GMAT Focus plan
Book your exam by
For each school, the earliest round you can still realistically make. "Sit by" leaves 21 days for official score reporting; "first attempt" adds 6 more weeks so a retake is possible.
| School | Target round | First attempt by | Sit GMAT by | Focus target | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NanyangIntl | Round 1 (scholarship round), 1 Nov 2026 | 30 Aug 2026 (passed) | 11 Oct 2026 | 655+ | Web: online tests only if taken by 31 Dec 2023 |
| INSEADIntl | Round 2, 3 Nov 2026 | 1 Sept 2026 (passed) | 13 Oct 2026 | 655+ | 5 years; may be taken up to the deadline |
| EsadeIntl | Deadline 2, 18 Nov 2026 | 16 Sept 2026 (passed) | 28 Oct 2026 | 645+ | |
| IIMK PGP-BLIndia | Phase 3, 20 Nov 2026 | 18 Sept 2026 (passed) | 30 Oct 2026 | 655+ | 3 years |
| IIMA PGPXIndia | Round 2, 23 Nov 2026 | 21 Sept 2026 (passed) | 2 Nov 2026 | 665+ | No, test centre only. 5 years |
| IIMB EPGPIndia | Round 2, 25 Nov 2026 | 23 Sept 2026 (passed) | 4 Nov 2026 | 655+ | No. 5 years |
| IIML IPMXIndia | Phase II, 30 Nov 2026 | 28 Sept 2026 (passed) | 9 Nov 2026 | Maximise | No. Valid through deadline |
| IIMC MBAExIndia | Round 2, 1 Dec 2026 | 29 Sept 2026 (passed) | 10 Nov 2026 | 645+ | No. Within 36 months of 1 Aug 2026 (from 1 Aug 2023) |
| HKUSTIntl | Round 2, 3 Dec 2026 | 1 Oct 2026 (passed) | 12 Nov 2026 | 615+ | |
| ISB PGPIndia | Round 2, 6 Dec 2026 | 4 Oct 2026 (passed) | 15 Nov 2026 | Maximise | No, test centre only. 5 years: R2 from 7 Dec 2021, R3 from 18 Jan 2022 |
| NUSIntl | Round 2, 20 Jan 2027 | 18 Nov 2026 | 30 Dec 2026 | 630+ | Must stay valid 1 month after submission |
| WHUIntl | APS applicants (India), 30 Apr 2027 | 26 Feb 2027 | 9 Apr 2027 | 555+ | |
| TrinityIntl | Rolling (apply early), 31 May 2027 | 29 Mar 2027 | 10 May 2027 | 605+ | Web: GMAT Online accepted |
| Melbourne BSIntl | Rounds not published, 31 May 2027 | 29 Mar 2027 | 10 May 2027 | 655+ | |
| SP Jain GlobalIntl | Inferred Oct 2027 deadline, 3 Sept 2027 | 2 Jul 2027 | 13 Aug 2027 | 655+ | 5 years |
Score scale reference
Approximate GMAC concordance points quoted in the research. Not exact conversions or cutoffs.
| Focus | Legacy | Percentile | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 615 | 660 | Approx. | Used for HKUST parity target |
| 635 | 680 to 690 | 81.9th | HEC says 635 is about 690 |
| 645 | 700 | 86.7th | IIMC stretch target |
| 655 | 700 to 710 | 90.5th | Common strategic target |
- Focus scale is 205 to 805; legacy 10th Edition was 200 to 800.
- Indian IIMs and ISB accept only test-centre scores for 2027; online scores are rejected.
- IIMC requires at least the 50th percentile; MBS 560 minimum is legacy-scale, not Focus.
Practice playground
Educational heuristic only. The GMAT is adaptive, so raw correct answers cannot predict a real score.
Planning band
655
Clears targets: Esade, INSEAD, NUS, Nanyang, HKUST, Trinity, WHU, Melbourne BS, SP Jain Global, IIMB EPGP, IIMC MBAEx, IIMK PGP-BL