What do I do with my GMAT test in this time of contingency?
Faced with the declaration of a pandemic by SARS-COV-2 (mostly known as Coronavirus, which produces the COVID-19 disease), all countries and institutions have taken certain contagion prevention measures to mitigate the effects of the disease. GMAC, the institution responsible for applying the GMAT, is not exempt from the emergency, and is taking its own steps. In this blog post we will tell you what decisions they have made for the application of their exams.
Canceling your appointment
Several countries, especially European and China, have suspended non-essential activities. Among these, taking standardized tests such as the GMAT. If your exam has been canceled in your country, once you had it scheduled and paid for, GMAC will contact you to reschedule your exam, free of charge, or have a full refund. If you decide to reschedule, do not do it directly on the page, as the fee to reschedule the exam would apply. Contact GMAC by email [email protected] or call + 1-703-668-9605 (Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 5:00 pm ET).
Canceled exams
If you submitted your GMAT and decided to cancel your results with the intention of retaking the exam, the GMAC has decided to waive the score reinstatement fee. This, since it will be very difficult for you to find a test center available in your country of origin due to the threat of the disease. If you want to apply to a business graduate with the score you have obtained, go to your account at mba.com and select ” Reinstate Score “. Your score will be activated within 5-7 days, and it will be sent to the programs you have selected.
Here are the countries that have canceled the GMAT exam, and when is the next exam date.
- Argentina: Next date on April 13.
- Canada: Suspension in most centers. Next date May 1 in Ottawa
- Chile: Next date on April 13
- Colombia: Next date on April 21
- Costa Rica: Next date May 4
- El Salvador: Next date May 6
- Ecuador: Next date April 16
- Guatemala: Next date April 14
- Honduras: Next date May 1
- Panama: Next date on April 20
- Peru: Next date on April 20.
- Spain: Next dates on April 14
- Mexico: [Update to April 4] At least one test center follows normal applications in Mexico City, the next exams being April 6, 7 and 8.
Not canceled
If the test centers in your country have not closed and your exam has not been suspended, the measures in the centers are those recommended by the WHO, which include intensive cleaning tasks, use of antibacterial gel and disinfectant towels, in addition to the measures of healthy distance that the population should have. If you are going to attend the center, do so with the necessary protection. In the event that you prefer not to do so, we suggest you write to the contact center: [email protected] or call + 1-703-668-9605 (Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET ). Here we care about your health, and we all have a social responsibility to avoid contagion, therefore, our recommendation is that, even when the center is open, you consider the possibility of rescheduling the exam. If you need the exam to apply in the immediate future (to start your graduate degree in Fall 2020) take into account that many universities are allowing you to send your application without an official GMAT score. Here more information about it.
Online exam
GMAC plans to launch an official online exam in mid-April. Any update on this exam will be published in due course. It is also important to consider that the vast majority of business schools accept the GRE in addition to GMAT. And the GRE already has an online option that you can take from your home. This option is available for certain countries, such as Colombia. In this article you can find more information about it.
In these moments of contingency, we recommend that you follow all prevention measures. Wash your hands frequently, avoid leaving your home – even though there are still no restrictions in your country, keep a healthy distance from others – between one and a half and two meters – pay attention to all the WHO health recommendations and the authorities of your country and, above all, take care of yourself and the people who are in contact with you.