I have a scheduled time to take the GMAT end of dec and would like to get out applications for 2nd round in which the deadline is beg of Jan. I am a little worried that I am putting everything in one basket by only giving myself 1 chance to do well on GMAT before 2nd round deadlines. What i was thinking was taking the GMAT in nov as a practice run. I know I probably won't do as well as I would be in december but it would kinda give me a practice run at it. I read that B-schools don't really care how many times you take the gmat. I know there is a good chance that my score in Nov. may not be that good, but the only disadvantage I see is sinking $250. Just wanted to see if this is a good strategy or not?
Most schools will not raise an eyebrow if they see an applicant who's taken the test 2 times, or sometimes even up to three times. However, I would strongly advise you against taking the test in November if you don't feel adequately prepared--even if it's a trial run. Even though schools consider your highest GMAT score, they will see all your scores. Thus a first attempt that gets you only a 500 even with a second attempt that gets you a 700 might raise a flag (in my opinion).
If you want a decent trial run, I recommend that you use the GMATPrep software, available for free from MBA.com. These tests feature real but retired GMAT questions, and are an excellent simulation of the GMAT. See how you do with these practice tests instead of invest in a first attempt on the real test.
Hope that helps, good luck!
