- GMAC will launch a GMAT Superscore feature combining best section scores from attempts
- The feature will be available from August at no additional cost to all test takers
- Superscore aims to reduce stress and better reflect candidates' true abilities
The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) has announced a major change to the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), introducing a new GMAT Superscore feature that will allow candidates to combine their best section scores from multiple test attempts.
The feature is expected to be launched in August and will be available to all test takers at no additional cost.
According to GMAC, the new system has been introduced to help reduce score-related stress among candidates. Many students take the GMAT more than once in an effort to improve their performance, but a single test attempt may not always reflect their actual abilities. As a result, some candidates hesitate to apply to their preferred business schools or choose not to submit their scores.
With the new Superscore feature, candidates will be able to showcase their strongest overall performance. The system will automatically calculate a combined score using the highest section scores from valid attempts of the latest GMAT edition. Scores from both test centre exams and online exams will be considered.
The Superscore will be visible in candidates' MBA.com accounts and will also appear as an additional score on official reports sent to business schools.
Explaining the decision, GMAC said that one testing experience or a lower score in a particular section does not always tell the full story about a candidate's potential. The organisation said the new feature is intended to recognise the effort and improvement shown by candidates across multiple attempts.
GMAC also pointed to research on standardised tests, which suggests that superscores can be a better indicator of future academic performance than a single test score. The council said its experts have found evidence supporting the use of superscoring at the graduate level and plan to continue studying its impact with business schools.
The change is expected to benefit students who retake the GMAT to improve specific sections of the exam. Instead of relying on one overall score, candidates will now have an opportunity to present the best results they have achieved across different attempts.
The GMAT is one of the world's most widely accepted entrance exams for management education. It is currently accepted by more than 7,700 programmes at over 2,400 business schools worldwide. The introduction of the Superscore is expected to give applicants another way to strengthen their profiles during the admissions process.
