell the administrator which exam you’re there to take. Don’t be surprised that others in the center may be taking different graduate exams.
You will then be asked to sign the GMAT Examination Testing Rules & Agreement. Once this is completed, the administrator will ask you to provide a digital fingerprint or palm-vein pattern. The palm sensor will soon replace the fingerprints as the only digital identification system. For the palm system, you will place each of your hands over a sensor. The administrator will demonstrate the procedure of ensuring that certain knobs on the machine fit your fingers to get a proper pattern. He or she will then take your photograph.
Once all of these administrative procedures are completed, you will choose a locker in which to place all of your belongings. Wear layers in case the room is cold. All you are allowed are your locker key and photo identification because the administrator will check it before you enter the testing room.
The Testing Room:
Before you enter the test room, you will need to provide your photo identification as well as your fingerprint or palm-vein pattern. Additionally, the administrator will give you booklet of noteboards and a dry-erase marker to be used during the quantitative section. It is against the rules to erase your markings, so if you need another booklet during the exam, you will need to raise your hand to inform the administrator.
With your noteboards and dry erase pen in hand, the administrator will escort you into the testing room. There probably will be people already in the room, in the middle of their respective exams. You will be seated at a station with a computer and likely some soundproof headphones, in case mouse clicks or keyboard keys bother you.
Breaks:
There are two optional, 10-minute breaks during the exam. Don’t feel obligated to take them if you’re in the zone and want to stay focused. However, these are great opportunities to leave the room and reorient yourself if you are a bit rattled, or if you want a restroom or snack break.
You cannot leave without signaling the test administrator. Once you signal, the administrator will enter the room and escort you out. Once you leave the room, you will have to digitally sign-out, meaning you will have to verify either your digital fingerprint or palm-vein pattern. You can then access your locker and drink some water or snack on something small.
When you re-enter the room, you will have to provide your fingerprint or palm-vein pattern yet again before being escorted back to your station. Even though the breaks are technically 10 minutes long, once the procedures of signing out and signing back in are included, the time you have for yourself is probably more like 8 ½ to 9 minutes. Don’t forget that exceeding the 10 minutes allotted for the break takes time out of your next test section, so be careful. Again, don’t forget that the breaks are optional.
Score and Departure:
You’re done. Almost four hours after entering the center, you’ve completed the test. You will be given the option of viewing your scores or canceling them. Once you view your score, you will not be able to cancel it. Whatever you decide, you will need to raise your hand once again so that the administrator will know to escort you from the room. Again, you will need to provide either your fingerprint or palm pattern to sign out of the room.
If you chose to view your score, an administrator will print out your unofficial score report. Be sure to keep this because there will be an authorization number that you will need to view your official score. Then all you need to do is take your belongings out of your locker, return the key and leave with your report.
Good luck!
Melissa R on August 21st, 2009 at 6:03 pm
I just wanted to ask yor advice on how to submit a complaint about a specific test center (in Bogota, Colombia) where the conditions to present the GMAT are far from appropriate... here's my story
I took the GMAT exam on May 22nd, and when I scheduled my appointment, I was happy to learn that there was a test center in my hometown, even near my office; but after having taken the test in this place, I would've preferred to even travel somewhere else to take it, because of the poor conditions that me, and hundreds of other test takers have to bear with:
- The noise: I can't even begin to describe the noise levels in the test center, specifically, in the cubicles candidates have to sit in to take the test. This place is on a very busy avenue, one of the main avenues in Bogotá, lots of horn honking, whistle-blowing policemen, ambulances, etc. The cubicles where the GMAT is presented are just above this avenue, only a very thin glass in the window separates the outside from the inside. That the noise is very uncomfortable is not a secret to the owners of the center, since they very kindly provide earplugs (!) for test takers to wear during the test, but it's fair to say that not even earplugs are enough to offset the proximity to this very loud avenue. In any case, we all know this exam requires very high concentration levels, and I really feel that the lack of concentration caused by this loudness really affected my score; it is actually funny how in your post you mention that is is likely to be handed some soundproof headphones, in case mouse clicks or keyboard keys bother you -- clearly, there was a lot more than mouse clicks bothering me.
-The space: Not as serious as the noise, but being a claustrophobic myself, it was also very hard to concentrate in a space of 6ft x 6ft with other two people in the same room; only a small panel separating each other. At the time of the exam, I happened to have two other candidates in the room with me, one of them happened to think out loud while he tried to solve the questions; I not only could hear everything (earplugs and all), but only the fact of being in such a small space was making me feel really uncomfortable.
My May 22nd score is what it is, but I'm really very unsatisfied and frustrated with the experience, given that from what I’ve read in this blog, and heard from colleagues and friends, test centers in other locations are appropriately furnished and located, so that the test taker only has to focus on answering the questions without struggling to focus.
I would like to think that the GMAC is not aware of the conditions in Bogota, and that something can be made to improve them for future test takers; Do you think something can actually be made? Can we pressure the GMAC to make the test center owners in bogota improve their facilities or remove their license?
Thanks!
Brian Buser on August 24th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Melissa,
We are sorry to hear about the poor testing conditions at your test center. It bums us out to hear this. Unfortunately, there is little direct help we can offer at the moment since we are not involved in the administration of the test. You might start by contacting GMAC directly. Here is a link to their contact form: http://www.gmac.com/GMAC/service/contactus.htm. Let us know what you hear back. Best of luck.
Brian - Grockit Employee
Brian Buser on August 24th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Hi Melissa,
We are sorry to hear about the poor testing conditions at your test center. It bums us out to hear this. Unfortunately, there is little direct help we can offer at the moment since we are not involved in the administration of the test. You might start by contacting GMAC directly. Here is a link to their contact form: http://www.gmac.com/GMAC/service/contactus.htm. Let us know what you hear back. Best of luck.
Brian - Grockit Employee
Farbood Nivi on August 24th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Hi Melissa,
Sorry to hear about your experience.
The procedure for filing a complaint about your GMAT experience is detailed at this MBA.COM web page.
http://www.mba.com/mba/TheGMAT/TestDay/TestComplaintsandConcerns.htm
Also, if you accepted your score you can submit an explanation of this experience to any schools that you apply to and ask them to disregard this specific GMAT score. The school may or may not take your explanation into consideration, but if there is a significant difference between your May 22nd score and any subsequent tests, it's possible the school may take it into consideration.
Keep us posted and best of luck!
Farb - Grockit