Taking the GMAT test is no mean feat at all. Only a very tiny percentage of test takers who spend less than a month studying for the test actually earn a high score. Most often than not, test takers spend months studying for this test in order to achieve high scores.
You can’t possibly start studying or cramming 2 weeks before the test. So, we advise you to consider rescheduling your test, if you’ve had a very short time to prepare for the test.
Rescheduling your test, if you have already registered, will attract an extra charge of $50. It’s a better than registering for a new test because you didn’t earn good-enough scores on one.
If you’ve had enough time to prepare, then come along with us. We will show you six important things you should know before your test date.
6 Things You Should Know Before the GMAT Test Day
Firstly, we can’t overemphasize the fact that you need to be mentally, physically, and emotionally ready for the GMAT test before the test day. We should also let you know that there are those usual anxiety pangs that could hit hard few minutes or days before the test day. This anxiety or panic attacks, if not properly handled could make a horrible mess of the test for you.
But we’ve got you covered! And we will like to share a few tips with you on how to manage your time and your emotions before and during the test.
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1. Ensure You Have the Requisite Documents Before the GMAT Test Day
There’s no way you’ll be allowed to write the GMAT test without a valid means of identification irrespective of the location of the test centre in Nigeria. Identifying documents may include a valid driver’s license or an international passport.
In Nigeria, often times, the acceptable means of identification is a valid international passport.
So, what to do? If you do not have a valid international passport, visit the nearest Nigerian Immigrations Service office. They will give you information on how to get one before your test date. You can also visit their website for further information. There, you will get more information on how to process one before you visit any of the offices.
We advise you to avoid the touts on the streets who will promise to get you one without hassles. Most of them are fraudsters and will run with your money. To avoid stories that touch, you are better off following the official process of getting a valid international passport.
Once you’ve got that, keep it in a safe place. This way, you can have easy access to it when you need it.
2. Take a Study Break
We know it can get really tempting to spend hours into days cramming, crossing t’s and dotting I’s before the test day. This in itself can make you anxious and excessively nervous about the test. So we advise you to take time off from studying to rest and relax at least 24 hours before the test day.
Doing this will put you at a high performance and energy level on the test day. More so, your brain will serve you better during the test when you do this.
3. Have Your Items Laid Out the Night Before the GMAT Test
It seems like an insignificant action, right? Far from it. Laying out everything you’ll need from your documents to your outfit, credit or debit card, cash, snacks etc. will actually make you prepared for the exam so that you can rest well enough before you set out for the test the next day. You don’t want to jump out of your bed on the test day looking for the right thing to wear to the test centre. And you definitely don’t want to have to come back to your apartment halfway through the trip to the test centre because you forgot an important item.
Here’s a list of some items we recommend you have ready the night before you write the GMAT test:
Means of identification – a valid international passport for test takers in Nigeria.
Comfortable (and we also advise warm) clothing that you’ll be wearing to the test centre. We say warm clothing because most centres are usually very cold as a way to manage the heat emission from the array of computers.
Personal items like your purse and keys.
Medications in case you’ll need some during the test. It could include pain reliever, an inhaler if you use one, eyeglasses or contact lenses if you use them and a special pair of glasses if you need one to read from the computer.
A bottle of water and/or a snack – an energy-packed one will do (of course you are not permitted to have these with you during the test but you should be granted access to them during your breaks).
A list of the five schools you’ll like to send your GMAT scores to. Before and on the test day, you are allowed to send your scores to a maximum number of 5 schools. So, if you haven’t submitted your list yet, having them ready a night before the test is important. Then again, sending scores to your recipients is absolutely FREE (well, included in your test fee) till the test is over. Once you submit your test, you’ll be charged for every score you send to your score recipients. So you should take advantage of the test day score reporting to save some $$$.
You may also choose to have some study materials with you for a light review probably on the trip to the test centre or in those few idle moments before you get to sit in front of the computer.
4. Be Physically Prepared
This is an all-important part of being prepared for the exam that you must pay attention to. Your emotional and physical health, to a large extent, will play a major role in how you will fare on the test.
So, you must ensure that you sleep and rest well enough the night before the test. You should also have a good breakfast (preferably something rich in protein) and something to eat during the test to avoid “hunger-related” distractions on the test.
Also, don’t try to overload your brain with last-minute cramming the night before your test. Take some time to see a movie with a friend or stream your favourite sitcoms via YouTube or any other streaming site like Netflix.
Aha! You could also choose to work out! This keeps you physically fit and alert for the task ahead. Then again, you could continue knitting the sweater you abandoned because you had to prepare for the GMAT exam or bake something nice and light (could be the snack you’ll take with you to the test centre).
5. Plan Your Transportation
How do you hope to get to the test centre? You should take the shortest possible route to save time and get to the test centre early enough. If you’ll be driving down to the test centre, then you should ensure you have sufficient gas. And if you’ll be going to the centre through commercial transport: bus, cab, or by rail, then you should know what route the vehicle will be taking and an estimate of how long the trip to the centre will be.
You should also ensure you have your fare. Being stranded is the last thing you want on an all-important day like your GMAT test day.
It could get really frustrating when you have to hurry through traffic to your test centre. If this happens, it is very likely that you will be tired, nervous and a bit disoriented by the time you settle in for the test.
So, it is important that you set out early based on the information you have about the mode of transportation you’ll be going through.
6. Take the Breaks During the Test
Even if you think you don’t need the breaks, we advise you to take every break you are allowed to take during the test. You can seize them to go to the bathroom, stretch your muscles, snack on something, or just relax and have your mind alert and ready for the rest of the test.
We can tell you for free that stretching and moving the muscles of your torso, back and legs will get more oxygen flowing to keep you awake and thinking clearly.
Finally, stay positive! We know we said GMAT is no mean feat. Yeah, that still holds true. But you need to stay positive irrespective of your history with standardized tests or the lack of it. A positive mind will increase your level of self-confidence and keeps you assured well enough to trust that you can do great on the test.
Keep the positive vibes all through your study period and, of course, as you walk into the test centre and during the test.
May the odds ever be in your favour!