ComplaintsforGraduate Management Admission Council

• Initial Complaint

  06/06/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am writing to bring your attention to a serious issue I encountered during my recent GMAT exam. On 05/08/2023, I paid 300 USD+ tax to GMAC for the exam registration with the expectation of receiving a fair testing experience. However, I am deeply disappointed and frustrated by the events that transpired. Introduction: On 05/08/2023, I paid 300 USD + tax to GMAC for the GMAT exam, which was intended to provide me with a valid assessment for my business school applications. Explanation of the dispute: During the exam, I was informed, without any prior notice, that laminated whiteboards were no longer permitted. This sudden change in the rules was not clearly communicated in the exam regulations or any prior correspondence. Consequently, I was unable to use the materials I had prepared, placing me at a significant disadvantage and undermining the fairness of the exam. As a result, I now face the inconvenience and financial burden of having to retake the exam. Business's attempts to resolve the issue: Despite my efforts to seek resolution, including reaching out to GMAC's customer service representative, *******, via email [Ticket number: ******], I have received no response to my detailed message. Additionally, ******* sent a dismissive email, stating that any further communication from me would be disregarded. This lack of responsiveness and dismissive attitude demonstrates a failure on the part of GMAC to address and resolve the issue. Account/order tracking number: My GMAC ID is ************, and the appointment ID for the exam in question is ***********. These details should help in identifying the specific transaction and the associated records. In light of these circumstances, I kindly request a thorough investigation into this matter and a prompt resolution. As a paying customer, I expected GMAC to uphold its commitment to providing a fair testing environment and delivering on the services promised.

  Business response

  06/21/2023

  This candidate did not have a whiteboard that meets out requirements. They  contacted GMAC regarding the whiteboard issue on May 8. On May 11th a response was sent stating that the candidate was turned away correctly because the laminated sheet that they presented to the proctor did not meet our posted whiteboard requirements. The candidate responded to that email with an appeal on May 11, and received a final decision notice on May 12th. Any additional emails and comments on social media posts were not responded to. The whiteboard policy can be found on our site  **************************************************************************************, under whiteboard options. If the whiteboard that a candidate plans to use does not meet the stated requirements, they have the option to use the digital whiteboard, provided for all test takers. 

  We stand behind our original decision on this matter. 

  Customer response

  06/22/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because: This business is clearly dodging the main idea in my complaint: there are NO claims on their website that a student must use a whiteboard that is ***purchased****, ***unbendable*** AND/OR has to be *****exactly**** like the one shown on this link: **************************************************************************************

  The whiteboard requirements on GMAT's website are as follows:

  'Whiteboard Requirements:
  1 erasable whiteboard no larger than 12 inches x 20 inches (30 centimeters x 50 centimeters)
  Up to 2 dry erase markers
  1 dry erase whiteboard eraser'

  And that is it. There are no additional requirements that clearly indicate a whiteboard must have frames, must be purchased from a stationary, or must not be bendable. These behind-the-scenes details are delibarely hidden from students preparing to take the exam, only for students to find these rules at the time of the exam and having to conform to the 'digital whiteboard', which is ineffective. GMAT hereby deliberately denies clearly stating their exam rules and it is a SHAME on their end that they are STILL not adding that information on their website, which could save tens of thousands of students hassle, worldwide. 

  GMAT is ill intended and tries to rip off students by not refusing to state exam rules clearly.
  
  Regards,
  
  ****** ******

• Initial Complaint

  05/31/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  GMAC issues the GMAT exam, which I am taking to get into grad school. I have a disability, and was granted specific testing accomidations by GMAC. When I showed up to take the test, the accomidations were not applied to the test as discussed. Even though, prior to paying for my exam, I called GMAC to confirm that my exam would have my discussed accomodation. They said, on a line that they were recording, that my exam would have the accomodations. The test did not have the needed accomidations, and therefore I was unable to take the exam. GMAC has since refused to refund me ($275) that I paid for that exam. I even asked to just receive a Voucher to go take the test again for no additional charge. GMAC is taking advantage of my disability and refusing to give any refund/another free exam for messing this up. Again, I did not get to take the exam.

  Business response

  06/16/2023

  The candidate received an accommodation decision letter on 22 March 2023. The individualized decision letter included specific scheduling information and directions to contact ******* *** directly to schedule accommodated test center appointments. The decision letter also included the following statement:
  
  If you schedule a GMAT appointment without using the scheduling method described below, your appointment will not include any accommodations. 
  
  The test taker did not follow the explicit instructions contained in the decision letter and instead scheduled a test center appointment via self-service through ***.com on 25 April 2023. As such, we stand behind our decision and encourage the candidate to schedule accommodated appointments by following the instructions contained in their individualized decision letter. 

  Customer response

  06/21/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:  I called customer support as soon as I was ready to book my appointment (as stated on the email) I asked the agent what I was supposed to do. The agent told me that since I was approved, I need to just book it online and that my accomodations would be applied. I was lied to. I have spent thousands of dollars with you already. I want my money back. 
  
  Regards,
  
  *************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  05/26/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Dear officer, my name is ********************* and I have took the GMAT online test on May 15th. On May 23rd, GMAC sent me an email saying that I had used an electronic device during the exam and cancelled my score as a result. However, I never used any electronic devices other than the exam computer during the exam and did not commit any irregularities. GMAC's supervision is very strict. If I violate any rules during the exam, I will be terminated immediately on the spot, and the use of electronic devices is even more impossible. The only time I used my phone during the whole process happened after the exam was over. Because one of the graduate programs I'm applying to has its ddl on 5.17, the school allows students to submit unofficial transcripts before the official transcript results are available. However, since the GMAT online test does not provide a channel to download unofficial transcripts, I can only upload my test results to the school by taking pictures of my test results. I had already explained the situation to the invigilator and obtained permission before I was about to get my phone and take the picture. I am absolutely certain that I did not violate any GMAC regulations for my entire exam. On 5.24, I have appealed to GMAC by email, but they replied that it will take 15 days to review. But the school that I submitted my application on 5.17 is urging me to supplement my transcripts, and I also have other programs with deadlines on May 30th and June 1st. I fully understand that they need a long time to process due to the large number of candidates. However, if I couldn't get my GMAT score by the deadline, it means I would have to give up my dream schools due to the wrong decision made by GMAC. I hope the review officer could help to recover my exam score as soon as possible. My GMAC ID is: ************, my test Appointment ID is ***********, and my Email is: ******************** Thanks for your support and wish you a nice day. Looking forward to your reply.

  Business response

  06/14/2023

  This candidate took advantage of our appeals process, and was provided a final decision on June 1. The team had reviewed all additional documentation provided, and we stand by our original decision. 

  Customer response

  06/18/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  As shown in my attached GMAC email, their response to the candidate is very vague, providing only the results of the determination but not including any reasons. I got a high score through my hard work, and it is clear from GMAC's response this time that they did not mention electronic devices again, which means that the reasons they provided before are not justifiable, and I don't understand why they still canceled my score. 

  I did not continue to appeal to GMAC for two reasons: 1. GMAC forced this result to be the final result and there is no room for appeal; 2. my application ddl has passed and I missed the opportunity to apply to 3 dream schools because of this.

  Nevertheless, I still hope that the BBB can help me to investigate the reason why GMAC made such a final decision on my score. I think their process and the way they judge is unreasonable, and I hope that my misfortune will not happen to other candidates anymore.

  Many thanks.

  Regards,
  
  *********************

• Initial Complaint

  05/02/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On April 5 2023 I took the GMAT Online. The proctor provided by GMAC interrupted me 3 separate times during the most difficult section, the Quant Section. She interrupted me while deep in thought, wrongly accused me of cheating, forced me to videotape my room/desk WHILE THE CLOCK WAS RUNNING ON THE SECTION, and wasted minutes of valuable exam time, causing me to score significantly less than I had on my practice exams. Immediately upon completion of the test, I relayed these very serious proctoring concerns to GMAC by phone and email. I was told that a response will take up to 20 days. I waited for a response. But a response never came. Instead, I received an automated email stating that my scores were posted in my ***.com account. Since these scores should be 100% invalid based on the proctor's actions, I called GMAC again. Frankly speaking, they make it impossible to reach anyone in the USA by phone. And anyone I reached overseas had no authority to help me, they only told me to contact GMAC by email. So I emailed my concerns to GMAC yet again. They responded and I was told a decision will take 2 weeks. After 13 days they responded and told me that my appeal is denied because the proctor "only wasted 40 seconds of test time." This does not take into account the multiple mid-section interruptions that would disturb anyone's train of thought, and which forced me to restart 3 questions over from the beginning. Given the thin margins for success on the GMAT, their utter lack of accountability and empathy for my concerns, or even any fair appeal process, is totally absurd. I am still demanding the test result be cancelled and refunded, or at least a voucher given to retake the exam. I am left believing that GMAC simply does not listen to these sorts of concerns because test-takers are left with no recourse other than to sit for the exam again and pay GMAC another $300. I consider GMAC in breach of contract with me as they did not give me a fair test.

  Business response

  06/15/2023

  On May 18, 2023 GMAC communicated with the candidate and offered him a voucher to retake his exam. He replied on June 14, accepting our offer. That same day, we responded to the candidate with a voucher code. This issue has been resolved. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/16/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On 02/14/23 I paid $275 for a GMAT exam after working hard to be able to afford it. I was excited to take the exam and further my career. As you may know, there are only two exams that MBA programs accept. Once you have started studying the switching cost between one exam to the other is huge because of the time that it would take to take another exam. This is why GMAC needs to be closely looked at. The abuse of power in pricing, but also in failing to accommodate people. It hurts everyone. I was turned away from my exam because my driver's license included my maiden name. GMAT asked me for my first name, middle name, and last name. I was never asked for my maiden name. There was no warning or information on maiden names when registering. Even after being turned away, I provided 5 different forms of identification that showed my first three names. I was still turned away. I was on the phone with their call centers outside the United States for 3 days straight. Some told me that I would be able to reschedule the exam for free, others told me to call back because this was out of their jurisdiction. I had to deal with almost 12 different people for 3 days and got nowhere. I then emailed the GMAC team directly and said that I did not want a refund, all I wanted was to be able to take the exam again! Instead, they turned me down twice and told me: "We have reviewed your request for a refund or voucher. Our previous decision on this matter holds firm, no further requests will be considered nor will we respond to any additional emails regarding this issue. Your incident is now closed." Please see request (******) answered by *** on 03/23/23. After expressing my financial situation and my need to simply just take the test and not have to pay for another one, *** simply closed my case with no hesitation or help. I am not able to afford another exam currently and will not be able to take the exam before the application deadline. Seriously this is devastating.

  Business response

  03/24/2023

  When a user creates a GMAT profile, we call attention to our name/ID policy. We state "Your name must exactly match the identification (ID) that is presented at time of testing. If there is not an exact match, you will not be able to take your test and you will not be reimbursed for any fees paid." This can be seen in the attached screenshot from our GMAT profile page. Our ID policy, found here: ************************************************************, also states "Your ID must be current, legible, and include: Your name using the Roman alphabet, shown exactly as you provided when you registered, including the order and placement of your name(s)".

  We stand by our decision on this matter.

  Customer response

  03/26/2023

  [To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed as Answered]
  
   Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  It showcases the abuse of power that GMAC exerts over their customers. Please take a look at a similar case: *****************************************************************************************

  
  

  This is an example of another Hispanic student having a problem because their ID included their maiden name. GMAC is the only provider of the GMAT test for business school and they have fully taken advantage of this. They charge $300 for the exam (which is taken multiple times). Not to mention the cancellation fee on the test is $200 and the reschedule fee is $175. If you want to do well on the exam, you need to pay for their practice exams as well! This is a blatant abuse of power and low income students across the United States are the ones that are being affected the most.
  
  I never once asked for a refund, all I wanted was to be able to retake the test and they wouldn't even do that. It is sad to think that other students are discouraged from applying to business school because they can't overcome these financial hurdles placed by GMAT. I paid for this test out of pocket. I went to the test center, got turned down because my ID had my maiden name. Tried to ask for another appointment, instead they chose to take my money and provide no refund whatsoever. I am now unable to take the exam, and lost $300 that I could not afford losing.
  
  Even if it's not for me, I hope the BBB starts to look at this organization closer. Their customer service is horrific and they do not care that this is the case because people will have to take the exam one way or another if they want to go to business school. This business should have a terrible rating and I hope that the space gets more competitive in the future because I can't imagine how many other American low income minorities have been discouraged from business school because of GMAC.
  
  Thank you for taking the time,
  
  Regards,
  
  *********************************
  

• Initial Complaint

  12/02/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Date of the transaction: 18 April 2022 Amount: 316.18 USD Service: GMAT online exam (required for my MBA applications). Dispute reason: I was refused access to my scheduled GMAT™ online exam session (appointment # *********** on 04/18/2022) because I presented an official Canadian Government-issued province identity card, but the test proctor deemed it "non-compliant" to GMAC's ID requirements. The ID actually followed all GMAC ID requirements for my specific location (signature, recent photograph, date of birth and my name) as outlined in GMAC's webpage: **************************************************************************************** .I also presented my passport to the test proctor, but he completely disregarded it since the 1st ID was "not compliant", which was false. I contacted GMAC's customer service to seek a refund. I had multiple email exchanges with numerous customer service agents based overseas, whom I constantly needed to update on my case as it was always a new person. I obtained no proper support nor a refund to my claim until today (almost 7 months later). In sum, I have complied to GMAC's requirements as per the accepted official IDs in Canada. To face so many issues despite following all mandatory requests from GMAC has been more than frustrating and delayed my MBA applications. The test Proctor clearly made a mistake at the time of my GMAT Online exam and I'd like to obtain a refund for it.

  Business response

  12/05/2022

  The ID the candidate presented on the day of their exam did not comply with the ID policy for the GMAT exam. The candidate presented a Canadian Health Card which is not one of the acceptable forms of identification. This information is available on our website, and was explained to the candidate when they contacted GMAC.
  
  Acceptable IDs:
  International travel passport
  A passport is always required when taking the exam at a location outside of your country of citizenship
  Expired passports are not acceptable and renewal papers do not make an expired passport valid
  Permanent Resident Cards are acceptable for non-citizen residents
  Government-issued driver’s license
  Government-issued national/state/province identity card
  Military ID card
  
  The passport presented on exam day was not accepted as at the policy stated that the ID being used for the exam must be uploaded 48 hours prior to the exam start time. 

• Initial Complaint

  06/29/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I attempted to take a GMAT exam and was not able to complete it due to technical difficulties. Not to worry I was told I would receive an opportunity to retake it with a voucher in which I never received. This test is 350 dollars of which I do not have to throw away. I checked my spam and emails and no such email exists with a voucher that would allow me to complete the exam. I asked a customer representative today as a final reach out before filing a complaint if a resolution was made I was not aware of. The representative informed me I had been given a voucher. I asked her to screenshot or forward me a copy of the email providing proof of date sender and resolution. The original information was not provided. Retyping information is not proof an email was sent. The representative made me aware of 2 things -The voucher expired in February of 2021 although the test happened in December of 2021. -The representative did not forward me that email but instead typed a voucher code with an expiration date of Feb 2022 and emailed it to me. This is not proof. To resolve this I would like a voucher to retake the exam or a refund. I have emails of my communication to receive this voucher if needed.*************************

  Business response

  07/18/2022

  The candidate contacted us to follow up 6 months after the exam. An email was sent on December 30, including a voucher code that was set to expire February 2022. When the candidate contacted us in June we did see that there was a typo in the expiration date saying that it expired in 2021. Had the candidate contacted us between December and February they would have been informed of the correct expiration date and possibly been eligible for an extension. 

• Initial Complaint

  05/18/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Hi, I took the gmat on May 13th 2022 it stated I used an unauthorized electronic device. I’m not sure exactly how this was determined but I only had my laptop in the room as per the instructions. The only thing I can think of is during the verification of the exam I was looking down and you may have thought I was using a cell phone. But I was just nervous from the issues and the proctor was not coming clearly through my speaker. I was trying to adjust the volume and fix the issue. Being on camera also made me very uneasy but I was able to gain my composure for the actual exam portion. I did not take a break and never left the view of the camera. The check in issues also made me very nervous since it was my first time and there were several issues including the screen flickering. I’m an active duty military service member and suffer from ptsd from experiences when deployed to ****. I took this test he cause I needed it for advanced military schooling and this ban will certainly affect my military career. I’m simply asking for the benefit of the doubt and a chance to either get my official score or if you would kindly refund and allow me retake the exam.

  Business response

  06/02/2022

  GMAC Test Security has reviewed this complaint. Upon further review of the exam, we have found additional supporting evidence and stand by our decision to cancel the candidate's score and ban from testing. 

• Initial Complaint

  11/24/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  My name is *********************** and I took the GMAT home version on Oct 25, 2021. My GMAT ID is ************ and my appointment number is ***********. I scored 750 but haven't received my official score report after 10 business days. I have sent over messages, emailed, and called, only been asked to confirm my **** ID and email address over and over. Once I was told that the time frame would be 'as long as it takes'. On Nov 5, 2021, I received an email from GMAC saying that my score is high and needed to be reviewed for an additional 20 business days to ensure the 'fairness' of the GMAT test. On the contrary, my classmate, who is ********* and a ***** citizen scored 770 on his test and received his official score report only 3 hours after his exam. I don't want to stress over how many deadlines I have missed because of this or how this situation affected my business school applications. PLEASE STOP RACISM.

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