mba.com Privacy Policy

Effective Date: December 13, 2008

Purpose of this Privacy Policy

Thank you for visiting mba.com, a website developed and maintained in the United States of America by the Graduate Management Admission Council® (GMAC®). This privacy policy, as part of our overall Terms and Conditions, covers personally identifiable information (“PII”) collected directly from you by GMAC or our service providers through the website mba.com (the “website” and the “site”), as well as data collected offline by GMAT® Customer Service or authorized Pearson VUE® test centers. For processing of this PII, GMAC is the "data controller" as that term is used in certain laws in the European Union.

Users of mba.com generally include:

• mba.com registrants, including those who opt in to our services, and those who purchase products or services from the mba.com store (click here to view Special Notes for mba.com Users and Registrants)
• Registrants for the GMAT test, whom we refer to as “test takers” (click here to view Special Notes for GMAT Test Takers)
• Participants in the Graduate Management Admission Search Service® (GMASS®) who have consented to receiving optional information from GMAC, schools that use the GMAT test, scholarship-granting organizations, and/or strategic partners of GMAC that share the Council’s commitment to creating access to graduate business education (click here for a partial list of institutions who use GMASS)
• Individuals who elect to participate in surveys (click here to view Special Notes for Survey Participants)

Users of mba.com consent to the processing of their data in accordance with the privacy policy in effect at the point in time the data is collected. Parts of this policy applicable to test takers are contained in the GMAT Information Bulletin or requested from GMAT® Customer Service and must be agreed to for an individual to take the GMAT test.

Information Collection

You are not required to register with mba.com. Much of the content on the site can be accessed even if you are not a registrantHowever, to access a greater variety of products and services at mba.com, we ask that you submit your personal information to GMAC.

We clearly identify data that must be provided for us to deliver the various products and services that you may request. Depending on the product or service, we will require different types of information. You may also choose to provide additional or optional information to enhance the services provided to you. The categories of information we may collect include:

• Basic contact information, including full name, address, telephone or facsimile number, and email address
• Mymba.com profile settings including user and opt-in preferences (e.g., participation in GMASS)
• Background information, such as demographics and education
• Email addresses in connection with the “Email to a Friend” feature in the mba.com school search service, which allows you to send a one-time email to a friend and does not store the email address (Note: GMAC will not send any messages beyond the initial introduction communication without first obtaining opt-in consent from those individuals)
• Contact and shipping information, as well as purchase history, for purchases through the mba.com store, hosted by our e-commerce vendor, Digital River, Inc.
• Payment, contact and other registration information required to take the GMAT test or for related services, facilitated by Pearson VUE, a business of NCS Pearson, Inc., and its payment vendor (click here for Special Notes for GMAT Test Takers)
• Data used to verify and authenticate your identity during GMAT registration and at test centers, and to help the recipients of your GMAT score verify your identity (click here for Special Notes for GMAT Test Takers)
• Contact and usage information for products offered by strategic partners including ITS (GMAT Focus), Peregrine Partners (CareerLeader), and Vantage (GMAT Write and My Access Professional Edition).

In addition, during your visit to mba.com, GMAC collects information regarding your use of the site (i.e., pages visited, files downloaded). This information is used to understand the habits of mba.com users and improve the products, services, and content offered.

Cookies and Log Files

Cookies are Set Automatically

Like most websites, we use technology called Cookies to let us remember information about your preferences and passwords and allow you to move within our website without the need to repeatedly enter the same information. In addition, our third party e-commerce service provider Digital River, Inc., which operates the mba.com store, may set cookies when you use the mba.com store in order to save shopping cart items. A cookie is a small text file that is placed on your computer by a Web server. Cookies contain information that can later be read by the Web server that originally placed the cookie.

Recent versions of popular internet browsers provide features to let you view and manage cookies. If you choose to block the use of cookies from our site, you may still use our site. However, choosing to do so will limit your user experience and access to functional site areas, such as areas that require login, like My Profile and online GMAT registration.

Website Log Files and Web Beacons

Like most standard website servers, during your visit, GMAC uses log files and web beacons to automatically collect information regarding your use of the site (i.e., pages visited, files downloaded), as well as system and security-related information. This information is used to understand the habits of mba.com users and improve the products, services, and content offered.

Website Log Files

Information collected by website log files includes Internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, date/time stamp, and number of clicks. In some cases, this information may identify you, or could be linked to your personal information. We use this information to analyze trends, administer the site, track aggregate user movement, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. Information collected in log files will not be shared with third parties, unless the disclosure is required for law enforcement or fraud prevention purposes.

Web Beacons

Web Beacons are small strings of code that provide a method for delivering a graphic image on a web page for the purpose of transferring data. For example, when you visit a page on this website, the code for a page being visited may be transferred to us. The information transmitted to us is used internally, and not shared with third parties, except as provided in this policy. We use this information for the following purposes:

• Allow us to better understand the traffic patterns within our websites and, subsequently, adjust our content to better respond to your interests
  Within the mba.com network of websites in order to count users and to recognize users by accessing cookies
• Use this information to suggest information and resources that may be of interest to you based on your use of our website and products

Links to Third-Party Sites

Some GMAC Web pages may contain links to the websites of our strategic partners, as listed above or other third parties which provide products or services relevant to your graduate management education. THE PRIVACY POLICIES OF THESE THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES MAY BE DIFFERENT FROM OUR PRIVACY POLICY AND GMAC IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PRIVACY PRACTICES OR THE CONTENT OF SUCH SITES. We recommend you carefully read the privacy policies of each site you visit.

In addition, the content of several of these strategic partners may be provided through mba.com. As such, these partners may utilize web beacons and web logs as described above to understand your use of our web site. We do not provide your personal information to these partners so that they may identify your browsing behaviors.

Children’s Privacy

GMAC websites are not directed toward children, defined in the United States by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) as individuals under age 13, and we ask that children not submit any personal information to us.
If you would like to take the GMAT test and are between the ages of 13 and 18, please review “Test Takers Under Age 18” in the GMAT Information Bulletin or contact GMAT Customer Service.

User-Submitted Content

GMAC has established a number of ways with which you may communicate with other users and with GMAC including responding to blog posts and submitting contact requests. All user communications made to or through mba.com are referred to as "User-Submitted Content." For information concerning our use of User-Submitted Content, please see the mba.com Terms & Conditions.

Data Uses and Your Choices

Purposes of Information Collection

We use the information we collect for many purposes, including, but not limited to, those listed below. (See Special Notes for GMAT Test Takers and Special Notes for Survey Participants.)

• Allow you to create and update a Mymba.com profile and manage your data and preferences through this profile as well as through GMAC Customer Support or GMAT Customer Service (for test takers) 
• Provide the services you request from mba.com, such as saving searches of graduate business school programs, downloading software, and purchasing products and services using the mba.com store
• Register you for the GMAT test, as well as allow you to reschedule or cancel test appointments, order additional score reports, and view past and future test appointments
• Contact you concerning MBA programs and services, if you opt in
• Contact you regarding participation in surveys
• Authenticate and verify the identity of test takers including comparing certain data collected at the test centers against those of previous test takers. See Special Notes for GMAT Test Takers for additional information
• Maintain the integrity and quality of our products and services, customize site content to meet your specific needs, and make technical improvements to mba.com
• Allow you to opt into additional programs and services offered by GMAC, such as the Graduate Management Admission Search Service® (GMASS®) service. Through GMASS, certain contact and background information, and your GMAT score range (if available), may be shared with schools, scholarship-granting organizations, and other GMAC strategic partners to directly offer you relevant information and services

GMAC does not sell, rent, or share your personal information to third parties for promotional or other purposes unless you have opted into communications from such third parties

Choices and Control of Your Personal Information

As an mba.com website registrant you may access your Mymba.com profile at any time to modify your personal information. You are responsible for the accuracy of any information you provide on this site and for maintaining the confidentiality of your personal information through keeping your user ID and password secure.

You may manage your opt-in preferences related to receiving information about or participating in programs and services offered by GMAC through your Mymba.com profile, GMAC Customer Support, or GMAT Customer Service (for test takers). You may elect to receive the following:

• Contact from schools, scholarship-granting organizations, and other strategic partners through opting into the GMASS search service (Graduate Management Admission Search Service)
• Financial aid information
• Information about recruiting events
• Information about preparing to enroll in an MBA program
• GMAT preparation and other test-related information
• News and information about mba.com and GMAC

If you no longer desire to use mba.com, you may request to have your Mymba.com profile deactivated using the contact information provided below, or by contacting GMAC Customer Support or webmaster@gmac.com. Inactive accounts will be subject to appropriate retention and archiving procedures to support the Council’s business needs and legal and integrity requirements.

When you register for the GMAT test, you will be required to agree to the terms and conditions stated in the GMAT Information Bulletin, which include testing policies and rules, restrictions around test records and score data, and descriptions of the use and disclosure of such information and your personal information. Please review Special Notes for GMAT Test Takers regarding access, modification, rectification, data integrity, and retention of GMAT test taker information. (See Special Notes for mba.com Registrants, Special Notes for GMAT Test Takers, and Special Notes for Survey Participants for further information)

Security of Your Personal Information

GMAC has implemented important privacy safeguards because we are dedicated to protecting your privacy. GMAC retains personal information only to the extent necessary perform actions as described under Purposes of Information Collection in this policy including to:

• Serve your needs
• Administer the GMAT test
• Fulfill our GMAT program responsibilities, including maintaining the integrity of the test and detecting and preventing unlawful activity
• Fulfill legal requirements

GMAC utilizes security safeguards incorporated within an enterprise security program. The security program is administered by appropriate GMAC officials and incorporates administrative, technical, and physical safeguards over your data and our systems to protect your information from loss, unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration, or destruction. The security program is designed to incorporate biannual audit and review processes and employee awareness training.
Purchases made through the mba.com store are protected by the Digital River, Inc. Secure Sales Server technology (S3) and Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption. The GMAT registration information you submit is sent to our authorized service provider Pearson VUE using SSL encryption. Our service providers are subject to strict confidentiality requirements.

Transborder Data Flows

GMAC is a global organization. Users of mba.com, GMAT test takers, and GMAC survey participants and other users of mba.com who provide their personal information, consent to their information being processed and controlled in the countries in which the data is collected, and then transmitted into and out of the United States, which is the primary processing location for GMAC and its service providers. Also, because a GMAT test takers’ score report is sent to the recipients that he or she has selected, he or she consents to his or her personal information being transmitted to such recipient, which may be located in a country that does not provide for a level of data protection that is equivalent to the one in his or her home country. Those who opt into the GMASS search service likewise agree that their personal information may be transmitted to countries that do not provide for a level of data protection that is equivalent to the one in their home country.

Data Sharing

GMAC Key Service Providers

GMAC has a number of key service providers that fulfill services on mba.com, for the GMAT program, and for surveys. Each of the following service providers is subject to our strict confidentiality requirements: 

• GMAT test registration, customer service, test administration at test centers worldwide, and official test score reporting vendors: Pearson VUE, a business of NCS Pearson, Inc. *
• Test development vendors that also provide certain scoring services: ACT, Inc. *
• Vendor for the mba.com store: The mba.com store is hosted by our e-commerce service provider, Digital River, Inc. If you purchase mba.com products or program materials, your information, including full name, address, phone number, email address, shopping cart data, and payment information, will be transmitted to or collected by Digital River, Inc. For customer service purposes, Digital River, Inc. will provide GMAC with your full name, address, email, and the items purchased. 
• Information technology (IT) vendors used to develop new and modify existing applications, store information, host our Web servers, and provide other IT development assistance.
• Survey vendors that send survey invitations and collect survey responses

* With the exception of selected test takers who participated in the 2005 Limited Summer Test, GMAT Program related services for test takers prior to January 3, 2006, including GMAT test registration, customer service, test administration at test centers worldwide, official test score reporting, test development and scoring services, were provided by ETS and Prometric. These service providers continue to be subject to our strict confidentiality requirements.

GMAC Key Strategic Partners

GMAC has a number of key strategic partners that share our commitment to creating access to graduate management education. Each of the following GMAC strategic partners is subject to our strict confidentiality requirements:

• Schools that use the GMAT test, scholarship-granting organizations, and strategic partners: These include business schools and other organizations that have agreed to strict terms-of-use agreements concerning your personal information. They will only receive your information if you voluntarily opt in for the GMASS search service in your mba.com profile or after you complete the test at the test center. These organizations are required by GMAC to provide you with a chance to opt out in the event you decide you do not want to be contacted by them. If you would like to obtain a list of participating GMAT using schools or scholarship granting organizations, or wish to report not being able to opt out, please contact webmaster@gmac.com.
• GMAT score recipients: Institutions that accept GMAT scores and that are selected by a test taker to receive his or her scores will receive the scores and certain personal data, including contact, background and demographic information including the digital photograph collected at the test center, if the institution has elected to receive the photograph.
• Financial Aid Information: If you consent to receiving financial aid information in your profile, we may share some of your personal information, including contact, background and demographic information with a financial aid provider who may contact you directly. 

Law Enforcement and Fraud Prevention

GMAC may provide access to personal information as required by law, to comply with requirements in a judicial or other governmental proceeding (for example, a court order, warrant or subpoena), or in instances where we determine that it is necessary in order to detect or prevent fraud or other unlawful activity.

Enforcement of this Policy

Because GMAC is a global organization that collects and processes data within the United States and other countries, we comply with applicable domestic and international laws, including the European Union (EU) Data Protection Directive and U.S. state and federal laws.

TRUSTe Privacy Seal Program

GMAC participates in the TRUSTe Privacy Seal Program for this website, www.mba.com. TRUSTe is an independent organization whose mission is to enable individuals and organizations to establish trusting relationships based on respect for personal identity and information by promoting the use of fair information-management practices. GMAC wants to demonstrate our commitment to your privacy; therefore, we have agreed to disclose our privacy practices and have TRUSTe review them for compliance. The TRUSTe program covers only information that is collected through this website, and does not cover information that may be collected through software downloaded from this site. GMAC is using the TRUSTe Mark(s) under license from TRUSTe pursuant to the requirements of the TRUSTe program, and all of the rights in the TRUSTe Mark(s) belong to TRUSTe.

GMAC values the privacy of your personal information and will use its best efforts to resolve any problems. If you have questions or concerns regarding this privacy policy, you should first contact our chief privacy official at privacy@gmac.com or through the other contact information provided below. If you do not receive acknowledgement of your inquiry or feel it was not satisfactorily addressed, you should then contact TRUSTe through the TRUSTe Watchdog Dispute Resolution website.

Rights under Laws in Specific Jurisdictions

Your California Privacy Rights

If you are a resident of California, we are required to inform you that you have a right to know how information we collect from you is shared with other businesses for direct marketing purposes. We will not share any information submitted to this website with other businesses for direct marketing purposes without your explicit consent. If you have consented but later decide to opt out, we will honor your request in a timely manner. To opt out of sharing your information with other businesses for direct marketing purposes, you may manage your data and preferences through Mymba.com profile, GMAC Customer Support, GMAT Customer Service (for test takers), or email, postal mail, or toll-free telephone, as stated in the Contact Us section below.

Data Protection for Residents of Argentina

El titular de los datos personales tiene la facultad de ejercer el derecho de acceso a los mismos en forma gratuita a intervalos no inferiores a seis meses, salvo que se acredite un interés legítimo al efecto conforme lo establecido en el artículo 14, inciso 3 de la Ley 25.326. La DIRECCION NACIONAL DE PROTECCION DE DATOS PERSONALES, órgano de Control de la Ley 25.326, tiene la atribución de atender las denuncias y reclamos que se interpongan con relación al incumplimiento de las normas sobre protección de datos personales

Data Protection for Residents of Croatia

When you provide personal data to GMAC, you agree that GMAC may collect, process and transfer your personal data, which may be disclosed by GMAC, to its data processors and vendors, as well as to authorized score recipients (if applicable) and GMASS subscribers (if applicable), and also to the extent, if any, required by applicable regulations, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, or as necessary to detect and prevent unlawful activity. GMAC hereby informs Croatian residents that the scope of the processing is educational. Also, GMAC hereby informs Croatian residents that GMAC will not share your personal data with other businesses for direct marketing purposes without your explicit consent.

Also, you provide an explicit consent to the collection and transfer of your audio and visual data during the GMAT test through the use of a closed television circuit installed in the Local Test Center for the purposes of deterring fraud, maintaining the security and integrity of the GMAT exam, and to enable the test center personnel, Pearson VUE and GMAC to address questions or concerns of the test-takers.

You also agree to the transmission of your personal data into and out of the United States, which is the primary processing location for GMAC and its data processor, Pearson VUE. For test takers, you further agree to the transmission of your data into the countries where your selected score recipients are located and for GMASS participants, you agree to the transmission of such data to the countries where GMASS subscribers are located. You acknowledge the fact that the above countries may not provide the same level of data protection that their home country provides.

You understand that pursuant to the Croatian Act on Personal Data Protection, Section VIII (Official Gazette, No. 103/03, 118/06, 41/08), you have the right of access, modification, rectification and erasure of personal data as provided in this Privacy Policy, and for test takers, as provided in the GMAT Information Bulletin.

To exercise these rights, you may review your Mymba.com profile, or may contact GMAC Customer Support, or GMAT Customer Service (for test takers), or by email, postal mail, or telephone, as stated in the Contact Us section below. In addition, you may also contact your Local Test Center in Croatia, “Institute for the Development of Education,” with registered office in Zagreb, Preradoviceva 33/1 for any data protection issues.

From time to time, we may need to change our privacy policy or procedures to accommodate changes in applicable law, our programs or business needs, or for other reasons. If we make any material changes to our privacy policy, including changes in our use of personal information, we will post a prominent notice on the mba.com homepage and other places we deem appropriate so that you are aware of what information we collect, under what circumstances, and how we use it.

Data Protection for Residents of France

When you provide personal data to GMAC, a resident of France agrees that GMAC may collect and process your personal data, which may be disclosed by GMAC, to its data processors and vendors, as well as to authorized score recipients (if applicable) and GMASS subscribers (if applicable), and also to the extent, if any, required by applicable regulations, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, or as necessary to detect and prevent unlawful activity. You also agree to the transmission of your personal data into and out of the United States, which is the primary processing location for GMAC and its data processor, Pearson VUE. For test takers, you further agree to the transmission of your data into the countries where your selected score recipients are located and for GMASS participants, you agree to the transmission of such data to the countries where GMASS subscribers are located. Residents of France understand that you have a certain right of access, of modification, of rectification and of erasure of certain personal data as provided in this Privacy Policy. To exercise these rights, you may review your Mymba.com profile, or may contact GMAC Customer Support, or GMAT Customer Service (for test takers), or by email, postal mail, or telephone, as stated in the Contact Us section below.

Data Protection for Residents of Greece

When you provide personal data to GMAC, a resident of Greece agrees that GMAC may collect and process your personal data, which for GMAT test takers includes your name, date of birth, citizenship, gender, place of residence, certain education data, your exam responses, your digital photograph and your digital signature, and in case of payment of the examination fees by electronic means, your email address, your credit card number, its expiration date and the billing address. GMAC hereby informs Greek residents that the scope of the processing is educational. 

Also, a resident of Greece provides your explicit consent to the collection of their audio and visual data during the GMAT test through the use of a closed television circuit installed in the examination centers for the purposes of deterring fraud, maintaining the security and integrity of the GMAT exam, and to enable the test center personnel, Pearson VUE and GMAC to address questions or concerns of the test-takers.

A resident of Greece agrees that your personal data may be disclosed by GMAC to its data processors and vendors as well as to authorized score recipients (if applicable) and GMASS subscribers (if applicable), and also to the extent, if any, required by applicable regulations, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, or as necessary to detect and prevent unlawful activity. 

You also agree to the transmission of your personal data into the United States, which is the primary processing location for GMAC and its data processor, Pearson VUE. For test takers, you further agree to the transmission of your data into the countries where your selected score recipients are located and, for GMASS participants, you agree to the transmission of such data to the countries where GMASS subscribers are located. Greek residents acknowledge the fact that the above countries may not provide the same level of data protection that their home country provides.

Residents of Greece understand that pursuant to Law 2472/1997 you have the right of access, of modification, of rectification and of erasure of certain personal data as provided in this Privacy Policy, and for test takers, as provided in the GMAT Information Bulletin. To exercise these rights, individuals may review Mymba.com profile, or may contact Customer Support or GMAT Customer Service (for test takers), or by email, postal mail, or telephone, as stated in the Contact Us section below.

Greek residents are hereby informed that the local representative of GMAC in Greece for data protection issues is the company “Pearson Education Hellas,” with registered offices in Athens, at 229 Syngrou Avenue, 17121 Nea Smyrni.
Changes to this Policy

From time to time, we may need to change our privacy policy or procedures to accommodate changes in applicable law, our programs or business needs, or for other reasons. If we make any material changes to our privacy policy, including changes in our use of personal information, we will post a prominent notice on the mba.com homepage and other places we deem appropriate so that you are aware of what information we collect, under what circumstances, and how we use it.

Data Protection for Residents of Romania

Residents of Romania understand that pursuant to Law no. 677/2001 they have certain rights: the right of access (art.13), the right of intervention (art. 14), the right of opposition (art. 15), the right not to be subject to automated individual decisions (art. 16) and the right of access to justice (art. 17) as provided in this Privacy Policy and for test takers, as provided in the GMAT® Information Bulletin. To exercise these rights, individuals may contact the local representative of GMAC® in Romania for data protection issues, review My Profile, contact GMAC® Customer Support or contact GMAT® Customer Service (for test takers) by email, mail or telephone, as stated in the Contact Us section below .

Romanian residents are hereby informed that the local representative of GMAC® in Romania for data protection issues is the company, M.B.L. Computers SRL, with registered offices in 020331 Bucharest, 15 Fabrica de Glucoza street, Romania, Telephone:+40 21 204 67 50  Fax: +40 21 204 67 41.

GMAC is the data controller and is registered with the Data Protection Authority (DPA) (Autoritatea Nationala pentru Supravegherea Prelucrarilor de Date cu Caracter Personal) under file number 6010.

Data Protection for Residents of Spain

Residents of Spain provide their explicit consent to the collection of their personal data (name, surname, address, test records, the digital photograph, signature, fingerprint and/or palm vein template, and other optional background information that may be provided), in relation to their participation in the GMAT exam and their registration on this website and/or other optional programs or services including the GMASS Search Service, in addition to  the audio and visual data collected through the use of a closed television circuit installed in the examination centers for the purposes of deterring fraud, maintaining the security and integrity of the GMAT exam, and to enable the test center personnel, Pearson VUE and GMAC to address questions or concerns of the test-takers.

Such residents also agree to the transmission of their personal data for managing their participation in the GMAT exam, registering on this website, or participating in any optional programs or services including the GMASS Search Service, to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), with its registered office at 1600 Tysons Blvd, 14th FL, McLean, Virginia, 22102, United States, and its data processor, Pearson VUE, with its registered office at 5601 Green Valley Drive, Bloomington, Minnesota, 55437, United States, and also to the extent, if any, required by applicable regulations, or by a court of competent jurisdiction, or as necessary to detect and prevent unlawful activity. For test takers, they further agree to the transmission of their data into the countries where their selected score recipients are located, and for GMASS participants, they agree to the transmission of their data to the countries where the GMASS subscribers are located. Residents of Spain acknowledge that the above countries may not provide the same level of data protection that their home country provides.

Residents of Spain understand that they have the right of access, of modification, of rectification and of erasure of certain personal data as provided in this Privacy Policy, and for test takers, as provided in the GMAT Information Bulletin. To exercise these rights, individuals may review their My mba.com profile, or may contact GMAC® Customer Service or contact GMAT® Customer Service (for test takers), or by email, mail, or telephone, as stated in the Contact Us section below.

Spanish residents are hereby informed that the local representative of GMAC in Spain for data protection issues, and the exercise of the above rights, is the company "Pearson Educación S.A", with registered offices in Madrid, at Calle Ribera del Loira 28, 28042. Spain.

Special Notes for mba.com Users and Registrants

We occasionally send out email communications to mba.com registrants who have opted in to features or services we offer through mba.com. You may subsequently opt out of these email communications by updating your mba.com profile, or by contacting GMAC customer support.

You may opt in to the GMASS search service by asking in your profile to be contacted by schools, scholarship-granting organizations, and GMAC strategic partners that share our commitment to creating access to graduate business education. These strategic partners include but are not limited to: The PhD ProjectSM; the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management; and the Diversity Pipeline Alliance. If you opt in, these organizations may send you graduate business or management program-related news and information, or they may contact you to offer you their products or services. If you participate in the GMASS service, you will be subject to the privacy policies of these organizations, as you interact with them; GMAC encourages you to read and understand their privacy policies. These organizations are required by GMAC to provide you with an opt-out mechanism in the event you decide you do not want to be contacted by them. If you would like to obtain a list of participating organizations, or wish to report not being able to opt out, please contact webmaster@gmac.com.

Special Notes for GMAT Test Takers

Information Collection

To register for and take the GMAT® test, you must consent to and agree to abide by all terms and conditions set forth in the GMAT Information Bulletin at the time of your test date, which includes but is not limited to testing policies and rules, exclusive remedies for testing/scoring errors, restrictions around test records and score data, and a Privacy Policy describing the use, disclosure, and transmission into the United States of your personally identifiable information and test records. We require test takers to provide certain personal information in order to register, including first and last name, address, telephone number, email address (required for online registration only), date of birth, gender, country of citizenship, and race and ethnicity (U.S. only). You will also be required to agree to the terms of the GMAT Testing Rules and Agreement, which will be given to you upon arrival to the test center, and you indicate your agreement to this document with an electronic signature. You may review the terms of this Agreement in advance of your test date at www.mba.com, or by contacting GMAT Customer Service. Test takers must also provide data at the test center to verify their identity and protect the security of the exam, including an original government-issued identification, digital photograph, digital fingerprint and/or palm vein pattern, digital signature, and an audio/video recording of the test experience. The palm vein template and the digital photograph may be compared against those of other test takers for fraud detection purposes.

When registering for the test, you consent to the collection, processing, use and transmission to the United States of your personal information for the purposes and in accordance with the principles stated in this Privacy Policy and in the Bulletin. You further consent to the disclosure of such information to GMAC (the "data controller" under certain international laws), its service providers, any score recipient you select (who might be located in a country that does not provide for a level of data protection that is equivalent to the one in your home country) and others as necessary to prevent unlawful activity or as required by law. You also acknowledge that you are aware of your ability to access, modify, or rectify certain personal data, as explained in this Privacy Policy and in the Bulletin.

Access, Modification, Data Integrity, and Retention

Personal information such as your address and plans for graduate business school may be accessed, modified and rectified through your Mymba.com profile or by contacting GMAT Customer Service, except as stated below.

A test taker may only change his or her name in certain circumstances by calling or faxing GMAT Customer Service; name changes cannot be made online. As explained in the GMAT Information Bulletin, to protect the integrity of the GMAT test and provide you with access to your GMAT scores, scores are maintained for 10 years. As a result, certain information cannot be altered or destroyed during those 10 years, including your test scores, records related to your testing experience (“test records”), and the digital photograph and signature required to help verify your identity. The digital fingerprint and/or palm vein pattern template collected at a test center are maintained, and cannot be altered or destroyed, for five (5) years from your most recent testing date.

Also, to protect the security and integrity of the exam, test takers will not have access to: audio/videotape of the testing experience; their digital photograph, signature, fingerprint and/or palm vein pattern template; and key stroke statistics, exam answers, essays, and similar test records. Test takers in countries where access may be allowed by applicable law may request access by contacting privacy@gmac.com; these requests will be handled in accordance with applicable law.

If you have already taken the GMAT test and have a complaint or concern about the test or a test center, send your written complaint or concern by email, fax or postal mail immediately following the test administration. Use the information provided under "GMAT Customer Service" and include "Attention: GMAT Complaints" in your communication. Test scores are provided as explained in the GMAT Information Bulletin; additional score reports may be obtained for certain fee.

Special Notes for Survey Participant Information Collection and Use

GMAC conducts survey studies with individuals and may share anonymous aggregate reports with schools and organizations. Participants in survey studies include, but are not limited to:

1. mba.com registrants
2. Graduating business school students
3. Business school alumni
4. Purchasers and users of mba.com and GMAC products and services

GMAC may also receive students’ names from schools and graduate business programs. You may always decline to participate in GMAC surveys or opt out of participating in surveys by following the directions provided within the survey invitation.

For those who voluntarily respond to a survey invitation, we may collect your basic contact information, background information (e.g., demographics, education, and work history), opinions, and attitudes, in addition to your existing GMAT score(s) and score report destinations, if available. GMAC generates anonymous aggregate reports from survey responses and uses these reports internally to improve GMAC products and services and for publications regarding the GMAT exam and the graduate management education industry. Other graduate business program surveys may be generated for schools or organizations that provide GMAC with student information. Survey records are not associated with individuals in any of these reports, and individuals’ names and contact details will be used only to track survey completion and for follow-up communications as appropriate. 

Changes to this Policy

From time to time, we may need to change our privacy policy or procedures to accommodate changes in applicable law, our programs or business needs, or for other reasons. If we make any material changes to our privacy policy, including changes in our use of personal information, we will post a prominent notice on the mba.com homepage and other places we deem appropriate so that you are aware of what information we collect, under what circumstances, and how we use it.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy or believe we have not adhered to it, please contact our chief privacy official:

Email us at:
privacy@gmac.com*

Phone us at:
+1-703-749-0131 or (800) 811-8042 (toll-free in the United States and Canada)

Fax us at:
+1-703-749-0169

Write us at:
Graduate Management Admission Council
Attention: Chief Privacy Official 
1600 Tysons Boulevard, Suite 1400 
McLean, VA 22102 USA

* Please note that opt-out requests should be made by deselecting your preferences in your Mymba.com profile or by calling or faxing GMAC Customer Support or GMAT Customer Service (for test takers).