If you’re taking the GMAT in person, the scratch paper that is provided to you at the test center is actually a spiral notepad containing 5 laminated pages. The pages look like yellow graph paper, and each sheet is about the size of a sheet of legal paper.
You can write on both sides of each page. As you already know, even though each page is laminated, the marker provided to you is a wet-erase type, so you won’t be able to erase the board while you are testing. If you’re properly getting your work down on the pad (and not doing the work in your head), you may run out of room on the notepad.
Don’t worry: you can request a new notepad. As you see that you are down to one clean page, raise your non-writing hand and continue to work, writing with your other hand. When the proctor comes to you, tell her that you’d like a new pad, but keep working.
As soon as she provides you with the new pad, quickly make the transfer and resume working. Do not wait until you are out of space to request a new notepad. If you are a test-taker who typically needs a new notepad during the Quant section, alert the proctor prior to the start of your exam that you will most likely raise your hand at some point to ask for a new pad. You are also allowed to request a fresh notepad during one of your breaks, even if your old one is not completely used up.
Warmest regards,
Scott Woodbury-Stewart
Founder & CEO, Target Test Prep
