When should I give the GMAT?

[montoou]

I am currently in 4th year of engineering.
When should I take the GMAT test if I want to get into a B-School directly after my B.E? I was thinking of giving it during my winter vacations, i.e in December. Or should I take the GMAT when closer to the end of B.E i.e in between Feb-April. In May, we have finals.
Any ideas or suggestions?

Thanks

[StaceyKoprince]

Have you looked into the school programs yet? Most business schools require work experience before you start, so you'll be limiting the possible programs if you decide to go right after undergrad.

Also, when you take the test is largely going to depend upon when the application deadlines are - another reason you need to have an idea of where you want to apply. If you want to apply in the US, most deadlines are in the October to January timeframe. If you want to apply in Canada, the deadlines aren't until the spring. In other countries, it differs.

Most people need to study for between 2 and 4 months for the GMAT and, for most people, it's the same level of work as a college course. So, after taking into account the application deadlines of your schools, try to plan your study time for a time when the rest of your life is less busy. Ideally, it's also a great idea to have the test done before you have to do the applications, which take a lot of work.

So, for example, if you're planning to apply to US-based schools in the first or second round (Oct to Dec, usually), then ideally you'd start studying right now and take the test in September. You'll have to overlap your studies and applications a bit, because it's already a bit "late" in the season for US schools. If, on the other hand, you're planning to apply to schools with spring deadlines, then December might be a great time assuming that this fall, you'll be able to accomodate 10-15 hours a week of work on the GMAT.