When Should You Cancel Your GMAT Score?

All in-person GMAT test-takers are entitled to cancel their score immediately after the exam (and for up to 72 hours after leaving the test center).

While this gives you more flexibility in choosing which scores to send along to your target MBA programs, you should know that canceling a GMAT score is almost never recommended.

Understandably, many applicants worry that a low score and/or multiple attempts will send the wrong message to Admissions Committees.

But except in rare circumstances, multiple attempts will not hurt your candidacy. Consider this:

1. Only your highest score will affect an MBA program's ranking.
2. Taking and re-taking the GMAT shows determination and perseverance, and can actually bolster your application.

Let's explore these points in more detail and discuss what you should do if you're unhappy with your score.

How Do GMAT Scores Affect MBA Program Rankings?

To understand why you should almost never cancel your GMAT score, test takers first need to know something about MBA rankings.

When outlets like US News compile MBA program rankings, they consider many factors, including the average GMAT score of admitted students. This means that a program with a high average GMAT score will earn more points towards their ranking than a program with a lower average.

MBA programs know this, and as a result, GMAT scores have become a priority in admissions decisions.

That is, Admissions Committees can directly manage their ranking by accepting candidates with higher GMAT scores.

However, the good news is that only your highest GMAT score will count towards the school's average. Effectively, this means that retaking the GMAT can only improve your standing and will not hurt it.

What’s more, taking the exam multiple times can actually benefit your candidacy, especially if your score is close to or even lower than the average at your target programs.

Why Retaking the GMAT is (Almost) Always a Good Idea

As we’ve just learned, the GMAT is important to MBA programs because it directly impacts their rankings.

This might tempt you into taking a perfectionist approach to your score – to feel that only your absolute best is acceptable, and that all other scores should be canceled.

On the flip side, because taking the GMAT is a difficult and time-intensive process, you may be tempted to treat an above average score as “good enough” and simply move on to the next step in the admissions process.

However, both approaches will cause you to miss out on the strategic benefit that comes with multiple GMAT attempts:

Walking away from your first GMAT, refreshing the materials, and putting yourself through the stress of another examination helps demonstrate to the Admissions Committee that you will be a hard-working, driven candidate once you are admitted to business school.

If you take the exam only once and feel satisfied with your score, even if it is above average, you may be communicating a certain reluctance to work hard, to improve yourself, and to maximize your results.

And similarly, by canceling all scores but your highest, you are essentially “erasing” all the effort that went into your final result.

In general then, you should plan on taking the GMAT more than once.

And instead of figuring out a minimum GMAT score threshold – where you will cancel a lower score or move ahead with an above average score – you should be concerned with figuring out how to improve on the next attempt!

What Else Should I Consider Before Canceling My GMAT Score?

There are a number of other factors that you might want to take into account before canceling your GMAT score.

How many exams have you already taken?

If you get a low score on your first GMAT exam, there is almost no reason for you to cancel your score. It's better to have an additional score report in your back pocket in case your next attempt does not go to plan.

How much time do you have before your MBA deadlines?

The closer you are to your MBA deadlines, the less inclined you should be to cancel your GMAT score.

With pressure and to-dos mounting – application forms, essays, interview preparation, etc. – you should factor in how much time you will need to divest from building the rest of your application in order to retake the GMAT.

Will you realistically have time to refresh all of the materials, take practice tests, and hone in on your weaknesses alongside writing your essays and completing your applications? Further, even if you manage to fit in additional preparation, how likely is it that you will achieve a higher score?

For applicants close to deadlines, it is therefore not recommended to cancel their GMAT score.

Have you taken the exam in multiple formats?

Whether positive or negative, taking the GMAT online is a very different experience compared to the in-person exam. Some test takers report feeling "in the zone" in test centers, while others feel that the pressure of taking an exam in a crowded room can cause them to earn a score below their true capabilities.

The trouble is that you have no way of knowing what format will suit you best before experiencing both first-hand.

That’s why it is recommended that you take the GMAT both online and in-person before canceling your score, as test conditions can impact your results. Even if you think an online exam is a better fit for you, you might be surprised by the results on test day.

Have you devised a plan with your GMAT tutor?

The most important consideration to make when it comes to deciding on canceling your GMAT score is your plan for improvement.

Without a solid plan between now and your test date to improve your score, there is nothing to be gained from canceling. Your GMAT tutor should be able to help you construct a study plan to maximize the time before your next exam, addressing your weaknesses and reinforcing your strengths.

If your study has been self-directed, it would be worthwhile to speak with a GMAT tutor to evaluate whether professional help might improve your score.

When To Cancel A GMAT Score

There are only a few circumstances where canceling a GMAT score is advisable.

First, suppose you have been scoring at a certain range on practice exams, and on test-day, you earn a much higher score. No doubt this would be a welcome surprise, and you may schedule one or two more attempts to see if you can earn even better marks.

But then with every attempt, you earn a significantly lower score than your first, making the single high score, in light of all evidence, an anomaly. In this case, you should cancel all subsequent scores and leave the single high score in place. 

Second, suppose your highest GMAT score is significantly below your school's average, and all your retakes have been even lower.

In this case, you should consider canceling the lowest scores.

How Do I Cancel My GMAT Score?

If you really want to cancel your score, you will have two minutes after the exam, while previewing your unofficial scores, to accept or cancel it. If you don't decide, your score will be automatically canceled and you will not have access to your official score report. Note that your analytical writing assessment score will not be included in the unofficial report.

If you accept your score, you can still cancel it up to 72 hours after the exam via mba.com. Canceling your score may take up to 24 hours, depending on your test center, and there is a $25 fee to cancel your score after leaving the test center.

Note that it is not possible to cancel GMAT online scores! If you take the GMAT online exam, you will not have the opportunity to view an unofficial score report, and so you will not be able to cancel GMAT scores from the online exam.

However, your GMAT online score is separate from any exam you take at the test center, and you can decide not to send your official score report to your business schools.

I've Already Canceled My GMAT Score – Can I Get it Reinstated?

If you choose to cancel your score at the test center, your score can be reinstated up to four years and 11 months after the exam date for a $50 fee.

So if you panic and cancel your GMAT score (and then perhaps read this article!), you’ll have plenty of time to consider whether it was the right move.

Conclusion

Even though it may be tempting, it is almost never recommended to cancel your GMAT score.

Because MBA program rankings only factor in your highest score, and because multiple attempts at the GMAT demonstrate a strong work ethic and dedication to earning your MBA, it is a wise idea to keep a record of all your GMAT attempts.

So if you’re thinking about canceling your score, make sure to consider the following:

• Do you already have a GMAT score? If not, do not cancel.
• Will you have time to improve your score before your MBA program deadlines? If not, do not cancel.
• Have you taken the GMAT online and in person? If not, do not cancel.
• Do you and your GMAT tutor have a plan to improve your score? If not, do not cancel.

If you still want to cancel your score, you can do so at the test center or within 72 hours of the test. It isn't possible to cancel a GMAT score online, but you can choose not to send them to your schools.

Finally, if you did cancel your GMAT score and want to have it reinstated, you have 4 years and 11 months to make that decision.