Graduate Management Admission Test(GMAT)

The Graduate Management Admissions Test, better known by the acronym GMAT (pronounced G-mat), is a standardized test for determining aptitude to succeed academically in graduate business studies. The test is used as one of the selection criteria by most respected business schools globally, most commonly for admission into an MBA program.

The Graduate Management Admissions Test is one of many factors schools use when reviewing applications for admission; it is typically balanced with work experience, grades in previous schools, recommendation letters and other admissions criteria.

The fee to take the test is currently US$250, worldwide.

The TestScores are valid for five years from the date the test taker sits for the exam.

Analytical Writing Assessment

Quantitative and Verbal Sections

Changes to the Graduate Management Admissions Test

Required Scores

Most schools do not publish the median, average, or minimum acceptable score for the Analytical Writing Assessment section of the test.

Most schools do not publish a minimum score. Schools do generally publish the average and median score of their latest intake. While these should be used as a guide, applicants must remember that half of all successful applicants will have scored below the median mark.

At nearly all of the top business schools that are commonly listed in popular magazines and ranking services, the scores will average in the upper 600s. According to Fortune magazine, the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, commonly regarded as one of the top business schools in the US, reports an average score of 714; INSEAD, a business school with a highly international student body, reports an average score of 706. Other, less prestigious schools, will have average scores that may be in the 500s or even less. It may be possible to overcome a low test score with impressive real world accomplishments, good undergraduate performance, contributing to the diversity of the student body, outstanding references, or a good essay.

Graduate Management Admission Test Eligibility

Anyone and everyone is eligible for taking the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test). There is no minimum educational qualification requirement for taking the test. The test scores are valid for five years, i.e., most universities accept scores up to five years old. But it is always better if scores are recent (not older than 2 years).

Graduate Management Admission Test Details

The GMAT(Graduate Management Admission Test) exam is a computer-adaptive test (CAT), which means that questions are selected as a candidates takes the exam. At the start of each multiple-choice section of the GMAT ,CAT exam, candidates are presented a question of middle difficulty. As a candidate attempts each question, the computer scores the answer and uses it to determine which question to present next. As long as a candidate answers correctly to each question, questions of improved difficulty are offered. Whenever a candidate enters the incorrect responses, the computer generally presents questions of lesser difficulty. Next question reflects both the previous performance and the requirements of the test design, which means that different test takers will be presented different questions. Question selection is based on the responses to the previous questions and the GMAT CAT adjusts to an individual ability level. As a result, a candidate gets few questions that are either too easy or too difficult to answer.

The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) examination consists of three main parts the Analytical Writing Assessment, Quantitative section, and Verbal section.

Analytical Writing Assessment

The analytical writing section requires one towrite - two short essays in thirty minutes each. The first is the Analysis of an Issue, in which a candidate needs to analyze the issue presented and explain his/her views on it. The second essay is Analysis of an Argument, in which a given argument has to be critically analyzed and evaluated.
For both the essays, the emphasis is on the "Analytical" part and not on the "Writing" part. This implies that a concise essay with well-reasoned points written in simple English will be looked upon more favorably than an essay which falls short on the analytical aspects even though it reflects excellent writing skills.

A five-minute break follows the two essays. The computer gives you the option to take this break or to move directly to the subsequent section. Even if a candidate finishes the essays before the stipulated sixty minutes, the break will still be of five minutes. It is advisable to utilize this break by gearing oneself up for the tougher sections that follow subsequently.

Quantitative Section

The 37 questions in this section comprise two kinds of questions: Problem Solving (PS) and Data Sufficiency (DS). The two kinds do not have a definite break-up; usually there are around 20 PS and 17 DS questions. This section tests the level of Mathematics which is comparable with the level of Class 10 exams, with questions on Number Systems, Percentages, Fractions & Decimals, Algebra (including Quadratic Equations), Geometry (including Basic Coordinate Geometry), Ratio & Proportion, Area & Volume of 2-D and 3-D diagrams, Probability etc. This list is not exhaustive; questions from beyond these topics may also be asked.

While the Problem Solving question requires one to solve a mathematical problem directly and choose the right answer, the Data Sufficiency is of a trickier variety. Each problem comprises a question followed by two statements, which may or may not lead to the answer to the given question. This is what a candidate needs to ascertain - whether the given statements can be used to answer the question or not and if so, whether the statements can be used independently or in conjunction. Each of the five answers options presents five possibilities that arise in this case and candidate has to apply the basic principles of mathematics with strong logic to solve them.

Verbal Section

The verbal section in GMAT requires the basic skills of correct English coupled with reasoning and analysis. The 41 questions, to be attempted in 75 minutes, consist of three types: Sentence Correction (SC), Critical Reasoning (CR) and Reading Comprehension (RC). The three types are intermingled, with no fixed number for each type. The break-up of the questions among SC, CR and RC could be 14-14-13 or 15-13-13 or any such combination.

Contact Details:

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.

Senior Plaza 160-A, Gautam Nagar

Yusuf Sarai, Behind Indian Oil Building

New Delhi: 110 049.

Phone: 011- 26512114/26531442

Fax: 265229741

www.gmac.com

Graduate Management Admission Council

ATTN: GMAT School Coordinator

1600 Tysons Boulevard

Suite 1400, USA

McLean, Virginia 22102

1-866-706-0403 or +1-703-245-4368,

E-mail: gmatprogram@gmac.com