Will Taking the GMAT Exam Held in Which Month and in Which State Count For Anything?

The most common way to take a GMAT examination is to do it right before or during the end of the academic year. For instance, in the fall of one year, I took and ace GMAT exam, which involved taking the test in late October or early November. In my case, I had already been taking and excelled classes the prior spring, and so I knew that I was ready for the exam. But I did not know at that point how long I had to take the test, or what would be the procedure for delivery. With my busy schedule, I did not want to waste time by making a visit to the local office of the testing site in order to take the examination.

I searched on the Internet for local sites that would deliver my GMAT test to my door. Some were free, but others required a fee. And some offered a series of tests throughout the month in return for a one-time fee. I tried a few different things, such as registering for a series of online tests, downloading practice tests, scheduling appointments for personal counseling with a counselor, and so forth. But nothing worked out well for me, so I resorted to another method.

I contacted the local office of the testing site, telling them that I was planning to take a GMAT exam in which month, and they could make accommodations for me. But this proved to be much more expensive than I anticipated. So in order to keep costs down, I decided to take my GMAT examination online. It proved to be much cheaper than the local office, and I was able to get all of the GMAT prep materials I needed, including several practice tests, at no charge whatsoever!

By using the Internet, I was able to take the GMAT exam, which was mailed to me, immediately following each section of the test. Instead of having to drive or fly to a local testing site, which is very time consuming and inconvenient, I simply sat down in my chair at home and logged on to the site. The first section of the test consisted of an essay. This essay covered both factual and fictional statements. I knew that I had to write an essay on each topic, but I found it to be pretty easy.

The next section of the online exam took me to an actual testing site. Again, I was able to complete the exam right away without having to leave the house. It was even better because there were multiple choice questions, which allowed me to practice my sentence structure and develop my command of grammar. In short, I was able to spend several hours practicing my skills at no cost.

At the end of the month, I was informed that I had passed. Although I was very happy about this, I still felt cheated out of a hundred dollars’ worth of practice money. I asked for a refund and got it! I figured that if I had been taking the exam at a local site, it would have taken at least three visits to a local testing site for me to pass. Well, the fourth visit only reinforced the fact that I should have never taken it at a local site!

Now, I am planning on taking the GMAT test in June, which means I will probably have another two months of uninterrupted practice. If I were to take the test in January, I would most likely struggle through at least two sections. I will definitely need all those extra months to become a more well rounded candidate. I can rest assured that taking the GMAT exam held in which month and in which state is entirely separate from whether or not you will pass.

The most important thing I learned from this whole experience is that choosing the location where the exam is held is completely unrelated to whether or not you will take the exam. Although, I had the sense of satisfaction knowing that I got my practice GMAT questions answered in a local testing site, I won’t be as happy until the day I take my actual test. As for my friend who took the GMAT in her local area, she is well rested and confident that she’ll do great on her actual exam. It’s just like having a small vacation in the mountains, sightseeing in various cities, and then returning to get a full night’s sleep. It’s quite the experience!