In the purview of providing user-friendly test interface and in continuing efforts of enhancing GMAT(Graduate Management Admission Test) to exam seekers, Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) has introduced two new features: (i) Select Section Order and (ii) Removal of Profile Update Screens at Test Center. All the mentioned changes will be implemented w.e.f., July 11, 2017. Let’s discuss what the new changes are about!

What is Select Section Order?

Generally, GMAT offers four sections. From July 11, 2017, onwards the test takers can select their desired section at the test centre on the test date, before the inception of the test. The available three options are:

 Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), Integrated Reasoning (IR), Quantitative, Verbal (original order);

 Verbal, Quantitative, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA); or

 Quantitative, Verbal, Integrated Reasoning (IR), Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA).

On this context, Ashok Sarathy, Vice President, Product Management, GMAC said,” The idea of being allowed to choose the section order had been commonly requested by test takers.” He further added, “We conducted a pilot study in 2016 to test this feature and received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with 85 percent of participants surveyed expressing that this new feature boosted their confidence prior to even taking the exam. Our pilot findings also concluded that taking the exam in different section orders continues to maintain the quality and integrity of the GMAT scores.”

Earlier, the GMAT test used to come with AWA section as the first followed by IR, Quantitative and lastly verbal. With these new amendments in test, synchronization will boost up the student’s confidence to bear the bombardment of GMAT questions. In fact, still, now students can opt the previous version of GMAT exam centre.

What is Removal of Profile Update Screens at Test Center?

Before, facing the actual test questions, the candidates were supposed to fill an array of profile based questions which include undergraduate degree, years of work experience, demographics, accessible on the computer monitor at the test center. GMAC decided to withdrew these screens from the testing monitor; although they will still be available for candidates to access and update on mba.com at any time prior to or following their GMAT exam.

Remember, all these changes will be launched in all regions beginning July 11, 2017, at 12:01 am local time. All exams appointments scheduled for July 11 or later will include these changes at the test center.

To keep up the value of GMAT test, GMAC time to time bring changes. Over the past years, GMAT test takers have undergone these changes:

• In March 2016, GMAC introduced score reinstatement policies in  which the test taker’s are eligible to cancel the test score immediately after finishing the test
• In July 2015, the body introduced removal of cancelled score from school score reports. Additionally, it allowed the test takers’ to retake the GMAT test after a span of 16-day time, previously 31-day period.  Enabled test takers to access their Official Score Report online using their date of birth instead of an authentication code
• In January 2015, the body introduced  the GMAT Enhanced Score Report, which provides test takers access to an in-depth analysis of their overall GMAT performance and
• Introduction of GMAT Score Preview, enabling test takers to preview their unofficial scores before deciding whether to report or cancel them (July 2014).