News from GMAC - Select the order of your Test Day Sections

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Hi All,

GMAC has just announced an exciting new option for Test Takers (similar to the short-term option that occurred back in early 2016). Here's the news from GMAC directly:

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New GMAT Feature: Select Section Order

In a continuing effort to enhance the GMAT exam experience for test takers, GMAC is launching Select Section Order, a new feature that gives candidates the flexibility to customize their GMAT experience.

Beginning July 11, test takers worldwide will be able to choose the order in which they complete the four sections of the GMAT exam. Three options will be available at the test center:

Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, Verbal (original order)
Verbal, Quantitative, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment
Quantitative, Verbal, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment
Additionally, the test taker profile update screens will be removed from the testing center and can be updated anytime on mba.com.

GMAC will be actively reaching out to candidates via email and digital media between now and July 11 to ensure they are prepared for and can take advantage of the new features. To learn more about Select Section Order and how it may impact your students, please visit our Select Section Order FAQ page.
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Anyone planning to take the GMAT in late June or early July should seriously consider rescheduling the Exam for a later date - so that they can take advantage of this new option. The opportunity to work through the Quant and Verbal sections when you are more awake and alert could potentially lead to a stronger overall performance/score.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich

[barksdale]

Thanks Rich. Do you have an opinion on which order is best, or how we should decide?

[[email protected]]

Hi barksdale,

You ask a good (and important) question. The answer will depend on at least a few factors, including how well you can maintain your focus and how well you respond to fatigue. At face value, it would stand to reason that taking the Quant and Verbal sections early on (in some order) would help you to keep your focus and do you 'best' work on the sections that matter the most. That having been said, many Business Schools still expect applicants to hit a minimum score on the AWA (often a 4.0 or higher will satisfy most Schools), so you won't be able to completely 'blow off' the IR and Essay sections at the end - thus, you'll still have to train to face the full GMAT.

When considering whether to take the Quant or the Verbal first, you also have to define which is your 'better' section and whether you would rather start with that section (to build confidence) or face that section second (assuming that you'll still perform at a high level after facing the other "tougher" section first). I don't think there's necessarily a "wrong" answer there, but you have to think about your own attitude towards the Exam and choose the option that makes sense to you.

GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made,
Rich