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Should I take the Online GMAT Exam?

should you take the gmat online?

A flawed exam but an easy choice

The rules for online GMAT have changed so this article is a lot less relevant. Here’s an updated discussion on whether you should take a GMAT Online or In person.

Let’s make this quick. Yes, if your goal is best GMAT score possible then I would suggest taking the GMAT Online Exam. In fact, I’d recommend taking it twice (or three times if you took it before the introduction of the physical white board).

Yes you might be a little disadvantaged by the online whiteboard. Yes, you could have tech issues (I haven’t but plenty of people have). Yes, no break between quant and verbal is a challenge. Still, if nothing else it’s an excellent practice test. And, again, if the goal is best GMAT score possible (not necessarily on the online GMAT but potentially on a future one in person) then even given the potentially frustration inducing characteristics of the exam, the online GMAT it is still worth taking. We’ll go into more detail on the major pros and cons below.

Pro Online GMAT

-Easy scheduling (24/7 7 days)
-Rescheduling costs $60 more than 60 days out, $120 from 15 to 60 days, $180 inside 14 days
-Registration is $300 ($275 at a test center)
-The same test you would take at a test center
-Free score reporting
-MBA programs do not see the score unless you transmit it.

Con Online GMAT

–Online whiteboard instead of plastic board with marker Physical whiteboard now allowed.
-Can only be taken once (not 100% sure this is a con in that we would like in person testing to come back ASAP)
-Potential tech issues (my online GMAT experience and Matt’s online GMAT experience were both easy but Tom had tech issues and so have some of our students.)
-Fixed section order: Quant -> Verbal -> Integrated Reasoning
-Very short break between Quant and Verbal. Just 2 minutes to read instructions. You cannot leave the testing area for a bathroom break until integrated reasoning.

GMAT Online Whiteboard: Not great but can work and there’s a silver lining (somewhat irrelevant because you can use a physical whiteboard)

I know that for many the online white board is a big sticking point and when I first learned about it I felt that it might be a clear deal breaker as well. That said, after having spent a bunch of hours solving tough GMAT quant with the online whiteboard I have to say that I didn’t feel at all disadvantaged. I also think the whiteboard forces you to think in a more GMAT kind of way, avoiding brute force and focusing on setup.

The silver lining is that the discipline required by the online whiteboard could bring your GMAT quant up a notch.The only thing that slowed me down or stopped me in my tracks was not knowing what to do next and that had nothing to do with the clunkiness of the whiteboard.
Yes, sometimes the whiteboard felt a little claustrophobic. But that I think I could get used to with a little more practice.
Here’s a more in depth GMAT Online Whiteboard Review with a bunch of analysis and best practices for using it.

GMAT Online Exam Recommendation

Our general recommendation is that the online GMAT is worth taking. There are no significant drawbacks. At worst it’s a practice test. At best you knock it out and get your dream score from the comfort of your home.

Also, even if you can take an in person GMAT you could use the online option for a retake if you have a bad day or just want to see how high you can go. Comment with any questions!