I just Beat The GMAT!

Hi All,

I am sharing my tragic experience with GMAT and following that I request for your opinion about that because somebody else might also become victim of my experience.

I booked my GMAT exam on 28 days prior to exam date 26th Oct 2008. I had only 28 days to prepare but I worked very hard. Maths was my stronger section so I didn't even study for a single hour, I focused completely on English. In the GMATPrep tests I scored 720 and 750. so I was quite sure to cross 700 in real exam. On the exam day, I don't know what happened, though I scored 51 in Maths, and I could score only 26 in English(total 640). As I was aiming for 700+ and wanted to apply for top universities I thought of re-appearing for GMAT again after 31 days(GMAC doesn't allow to reappear for test before 31 days of first exam).

So I booked my GMAT again for 26th NOV in Chennai. I am from Bangalore and there was no slot available in Bangalore in Nov, so I decided to appear for GMAT in Chennai. I booked my flight to Chennai also so that I don't have any problem in getting the tickets later. But I continuously kept checking the GMAT site for any available slots in Bangalore on last week of Nov. Luckily one day, I found one slot empty on 27th Nov. so I rescheduled my GMAT from 26th Nov in Chennai to 27th Nov in Bangalore. I didn’t want to travel on exam day.

I kept working hard in the hope that this time I will get a good 700+ GMAT score. On the eve of GMAT exam, I was putting this in place for the next day. My slot was at 9AM next day, so I thought of keeping my passport and other necessary stuff at one place in evening itself. Here comes the hardest part..Gosh..!!! my passport was missing from my documents folder. Whole night I searched my whole apartment multiple times but I couldn't find the passport. AS per GMAC, It is mandatory for people living in India, China and Bangladesh to present the passport as ID Proof. I couldn't sleep whole night, I didn't even remember when did I lose my passport. I had multiple other Government approved ID proofs such as driving license, Pan Card etc. and even the Xerox copy of the Passport. So I carried them with me, next day, to the Pearson Vue centre hoping that they will allow me to appear for exam on the basis of Xerox copy of the passport or some other ID. But the test administrator at the centre didn't accept any of the Ids and didn't allow me to appear for the exam because I didn't have original passport. I even carried soft copy of passport with me. I told test administrator that I will produce the passport later but let me write the exam. But the test administrator didn’t melt. She even knew me because she had administered my exam earlier also. I called up GMAC customer care but that was also not helpful. It is very ridiculous, harsh and discriminatory on the part of GMAC to mandate the passport as the only proof of identity for Indians and Chinese.

All my hard work became useless in a moment. I had taken even six unpaid leaves from office for exam preparation. Now I cannot even reappear for the exam within a month until I get the new passport. By that time most of the top universities’ deadlines will be over. I am quite shattered, I don't know what to do now.

(It was a mere concident or God had planned that i shouldn't write the GMAT, interestingly, all the flights to Chennai were cancelled on 26th Nov because of flooded airport. If i had not rescehduled my exam and even if i had the passort with me i couldn't have appear for the exam in Chennai.)

But now I want to make sure that nobody else faces this passport problem again. People here, please opine what should I do? Should I write to GMAC about this, if anything can be done? Any kind of suggestions are welcome.


Regards,

It is really sad to know about your experience. I dont think things would be favourable to me, even if you write to GMAC about this. Forget the worst experience. May be everything is happening for your good.

incredibleprags wrote:Hi All,

I am sharing my tragic experience with GMAT and following that I request for your opinion about that because somebody else might also become victim of my experience.

I booked my GMAT exam on 28 days prior to exam date 26th Oct 2008. I had only 28 days to prepare but I worked very hard. Maths was my stronger section so I didn't even study for a single hour, I focused completely on English. In the GMATPrep tests I scored 720 and 750. so I was quite sure to cross 700 in real exam. On the exam day, I don't know what happened, though I scored 51 in Maths, and I could score only 26 in English(total 640). As I was aiming for 700+ and wanted to apply for top universities I thought of re-appearing for GMAT again after 31 days(GMAC doesn't allow to reappear for test before 31 days of first exam).

So I booked my GMAT again for 26th NOV in Chennai. I am from Bangalore and there was no slot available in Bangalore in Nov, so I decided to appear for GMAT in Chennai. I booked my flight to Chennai also so that I don't have any problem in getting the tickets later. But I continuously kept checking the GMAT site for any available slots in Bangalore on last week of Nov. Luckily one day, I found one slot empty on 27th Nov. so I rescheduled my GMAT from 26th Nov in Chennai to 27th Nov in Bangalore. I didn’t want to travel on exam day.

I kept working hard in the hope that this time I will get a good 700+ GMAT score. On the eve of GMAT exam, I was putting this in place for the next day. My slot was at 9AM next day, so I thought of keeping my passport and other necessary stuff at one place in evening itself. Here comes the hardest part..Gosh..!!! my passport was missing from my documents folder. Whole night I searched my whole apartment multiple times but I couldn't find the passport. AS per GMAC, It is mandatory for people living in India, China and Bangladesh to present the passport as ID Proof. I couldn't sleep whole night, I didn't even remember when did I lose my passport. I had multiple other Government approved ID proofs such as driving license, Pan Card etc. and even the Xerox copy of the Passport. So I carried them with me, next day, to the Pearson Vue centre hoping that they will allow me to appear for exam on the basis of Xerox copy of the passport or some other ID. But the test administrator at the centre didn't accept any of the Ids and didn't allow me to appear for the exam because I didn't have original passport. I even carried soft copy of passport with me. I told test administrator that I will produce the passport later but let me write the exam. But the test administrator didn’t melt. She even knew me because she had administered my exam earlier also. I called up GMAC customer care but that was also not helpful. It is very ridiculous, harsh and discriminatory on the part of GMAC to mandate the passport as the only proof of identity for Indians and Chinese.

All my hard work became useless in a moment. I had taken even six unpaid leaves from office for exam preparation. Now I cannot even reappear for the exam within a month until I get the new passport. By that time most of the top universities’ deadlines will be over. I am quite shattered, I don't know what to do now.

(It was a mere concident or God had planned that i shouldn't write the GMAT, interestingly, all the flights to Chennai were cancelled on 26th Nov because of flooded airport. If i had not rescehduled my exam and even if i had the passort with me i couldn't have appear for the exam in Chennai.)

But now I want to make sure that nobody else faces this passport problem again. People here, please opine what should I do? Should I write to GMAC about this, if anything can be done? Any kind of suggestions are welcome.


Regards,

I think Destiny wants you to get 800. Just think that.

Pls apply for Passports that can be delivered speedily and just take your next date aligned to the same. ( with some buffer)

Once you do that, just focus on revisions.

Extended period can be spent to analyze applications and other demands to enter your prospective alma mater.

All the best.

yeah just apply next year, no big deal, competition will be same

Sad story but a rule is a rule is a rule. And I agree with iamcste: fate didn't want you to make the GMAT right now. You'll give them a hard time on your next appointment

i thank you all guys for your support and advices. I have decided to retake the test soon and apply next year.



Mods, please delete this post. this experience may not be worth sharing in this forum. We should share more of inspiring stories here.

Thanks,

hey incredible...!
i have to admit.. everytime i saw your post i never read it.. because i thought smething really horrible must have happened with u durng your test, like fallng off to sleep.. or having 15 q's left in the end.
so i'd see the title... and get discouraged.
i am new to this site.. and am taking the test in 3 weeks... and i thought ..let me just read it... and get it over n done.

but what happned is not as horrible as u make it sound..!! so relax... many univ.s accept late applicatons....
so prepare... and all the best.

incredibleprags wrote:i thank you all guys for your support and advices. I have decided to retake the test soon and apply next year.



Mods, please delete this post. this experience may not be worth sharing in this forum. We should share more of inspiring stories here.

Thanks,

why do u think so . every experience is worth learning . and i am sure there is a lot to learn from ur experience as well.. Please keep it cool next time .. and i am sure things will fall in place for sure ...

Hi,
Take your test as soon it is logistically possible. If happy with the score, apply to atleast one or two niversities. in the meantime start off on the essays. it takes a lot of time and effort to write essays so start early. a late application is not a negative. you might struggle to get financial aid though.
if you dont get an admission, atleast the experience of applying will leave you in good stead.i know you will end paying the application fee, but i feel its still worth a shot. theres enough time for you to recoup and make a serious attempt. all the best !

Maybe this might make you feel better!

I too missed the GMAT. I was prepared and everything and then
just couldn't find the place in Canada (google maps didn't help).
Plus I wasn't prepared and wouldn't get over 600.

So I let it go. Worked for 2 years studied part-time and then reappeared recently. Got a 620 - meeting my target 600+. I can now apply to schools.

1 or 2 years of your life won't make a big difference. Also realize some
Universities have rolling admissions, so you might as well take your gmat and get it out of the way!

My two cents! Also make sure you don't take a break of more than 10 mins
between sections. This cuts time from your test. I lost 1min and that too cuz the tester came running after me to remind me.

Cheers,
Clinton