some concerns about tight schedule

[awax22]

I had a question bothering me:

I have a job at the moment and with my tight schedule at work, I have a hard time finding a spot to take the GMAT. I kept reschedulling over and over, which sux, first of all financially and second because it leaves me less time to work on other stuff. I'd like to get over with the GMAT before really focusing on the essays.
I finally found one which I'll keep: it's on the 22nd Nov.
I have a question: did you guys need to take it more than once ?
Also the deadline for the first school I want to apply for is December 11th (which is already the 2nd round and I don't want to miss it). It will leave me around 3 weeks to write my essays, what do you guys think ?...

[beatthegmat]

I had a question bothering me:

I have a job at the moment and with my tight schedule at work, I have a hard time finding a spot to take the GMAT. I kept reschedulling over and over, which sux, first of all financially and second because it leaves me less time to work on other stuff. I'd like to get over with the GMAT before really focusing on the essays.
I finally found one which I'll keep: it's on the 22nd Nov.
I have a question: did you guys need to take it more than once ?
Also the deadline for the first school I want to apply for is December 11th (which is already the 2nd round and I don't want to miss it). It will leave me around 3 weeks to write my essays, what do you guys think ?...

Hi awax:

That is a pretty tight deadline. I suppose it can work out as long as you feel confident that you won't need to take the GMAT more than once. It's common for people to take it just once, but it's also common to retake.

3 weeks for essays is pretty tight. I would make sure that you have plenty of free time during those 3 weeks--hopefully you won't have an intense project or some other commitments to attend to simultaneously. Definitely find some other friends, or even a consultant, to review your essays since you won't have that much time to iterate.

Bottom line--yeah, that isn't much time, but it's doable...

[awax22]

Thanks for this advice.
Actually there are only one school that I want to go with this deadline.
The others are either a month or two later (begining or end of jan).
I still hope to make it.
I'am going to work hard

Thanks again

[Stacey Koprince]

A lot of people do take the test twice, so plan for it just in case.

And I agree with Eric - 3 weeks is not a lot of time. Take some time right now to create first drafts. Then put those away and come back to them after the test. This will let you get some distance / perspective on your first thoughts, which is really valuable.

[awax22]

OK I agree with this plan.
So basically the school I am talking about is Berkeley (haas school)... They have 4 rounds; I know one of my friend got in at the third one. Do you think I should wait for the third one too ? The third is at the end of January (the 31st).
As for the GMAT, I really hope I won't have to take it more than once. I am confident as I have done all the practise test from the OG and I think I got a pretty good idea of the type of questions...

[Stacey Koprince]

There isn't an advantage or a disadvantage to a round based upon when someone else got in - you should just put together the best application you can and send it in! If that means round 2, great; if not, then do round 3.

And, yes, hopefully you won't have to take it more than once. But plan that into your schedule, just in case. You don't want to be in the position of needing to take it a second time and not being able to because you no longer have adequate time.