The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized test, which means that it is given under standard conditions. Part of what makes it possible for schools to look at GMAT test scores and compare them across applicants is the schools’ confidence that the test is administered the same way to everyone who takes it.

Consequently, there are some very specific rules about the way you must behave at the test center. You should understand that there is no flexibility about these rules and the test administrators cannot make exceptions. The following rules apply during the entire GMAT test administration, which begins at check in, includes breaks, and ends at check out. Violations will be documented by the test administrator and reported to Pearson VUE, which administers the test on behalf of the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).

1) When you check in at the test center, the test administrator will ask you to present valid identification (passport, driver’s license, Government Issued ID Card). The administrator will also ask you to agree to the GMAT Examination Testing Rules & Agreement.
2) The test administrator will digitally take your fingerprint, signature, and photograph. Audio and video are recorded in the testing room at all centers during the exam. If you refuse to participate in any part of the check-in process or refuse to allow the audio/video recording, you will not be permitted to test and you will forfeit your test fee.
3) Before you start the GMAT exam on a test center workstation, you will be asked to agree to the GMAT Nondisclosure Agreement and General Terms of Use statement. Electronic confirmation of your agreement is required. If you do not agree to the statement, you will not be permitted to take the test and you will forfeit your entire test fee.
4) No testing aids are permitted during the test session or during breaks. Aids include but are not limited to beepers, pagers, pens, calculators, watch calculators, books, pamphlets, notes, blank sheets of paper, rulers, stereos or radios, telephones or cellular (mobile) phones, stopwatches, watch alarms (including those with flashing lights or alarm sounds), dictionaries, translators, thesauri, personal data assistants (PDAs), and any other electronic or photographic devices or potential aids of any kind.
5) The test administrator will provide you with a booklet of 5 noteboards. If you fill up your noteboards during the test, please raise your hand; the administrator will collect the noteboards you have and give you replacements. You may not remove the noteboards from the testing room during or after the test and you must return them to the administrator after the test.
6) Testing must begin promptly once you are seated at the computer. The length of your appointment is approximately 4 hours.
7) Two optional breaks are scheduled during the test administration. If you exceed the time allowed for these breaks, the excess time will automatically be deducted from the time you have to complete the next section of the test.
8) Testing premises are subject to audio/video recording and other monitoring.
9) You may not communicate with anyone about the content of the GMAT test while the test session is in progress, during any breaks, or after administration of the test.
10) You will not be allowed to eat, drink, or use tobacco in the test center. You may store such items in a locker and take them outside the test center during breaks.
11) You will not be permitted to leave the testing room without the test administrator’s permission. You will be required to provide a digital fingerprint any time you leave or enter the testing room.
12) During a break, you are required to remain in the test center building or in the immediate area. This policy varies depending on the test center location, and it is your responsibility to ask the test administrator where you are permitted to go, for example, to the nearest restroom or smoking area. If you violate test center policy, the administrator may refuse to allow you to reenter the testing room and continue your exam. Again, if you exceed the time allowed for each optional break, the extra time is deducted from your remaining exam time.
13) Access to telephones, cellular (mobile) phones, or other communication devices will not be permitted during the test session or during breaks.
14) Raise your hand to notify the test administrator if you believe you have a problem with your computer, need a new noteboard, or need the test administrator for any other reason.
15) Disruptive behavior in any form will not be tolerated. The test administrator has sole discretion in determining what constitutes disruptive behavior. To understand the consequences of a disruption, please see Cancellation of Scores due to Misconduct.
16) The test administrator is authorized to dismiss you from a test session for various reasons, including, without limitation, providing false information; attempting to take the test for someone else; failing to provide acceptable identification; possessing unauthorized personal items or testing aids; refusing to comply with an administrator’s reasonable requests; giving or receiving unauthorized help; attempting to tamper with the operation of the computer; refusing to follow directions or failing to adhere to any other procedure, policy or rule.
17) For the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section of the GMAT test, you will be required to compose two original essays. Plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. GMAC and Pearson VUE reserve the right to cancel GMAT test scores when, in their judgment, there is evidence of plagiarism. As with all other test records, the AWA essays are the property of GMAC, not examinees.
18) Removing or attempting to remove test content from the test center is strictly prohibited. Under no circumstances may any part of the test content viewed during a test administration be removed, reproduced, and/or disclosed in any form by any means (for example, verbally, in writing, or electronically) to any person or entity at any time. This includes, but is not limited to, discussing or disclosing such test content via e-mail; in any Internet chat room, message board, or other forum; or otherwise. This disclosure prohibition applies before, during, and after any administration of the GMAT exam.
19) Once you have completed the exam, you will receive a series of questions asking about your demographics, background, plans for graduate school, and whether you would like to participate in surveys or receive information from GMAC, graduate business schools, scholarship-granting organizations, and/or certain strategic partners of GMAC participating in the Graduate Management Admission Search Service(GMASS). The answers to these questions may be pre-populated with answers you previously provided.

Note:
GMAC and Pearson VUE reserve the right to take all action(s) that they deem appropriate if an individual fails to comply with the test administrator’s directions or the test terms and conditions, including without limitation test rules, policies or procedures. This includes but is not limited to barring an individual from future testing, canceling or withholding the individuals scores, and/or reporting any rule violations, fraud, or other irregularities to schools or other appropriate third parties, including law enforcement authorities. If your scores are cancelled or withheld, they will not be reported and your entire test fee will be forfeited.

ONLINE REGISTRATION
An applicant can register online on GMAT’s official website:
1) www.mba.com
2) www.gmac.com

Online test fee payment of USD 250 can only be made by credit card or debit card. So, you need to have a Visa, MasterCard, JCB or American Express credit card or a Visa or Master debit card to register online for the GMAT.

REGISTER BY PHONE
Appointment can be scheduled on the following number:
Telephone: 0120 4324628 (95120 from New Delhi)
9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

REGISTER BY FAX
Form can be easily downloaded from the above mentioned sites. The downloaded form should be faxed with the details on the number:
+61 2 9901 3330

NOTE:
1) All the documents must be sent atleast 3 weeks before the first choice of test date.
2) You must receive the confirmation atleast 3 days before the first choice of date else contact with administrator.
3) All the applicants are required to bring their passports along with them as their identification card.

The following are the various testing centre in India:

Pearson Professional Centers-New Delhi, India +91-11-41841472
18,Ramnath House
Yusuf Sarai Community Centre
Above Hyundai Show room
New Delhi, Delhi 110016

Pearson Professional Centers-Hyderabad, India +91-40-66469825
202,ABK Olbee Plaza
Road No.1,Banjara Hills
Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500034

Pearson Professional Centers-Bangalore, India +91-80-41134165
3rd Floor, Trade Center
Dickenson Road
Near Manipal Centre
Bangalore, Karnataka 560042

Pearson Professional Centers-Mumbai, India +91-22-40056787
Building no.9,1st Floor
Solitaire Corporate Park,167 Andheri
J B Nagar Link Rd,Chakala, Andheri (East)
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400093

Pearson Professional Centers-Chennai, India +91-44-43021101
6A, Nelson Chambers ‘E’ Block,
115, Nelson Manickam Road,
Aminjikarai,
Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600029

Kolkatta
Xenitis Technolab Pvt Ltd, Kolkata, WES, India

Ahmedabad
H.L. College of Commerce, Ahmedabad, GUJ, India

Uttar Pradesh
UPTEC Computer Consultancy Limited, Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh

Pune
H.L. College of Commerce, Ahmedabad, GUJ, India

Bhopal
MeritTrac Services Pvt. Ltd, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh

Ranchi
Infinity Academy,Ranchi, Jharkhand

There are two ways to apply for an MBA:
1.First take the GMAT (the Graduate Management Aptitude Test), then decide which B-school to go to and proceed with the application process for each school.
2.The second option is to decide on the B-School, then take the GMAT, and proceed with the application process.

The former process allows one to process the GMAT results and accordingly target schools which are likely to accept your scores. This helps decide on the schools that you really want to get into and those that are your backup. Target schools efficiently and be resourceful.

The latter process takes for granted that one would get the GMAT score required for the schools selected. This is perhaps suitable only for those who are sure of their capability to get into the school. The advantage is that one’s efforts are directed based on the specific goal of getting into specific schools.
If you are aware of the GMAT score you want to reach, you could set a higher goal so that even if you fall short, you will still have the score you require. Assuming that such efforts would pay off well, one reduces the chances of giving up one’s desire of going to the school you hope to.

GMAT is an expensive test to register for. The GMAC, the Council that governs the GMAT, allows a candidate to have his/ her scores sent to five B-schools. Sending score reports to any additional schools would attract an additional fee for each additional school. To not resort to any additional score reports you have to make the decision on the schools before taking the test.

The application process is a lengthy one and includes unexpected running-around.
GMAT
• Register for the test
• Take a mock test
• Gather study material and reference books
• Study
• Exchane notes and relevant topics with other applicants and discuss the same with them
• Attempt more mock tests

TOEFL
• Register for TOEFL
• Gather and study material

Transcripts
• Visit all the UG/ PG institutions you were a part of and check if they had a format for Transcripts
• If they do, then request them to prepare transcripts; if they don’t, prepare a format for them to fill up
• Revisit the campuses to collect transcripts
• Make copies of the transcripts and get them attested
• Enclose attested copies and original transcripts in envelopes and revisit the campus to get the institutions’ stamp across the seal

Recommendations
• Contact prospective recommenders to ask if they are willing to write recommendations.
• Make appointments with those who have agreed, to discuss the content of your recommendation
• Prepare a list of probable questions that the recommender may have to deal with
• Provide recommenders with the questions to fill out
• Contact them and fix a time to collect their responses. Carry envelopes along with each recommender’s name and the name of the school on it. Ensure that the response forms sealed in the envelope and signed across the seal

Essays
• List the essay topics of all the schools to be applied to
• Consider important points and intended content for each topic
• Write the essay
• Tailor-make an essay for every school
• Rework on your content
• Share with peers or professionals who will give an honest review of your work
• Revise and rewrite

Postage/ Courier
Make arrangements for sending transcripts and recommendations. While most schools have online application forms, some cases still require a hard copy of the application.
• Check out costs for international express delivery, post, etc. and the time each will take to deliver
• Ask if discounts are offered to students
• Fix a date for courier visit/ postal delivery

Application
• Fill in the online application forms
• Take print-outs of the completed form where necessary
• Pay application fee, which is usually through a credit card or a bank draft

Points to Remember
• Get the GMAT and TOEFL out of the way quick.
• Ensure that you have time after the test to complete all formalities.
• Before you fully concentrate on preparing for the tests, tour alma maters and workplaces to set the transcript and recommendation process in motion.
• Ensure that you follow up on progress by revisit to the campuses and offices.
• Don’t be lazy about the essays or presume that you will be done before the deadline. With all the traveling you will have to do to get work done, you may not have enough time to complete them in time.
• Pay attention to every aspect of the application. One can never tell what might put off an application reviewer. Plan the application cycle so that every aspect gets its due importance.

Choosing between taking the GMAT or the GRE can be a difficult task. Here are some differences that should make your decision easier:

• GMAT measures verbal, mathematical and analytical skills and predicts how suitable a candidate is for a management-related programme. It does gauge one’s knowledge of business, job skills, or even personal qualities such as motivation, creativity, and interpersonal skills. On the other hand, GRE measures suitability for subjects such as Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Literature in English, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology.

• GMAT and GRE have been designed for native English speakers. Without fluency in English and excellent writing skills, it is impossible to get a good score in the GRE. However, students who cannot articulate well in the language can still perform well in GMAT. Students who are unsure of their language skills would be advised to take GMAT rather than GRE.

• GRE measures all the student’s verbal and quantitative skills in abstract thinking developed till the undergraduate stage. GRE requires widespread knowledge of vocabulary, writing skills and general.

• The GMAT deals with analysis while the GRE is about presenting arguments, preferably those that are abstract and draw reference from diverse sources and disciplines.

• The GRE is suitable for the more academically-minded student.

Beyond Scores
Non-native English speakers have skills and talents other than high GMAT scores. Even if such an application stands out, the graduate school will be interested despite a low GMAT score. Female candidates have a higher chance of being short-listed.

To appeal to candidates from wider backgrounds, graduate schools are looking at roping in students from backgrounds other than management or business. They are looking to admit Publishers, filmmakers, lawyers, theatre agents or graduates in law, medicine or literature.

How can you help yourself?
1. Ask the schools you are applying to which tests they accept. Decide which test (GMAT or GRE) you wish to take on the basis of your ability and also, which school you want to get into. If you have taken the GRE and got a good score you can always ask the schools if they will consider it.
2. Schools look at the overall package of test scores, essays, your background and your motivation. Think thoroughly about which business school would be in your best interest to apply to.
3. Websites on the subject and meetings with admissions directors will help you make an informed decision.

Hence, your final decision must be based on extensive research and a candid personal evaluation of your skills and abilities.