What is GMAT? – Everything About the GMAT Test

What is GMAT?

The GMAT or Graduate Management Admission Test is a crucial element in the process of applying to a business school. The GMAC organization has not only developed this test, but it also administers this exam.

It is a computer-based exam that includes multiple-choice question format. Also, it is a computer-adaptive test which is generally a standard test which students need to take for admission in MBA programs across the globe.

Source: WikiPedia

This exam aims to test the preparedness of the candidates to pursue a post-graduate course such as an MBA. However, the GMAT test would not be the only factor in business school admissions. Admissions committees also consider the professional background, academic performance, extracurricular track record during the admission process.

Though many other factors are considered during the MBA admissions, GMAT is given a decent weightage in the application process.

What’s the takeaway? A high score on the GMAT will have a direct, positive impact on your business school application.

What does GMAT include?

The primary objective of the GMAT test is to gauge your critical thinking skills. However, it also tests other essential attributes such as analytical, evaluation, comprehension, problem-solving and communication skills. To measure all the above attributes GMAT includes questions of basic arithmetic, geometry, algebra, grammar, reading comprehension and multi-source data analysis. Analytical thinking and reasoning are crucial if you want to score well in GMAT.

How many sections does GMAT have, and what are they?

Though the test measures your critical thinking ability throughout the test, the GMAT exam consists of four sections.

• Analytical Writing Assessment

Score: This section is scored separately from the GMAT exam score. The analytical writing assessment score ranges on a scale of 0 to 6 with half-point increments.

Duration: 30 minutes

• Integrated Reasoning

Score Like analytical writing assessment, integrated reasoning section score is also given separately. This section’s score ranges on a scale of 1 to 8 points with one-point increments.

Duration: 30 minutes

• Quantitative

Score: The quantitative section would be scored in a range of 0 to 60.

Duration:  62 minutes

• Verbal

Score: The verbal section would be scored in a range of 0 to 60.

Duration:  62 minutes

Breaks:

The GMAT test-takers will get the option of taking a break of 16 minutes in total. This break is twice with a period of 8 minutes each.

Total Exam:

The entire duration of the GMAT exam would be approximately 3 hours and 23 minutes.

This exam allows you to choose the order in which you want to answer the sections. Here are three possible orders of sections in which you can write the GMAT exam:

• Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), Integrated Reasoning (IR), Quantitative, Verbal
• Verbal, Quantitative, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment
• Quantitative, Verbal, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment

What is the cost of the GMAT exam?

GMAT gives an option to send your score reports to 5 courses of your choice. The cost of the exam would also include this option, and the application would cost you a total of $250. However, if you want to reschedule the exam, you have to pay additional fees to do so.

What are the question types in GMAT?

Ever section of GMAT would have different question types. The following are the different question types you can expect in the GMAT examination in different sections:

Analytical Writing Assessment

Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) is used to test your writing skills. The score of this section would be taken separately, which means this section would not have an impact on your standard GMAT score.

The essays you write as part of this section would be evaluated by a computer grading system and a human grader. In the end, the average of these two scores would be given as your AWA score.

This section would not entail a typical essay topic where you write about your views. Instead, for this section, you need to put on your critical thinking hats and critique an argument presented by the author. You would need to give an analytical description of your cases where you either agree or disagree backed with logical reasoning.

Integrated Reasoning

Integrated reasoning includes a total of 12 questions. Most of these 12 questions are multi-part i.e., a set of a few questions are derived from one data source. The following are the different types of questions asked in the integrated reasoning section:

• Multi-Source Reasoning questions
• Graphics Interpretation questions
• Two-Part Analysis questions
• Table Analysis questions

Quantitative

The quantitative section comprises 31 questions which include 14 to 15 data sufficiency and 16 to 19 questions of problem-solving.  You will be tested on athematic, number properties, geometry and algebra. Let us understand more about what data sufficiency and problem-solving questions are:

• Data Sufficiency:

Data sufficiency questions include a question with two statements of data. You need to evaluate if the statements have enough data to solve the question. Hence, here you are not going to solve the question for the answer, but you need to identify the data you would need to get the answer.

• Problem-solving:

This is going to be your standard math question. You will be presented with a question and five answer options. You need to choose the right option out of the five.

Verbal

The verbal section comprises a total of 36 questions. Reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence correction questions are a part of this section. You would be answering 12 reading comprehension questions,14 sentence correction questions, and 10 critical reasoning questions. Here are how these three types of verbal questions are different:

• Critical Reasoning:

These questions are included in the exam to test your evaluating and analytical skills. Critical reasoning questions would have a set of statements or short arguments with a question. You need to comprehend the structure of arguments and logical analysis of the arguments.

• Sentence Correction:

Long and involved sentences will be part of this section. A part of the sentence or sometimes even the complete sentence would be underlined. You would need to find the best alternative for the underlined part which would go with the flow of the whole sentence.

• Reading Comprehension:

This is a standard section where you need to answer a few questions based on the given passage. You will be asked 3 to 4 questions based on one paragraph.

Can you skip questions?

No, it is mandatory to answer every question that is presented to you. You would only be able to see the next question after you answer the current question on the screen.

Though it might all sound overwhelming initially, GMAT is not a very complicated exam. You would need to focus more on the core concepts and understand the pattern well. You also need to hone your strengths and work on your weaknesses to optimize your GMAT score.