What is the GMAT?

The "Graduate Management Admission Test" (GMAT) is a test designed to assess candidates' ability to study and successfully pass a graduate business studies course, such as an MBA. The GMAT is a fairly international test, used most commonly in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

What does the GMAT consist of?

The GMAT consists of three main sections: verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning and analytical writing.

Verbal Reasoning Section

The GMAT verbal reasoning paper lasts for one hour and 15 minutes. It consists of 41 multiple choice questions. Three types of question will be provided: sentence correction, critical reasoning and reading comprehension.

• Sentence Correction questions will consist of a sentence, all or part of which has been underlined, with five answers available to chose from. Your job is to evaluate the grammar, logic, and effectiveness of the sentences provided and to choose the best of several suggested answer options to replace the underlined section of the sentence. The goal is to choose the answer that results in the clearest sentence that does not change the meaning of the original.

• Critical Reasoning questions require you to analyse and evaluate the reasoning in short paragraphs or passages. You will need to select an answer that does not require making assumptions that violate common sense standards by being implausible, redundant, irrelevant, or inconsistent. These questions may ask you to draw a conclusion, to identify assumptions, or to recognise strengths or weaknesses in an argument.

• Reading Comprehension questions relate to a passage that is provided for you to read. The passage can be about almost anything, and the questions provided will test how well you have understood the passage. The GMAT uses reading passages of approximately 200 to 350 words. Each passage has three or more questions based on it. The questions ask about the main point of the passage, about what the author specifically states, about what can be logically inferred from the passage, and about the author's attitude or tone.

Numerical Reasoning Section

The GMAT numerical/quantitative reasoning paper last for one hour and 15 minutes. This paper consists of 37 multiple choice questions. There are two types of question: problem solving and data sufficiency.

• Problem Solving questions present multiple-choice problems in arithmetic, basic algebra, and elementary geometry. Some problems will be plain mathematical calculations; the rest will be presented as real life word problems (numerical reasoning) that will require mathematical solutions.

• Data Sufficiency questions consist of a question plus two associated statements that provide information that might be useful in answering the question. You must determine whether either statement alone is sufficient to answer the question; whether both are needed to answer the question; or whether there is not enough information given to answer the question.

Analytical Writing Section

The GMAT analytical writing assessment last for exactly one hour. This consists of writing two essays, each of which will be read by two examiners who each grade it from 0-6. If the two scores are within one point of each other they are averaged, otherwise they are marked by a third examiner.

Taking the GMAT

You only need basic computer skills to be able to complete the GMAT exam. Candidates only need to be able to:

• use a mouse;
• enter responses to questions in on-screen answer boxes;
• move on to the next question;
• use a word processor function;
• understand how to access the "Help" function.

Make sure you familiarise yourself with the mechanics of taking a computer-adaptive test by taking practice GMAT tests, before attempting the real thing.

Test Time

Candidates are given three and a half hours to complete the entire GMAT test paper. Two 10 minute breaks are usually provided, between the three test sections.

GMAT Questions

The verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning sections of the GMAT are computer-adaptive. In a computer-adaptive test, if a candidate gives the correct answer to a question, the following question provided will be more difficult. If a candidate answers a question incorrectly, the following question will be easier.

In a computer-adaptive test, only one question at a time is presented. Because the computer scores each question before selecting the next one, you may not skip, return to, or change your responses to previous questions at any point during the test.

The questions used in the computer adaptive sections of the GMAT are taken from a large bank of possible questions. The specific questions you will be asked will depend entirely on your performance during the test.

Answering GMAT Questions

Randomly guessing answers can significantly lower your scores on the GMAT exam. If you do not know the answer to a question, you should try to eliminate as many answer choices as possible and then select the answer you think is best.

Completing the GMAT Exam

During the GMAT, pacing is critical because there is a severe penalty for not completing the exam. Both the time and number of questions that remain in the section are displayed on the screen during the exam. There are 37 Quantitative questions and 41 Verbal questions. If a question is too time-consuming or if you don’t know the answer, make an educated guess by first eliminating the answers you know to be wrong, before moving on. Make sure you complete each section of the test.

GMAT Scores

The ‘Total Score’ excludes the analytical writing assessment, and ranges from 200 to 800. The score distribution resembles a bell curve with a standard deviation of approximately 100 points. About two-thirds of test takers score between 400 and 600, with a median score of around 500.

Most business schools publish the average and median score of their latest intake which can give you an indication of the score that you will need for admission.

How is the GMAT Scored?

Candidates' GMAT scores are determined by:

• the number of questions answered;
• whether the questions have been answered correctly or incorrectly; and
• the level of difficulty and other statistical characteristics of each question.

The questions in an adaptive test are weighted according to their difficulty and other statistical properties, not according to their position in the test.

Are all Qestions on the GMAT Counted?

Answers to trial questions are not counted in the scoring of your test. The results of all otehr questions will be counted.

MBA & GMAT

Most international MBA providers only evaluate the quantitative section of the GMAT when considering candidate applications. This is because the quantitative section of the GMAT is generally considered to be the most difficult.