Taking the GMAT in a Test Center versus Online

Testing Center GMAT versus Online GMAT Overview

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) allows students to complete the GMAT in one of two ways: at a testing center or online. Whichever location is chosen, the exam is always taken on a computer, since paper versions of the GMAT were discontinued in 2016. Many people are comfortable with taking the GMAT at a testing center. In the United States (and in major international cities around the world), the GMAT is offered at numerous testing centers that can easily be found by searching the www.mba.com website. Other people, however, desire more control over their testing environment and prefer to take the GMAT online from the comfort of their home. While there are no differences in the GMAT depending on where you complete the exam, it is worth knowing as much as possible about your test-taking options so you can make an informed decision that is best for you and your business school applications.

Registering and Preparing for the GMAT at a Testing Center or Online

Regardless of where you plan on taking the GMAT, registering for the exam begins by creating an account on the GMAC's www.mba.com website.

In order to register, you will need to provide an approved form of identification (passport, government-issued driver's license, government-issued national/state/province identity card, registration card, or military ID card). Make sure you are familiar with the specific ID requirements of the country in which you are taking the GMAT, as they will vary and are subject to change.

Once you have created an account, you can register to take the GMAT at a testing center or online. If you choose to take the exam at a testing center, you can search for and select the center located closest to you. If you register to take the GMAT online, you will be asked to answer a series of security questions. You may want to write down your answers to make sure you remember them, as you will be expected to provide them during check-in on the day of your computerized exam.

If you are taking the GMAT at a testing center, there's not a lot for you to do after registering for the exam except to study and practice your test-taking skills. You no longer need to bring a physical whiteboard when completing the GMAT at a testing center, as you will be given five pieces of laminated paper and two dry erase markers.

If you are taking the GMAT online, you will want to review the GMAC's pre-test checklist and make sure your computer meets all the system requirements. You must take the online version of the GMAT on either a desktop or a laptop computer. Tablets and mobile devices are strictly forbidden, and using a touchscreen on a laptop is also forbidden. The GMAC recommends using a personal computer rather than one at your school or place of work as those computers may have security features that block or prevent you from completing the exam.

You will begin by downloading and installing a secure browser. There are two versions of the secure browser, one each for the Windows and Mac operating systems. You will then run a system check, which automatically tests that your computer has a functioning microphone and webcam and that your operating system, browser, and internet connection meet the minimum requirements.

For optimal performance, it is recommended that test-takers have a reliable and stable internet connection speed of 2 Mbps down/up and that a wired (as opposed to wireless) network is used. Tethering to a mobile hot spot is not allowed, and GMAC also recommends asking anyone else who is in the house while you are taking your test to refrain from using the internet for the duration of your exam to avoid slowing down connectivity. Your webcam may be internal or external, and you must have a microphone and built-in or external speakers. Test-takers are also prohibited from using more than one monitor or extended keyboards.

When you take the GMAT online, you have the option of using a physical whiteboard, a provided online whiteboard, or both. If you would like to use a physical whiteboard, you will need to purchase one that meets GMAC's specifications: one erasable whiteboard no larger than 12 inches by 20 inches (30 centimeters by 43 centimeters). You may have two dry erase markers and one dry erase eraser. Double-sided whiteboards are allowed. Even though you are completing the exam at home, you are not allowed to use paper, pens, pencils, permanent markers, tissues/paper towels/napkins, whiteboard cleaning spray, paper in a clear slide, chalkboards, or writing tablets.

Exam Day: Taking the GMAT at a Testing Center versus Online

Testing Center GMAT

If you are taking the GMAT at a testing center, it is recommended that you arrive 30 minutes early to check in, use the restroom, and secure your items in a locker. You will be asked to show the same ID you used when registering for the exam, and your digital photo and digital signature will be taken. In some locations, a scan may also be taken of your palm vein. You will be assigned a locker where you can store the following items that cannot take into the testing center: cell phone, calculator, scratch paper, rulers, lip balm, earplugs, watches, electronic aids, writing utensils, thesaurus, pamphlets, dictionaries, and translators. Test-takers should familiarize themselves with approved and prohibited testing center items, as these are subject to change and may vary depending on the country in which the GMAT is being taken.

Once in the testing center, you will be assigned a computer station and given instructions about when to begin your exam from the proctor. You are allowed one break, which you may take after the first or second section. If you take your break after you complete the first section, you will not be given another break after completing the second section. There will be on-screen instructions for you to follow during this time. You will be given direction when you have completed the test and it's time for you to leave and retrieve any items you stored in your locker.

Online GMAT

If you are taking the GMAT online, you will be asked to answer the security questions you set up at registration and to type in your first and last name. The proctor will verify your ID, which must match the ID you uploaded during registration. The proctor will then conduct a 360-degree scan of your desk, workspace, and the surrounding area using your webcam to confirm that any additional external monitors are unplugged, that there are no items or objects within your reach, and that there is no food or drink nearby aside from water in a clear container. The proctor may also ask to inspect any objects on the wall, and you may be asked to take certain things down for the duration of the exam.

After your workspace has been inspected through the webcam, the proctor will make sure that no applications are running on your computer before they launch your exam. You will be required to read and adhere to the GMAT Online Exam Test Taker Rules before the test begins. It is important to remember that you will be monitored via webcam and microphone for the entire exam, and the entire testing session will be recorded.

At three different points, you will be asked to erase anything you have written on your whiteboard and show the front and back of the board to the camera. These will be:

Before the exam begins
Before the optional break begins (if you choose to take the break)
Before the exam ends.

During the exam, you have the option of taking one break, which you can take after the first or second section. If you choose to take your break after completing the first section, there will not be another break after you complete the second section. During your break, you may leave the room to use the restroom, but you must leave your camera running. You may not access your phone or any other device, and you must leave your whiteboard at your desk.

After the GMAT: Differences Between Testing Centers and Online?

Whether you complete the GMAT at a testing center or online, you will receive your unofficial score immediately after completing the exam and be prompted to send your score to up to five schools at no additional cost. There are no differences in receiving your scores or sending your scores to schools based on taking the GMAT at a testing center or online.

Does Where You Take the GMAT Affect Test Content?

The GMAT is exactly the same whether you complete it at a testing center or online. The location where you take the exam does not affect its content. You do not receive any more time to complete the three sections when you take the GMAT online versus at a testing center, nor do you receive special privileges, such as being able to eat, chew gum or listen to music. Regardless of where you take the test, it is 2 hours and 15 minutes long and comprised of three sections (Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Data Insights). You can bookmark questions to review and go back and change up to three answers in a section (provided you still have time) whether you complete the GMAT at a testing center or online.

Simply put, the GMAT is exactly the same no matter where you take it.