Your Guide to the GMAT Online
You’re finally ready to sit for the GMAT — or you’re pumped to crush your retake — when a global pandemic hits. What do you do?
First, stay calm. COVID-19 is NOT going to derail your B-school dreams. That said, there is no denying that we’re all in uncharted territory for the moment, and keeping up with the changes happening on an almost-daily basis during this pandemic is no easy task.
For GMAT students, the news that GMAC, the makers of the GMAT, would be closing test centers around the world and developing an online GMAT that students could take at home caused a lot of excitement but also a fair amount of confusion.
In this article, we’re going to separate fact from fiction when it comes to the evolving situation surrounding coronavirus and the GMAT.
First, let’s review some top-line facts about the GMAT Online.
What Is the GMAT Online and What Is Its Availability?
The GMAT Online exam is a computer-based, remote-proctored version of the GMAT that test-takers can sit for in a private location (such as your home) and complete on a personal computer. Because taking the GMAT at a test center is, for the most part, not possible right now, but MBA hopefuls still have application deadlines to meet, GMAC developed the online exam as a comparable alternative to the in-person GMAT.
The GMAT Online is scored using the same algorithm and scale as the in-person GMAT.
Registration is currently open for the online GMAT, which is being offered at a reduced cost of $250. Test dates are available for the foreseeable future. Simply log into your mba.com account to register for an online exam. Note that if you plan to seek accommodations for your exam, you should wait to schedule your test appointment until your accommodations have been approved.
One of the perks of taking the online GMAT is that, since you don’t have to adhere to the schedule of a test center, testing time slots are available 24/7, meaning that you can schedule your test for any day of the week and any time of day. This will come as welcome news to early birds and night owls alike, but the added flexibility may be especially helpful to test-takers who work full-time.
Unfortunately, the GMAT Online is not currently available in Mainland China, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, or Cuba. Some in-person testing sites may still be open, with enhanced hygiene measures in place. You can check the status of test centers near you, wherever you are in the world, on this page.
Now that we’ve covered the basics of the online GMAT and its availability, let’s take a look at the structure of the exam.
GMAT Online Exam Structure
As of April 8, 2021, the online GMAT will have the exact same structure as the in-person GMAT: a 62-minute Quantitative Reasoning section consisting of 31 questions, a 65-minute Verbal Reasoning section consisting of 36 questions, a 30-minute Integrated Reasoning section consisting of 12 questions, and a 30-minute Analytical Writing Assessment consisting of 1 essay task, plus 2 optional 8-minute breaks. Also starting April 8, online test-takers will be able to choose from the same 3 section order options that in-person test-takers can choose from.
However, since you’ll be taking the test in a remote location, your testing environment and check-in process will be quite different from what students experience at a test center. Let’s take a look.
Prepping Your “Personal Test Center” and Checking In
The online GMAT is available for both Mac and Windows users on either a desktop or laptop computer. Before registering for your exam, you should make sure that you have access to a computer that meets the technical requirements for the online system. Some key items to note are that you will need a reliable internet connection and a working webcam, microphone, and speakers on your computer. If you use a laptop to take your GMAT, you’ll want to be sure that your computer is plugged into a power source before you begin your exam. DO NOT expect that you will be able to plug in during your exam if you run low on battery life.
Aside from the computer requirements, there are strict requirements for your testing location. For one, you cannot take the online GMAT in a public setting. That means you can’t sit under a tree at the local park to take your exam, and also that you can’t take the exam in an area of your home where other people will be around, such as a living room where your roommate is watching TV, or a kitchen where family members may occasionally go in and out for a snack or a glass of water. You must have a quiet, clutter-free workspace where you can sit, uninterrupted, for 3 hours in order to complete your GMAT.
As we mentioned already, before the online GMAT begins, you will complete a 15-minute check-in process. To start, you’ll take a headshot photo of yourself and show an accepted form of identification. (Note that due to current closures and restrictions related to COVID-19, a valid form of ID that expired on or after January 1, 2020, will be accepted.) You’ll also have to take photos of your work area that the remote proctor will check to make sure your testing space complies with GMAT rules. Aside from the computer you’ll be using for your exam, and a glass of water if you need one, your desk should be cleared of all items. Writing implements and papers, notepads, or books cannot be within arm’s reach — with the exception of the erasable whiteboard permitted for note-taking (we’ll discuss that more later). Electronic devices such as cell phones, watches, headphones, and calculators must be out of sight (be sure to keep your cell phone turned off while you’re taking the exam). Spare computer monitors or other computer equipment must be turned off and unplugged. A purse or coat cannot be hanging on the back of your chair; all bags and clothing items should be put away. Even the walls of the room will be inspected for anything with writing on it.
Think of the room where you take your online GMAT as your “personal test center.” At a regular test center, there are no knickknacks, family photos, or stacks of textbooks on your desk, no to-do lists scribbled on a whiteboard on the wall or Post-it notes stuck to your computer. No one is knocking on the door during your exam to ask if you want chicken for dinner or playing loud music in the next room. Although you obviously can’t move all of your furniture and personal belongings out of your room, or stop car horns from honking outside your window, you should try to recreate a test center environment as much as possible.
One of the advantages of having a “personal test center” is that you can better simulate test day when you take your practice exams. If possible, take your practice exams in the workspace where you will take your GMAT Online, using the computer you will use for your actual exam. Prepare the room where you will take your actual exam exactly as you will prepare it for your real test day. Take your practice exams on the same day of the week and at the same time as your real GMAT, and ask the other members of your household not to disturb you during your exam. Why not take full advantage of having your “test center” at your disposal, and give yourself as close to the genuine GMAT experience as possible? Doing so can only help better prepare you mentally and yield more accurate practice test scores.
Now that we know how your testing environment should be configured, let’s take a closer look at how the online GMAT is administered.
The Remote Proctor
We mentioned earlier the importance of having a working webcam, microphone, and speakers on the computer you use for your online GMAT. This is necessary because the online GMAT is administered by a remote proctor. The remote proctor will monitor you throughout your GMAT Online, watching you through your computer’s webcam and listening through your computer’s microphone. At first, this set-up may sound a bit unsettling — creepy, even — but, in practice, it’s not much different from being monitored by a proctor in person. If you were at a test center, in the same room as the proctor, that person would still be able to watch your every movement, and hear you sniffling or tapping your fingers on the desk. The webcam and microphone simply provide a way for the proctor to “be in the room” with you, as much as that is possible in a remote setting.
It’s important to note that once you begin your online GMAT, you will not be able to move out of view of the proctor. That means no standing up to stretch your legs during the exam, leaning over to tie your shoe, or leaving the room for any reason outside of the designated break. The proctor will have the ability to stop the test at any time if he or she determines that you are not complying with the GMAT rules. If you need to ask the proctor a question at any point during your exam, you will be able to click a chat button at the top of your computer screen. Note that remote proctoring is available in English language only.
In addition to remote proctoring, there is another feature of the online GMAT that may take a little getting used to, should you choose to use it: the online whiteboard.
To read the complete article, please visit Target Test Prep's blog.