In 2016, when GMAC adjusted its testing parameters to allow Test Takers to retake the GMAT a mere 16 days after a prior attempt (down from 31 days), many saw that change as a great opportunity. To be fair, there are some significant benefits to the shorter ‘cooling off’ period; for example, if you’re on a tight application deadline, then you can easily schedule another GMAT attempt before the deadline passes. However, if you score lower than you want to be scoring on Test Day, rushing back in so soon afterwards to retake the GMAT might not be the best idea (especially if your goal is to be scoring significantly higher).

Some Test Takers take the GMAT before they’ve actually achieved their goal scores during their studies. For example, if your goal score is a 700+, but you scored in the low-600s on your CATs (and then on Test Day), then retaking the GMAT so soon will almost certainly lead to a similar score result. Taking CATs, and Test Day itself, are not how you improve your GMAT score – they’re how you measure your skills. If your goal score is 50+ points away, then you’ll likely need MORE study time to improve than the 16-day period allows.

In certain situations, Test Takers score considerably lower on the Official GMAT than they score on their CATs.  A variety of external ‘forces’ can impact your performance on Test Day, including a poor night’s sleep, anxiety, distractions at the Testing Facility, etc. Oftentimes though, it’s far more likely that the Test Taker was practicing in an unrealistic fashion (re: skipping sections during their CATs, taking the CATs at home, re-taking CATs that they already took, etc.), so the score results were ‘inflated’ and unrealistic. It’s rather difficult for anyone to properly ‘fix’ any of those factors in 16 days. If more than one of them occurred, then it will likely take far longer than 16 days to raise your score to the goal level.

The GMAT is a consistent, predictable Exam, so you CAN train to score at a higher level. Beyond knowing the content though, you have to know the Tactics and patterns involved. In addition, you have to train for the full Test Day ‘event’ – including all of the little things that occur BEFORE the Test actually starts (everything from when you go to bed the night before up to the final Verbal question that you answer). If you’re unable to put together that strong overall performance on Test Day though (for whatever reason), then you have to seek out (and follow) the necessary Expert advice. Whatever you were doing incorrectly, you’re likely to continue doing it unless you make some fundamental changes to how you ‘see’ (and respond to) the Test. One of the many reasons why the 700+ score continues to represent approximately the 90th percentile is that, as a large group, Test Takers continue to make the same fundamental mistakes over and over, year after year. Shortening the time-frame between retests doesn’t change that. If you’re looking for ideas to improve your GMAT score, you should start by not rushing in so quickly to retake the GMAT.

GMAT assassins aren’t born, they’re made,

Rich