Everything about the GMAT Exam

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a Computer Adaptive Test, designed to assess a candidate's analytical, verbal, quantitative, reading and writing skills in standard written English to get admitted into graduate management programs, such as an MBA or Master programs. It has been one of the most desired entrance tests for millions of students, aspiring to become a management student in top universities in India and the world.

• Why GMAT score is important?

In this extremely competitive world, aspirants for management programs need to stand out and showcase their capabilities to take up and excel in the rigorous management programs in top business schools in India and around the world. And a good GMAT score shows business schools that a student is ready and capable of handling the rigors of top management programs. In simple words, GMAT exam score may be your ticket to studying in top MBA schools in the world.

• GMAT exam Format and Timing

GMAT tests a variety of abilities and skills in candidates aspiring to pursue management programs in best B-schools. The entrance exam includes four sections – Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative and Verbal, which needs to be completed within a duration of 3 hours and 30 minutes.

• Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)

The Analytical Writing Assessment section of GMAT measures the ability of an aspiring management student to think critically and to communicate his/her ideas. During the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), a candidate needs to analyze the reasoning behind an argument and write a critique of that argument.

This section of the GMAT test consists of a 30-minute writing task by analyzing an argument.

• Integrated Reasoning

Introduced in June 2012, this relatively new section is designed to measure a candidate’s ability to evaluate information presented in multiple formats from multiple sources. The score in the Integrated Reasoning section is considered as critical for incoming students, as the skills tested in the section are essential to succeed in our technologically advanced and data-driven world.

The section consists of 12 questions (which often comprises of multiple parts themselves) in 4 different formats - Multi-Source Reasoning, Graphics Interpretation, Two-two Part Analysis and Table Analysis. The Integrated Reasoning section is of 30-minute duration.

• Quantitative

The Quantitative section of the GMAT exam measures a test taker’s ability to analyze quantitatively, solving quantitative problems, interpret graphic data, and analyze and use information given in a problem. Quantitative questions of the GMAT exam are not greater than taught in secondary school classes. The quantitative question consists of - Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency, for the GMAT exam.

This part of the GMAT exam consists of 37 questions that have questions on Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving. Candidates are given 75 minutes to complete this section.

• Verbal

The Graduate Management Admission Test’s verbal section measures the ability of a candidate to read and understand written material, reason & evaluate arguments and correct written material to express ideas effectively in standard written English.

A candidate gets 41 questions in the Verbal section on Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning and Sentence Correction, which needs to be completed within 75 minutes.

• Total Score

The total GMAT score ranges from 200 – 800 and evaluate performance on the Quantitative and Verbal section together. The AWA and Integrated Reasoning sections scoring are not included in the Total Score, they are scored separately. The scores are given in increments of 10 (e.g. 540, 550, 560 etc.). As per a recent data released by GMAC, the average GMAT score is about a 540. The GMAT Total Scores resembles a bell curve, with 2/3 of all test takers scoring between 440 and 640. The mean GMAT score is 545.6 with a standard deviation of 121.07 points.

Now a GMAT candidate can preview his/her unofficial scores before deciding to accept or cancel them. This new feature gives a candidate more control of his/her score reporting.

• GMAT Registration Process

An aspiring GMAT candidate may register for the exam at mba.com or by calling one of the test centers. To schedule GMAT test, a candidate must take appointment at one of the designated test centers. A candidate can take up the GMAT exam once in 31 days and 5 times in a calendar year, even if scores are cancelled. The cost of appearing the GMAT exam is US $250.

• GMAT Preparation

An aspiring GMAT candidate should prepare for the exam seriously for at least 3 – 6 months. If a candidate is planning to appear for the GMAT exam for the first time, then he/she should take up GMAT coaching classes at a reputed institute or with an expert. There are a number of websites offering mock test papers and previous GMAT question papers in the Internet, aspiring candidates can take up the tests on a regular basis.