Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT)

Overview

The Graduate Management Aptitude test (GMAT) is admission test useful for applying to MBA schools. The test is administered in more than 150 countries around the world on the directions of Educational Testing Services (ETS). The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) is the administrative authority for conduct of GMAT test.

The Universities/colleges and Business Schools in USA, Canada and many other parts of the world solicit your GMAT score for admission. The business schools accept GMAT score as a yardstick of whether or not an applicant would be able to complete his / her graduate studies in management and related disciplines.

If you are planning to apply for admission into some business school then GMAT is the most appropriate test for you. Those belonging to a non English speaking nation, may have to show TOEFL or IELTS score as a proof of English proficiency besides producing score in GMAT for business schools’ admission.

With GMAT score you can apply for admission to more than 1500 business schools for more than 1800 programs. The GMAT score does not promise your admission to a management school. You are required to satisfy the eligibility criteria of individual school for admission into respective study program.

Eligibility

You can appear for GMAT test if you are 18 years old or more. Students in the age range of 13 to 18 years can also appear for GMAT, if their parents would make request to GMAC council. Your GMAT score will facilitate you in getting admission into MBA School of your choice. Since the GMAT test examines what you have learnt through previous studies and foresees your success in the first year of management studies.  It is advisable that you will take the test during completion of your Under Graduate studies. The GMAT score is requisite when you apply for graduate admissions to management schools. To appear in GMAT test you do not require any formal qualification in management and related areas.

Test Format

The Graduate Management Aptitude Test (GMAT) is a Computer Adaptive Test. The test reaches worldwide through Pearson VUE and mobile testing system. You require answering GMAT test in the format given below.

The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) grades your performance in each GMAT section separately and total test. So you should give equal importance to each section while writing the test.

Test Description

The GMAT test consists of three sections

1. Analytical Writing Assessment;
2. Quantitative Section ; and
3. Verbal Section

The content area of the GMAT test is described below.

Analytical Writing Assessment

This section requires you to write - two short essays in 30 minutes each. The first is the Analysis of an Issue, in which the applicant needs to analyze the issue presented and explain his/her views on it. The second essay is Analysis of an Argument, in which a particular argument has to be vitally analyzed and evaluated.

For both the essays, the emphasis is on the "Analytical" part and not on the "Writing" part. This implies that a brief essay with well-reasoned points written in straightforward 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 choice to take this break or to move directly to the subsequent section. Even if a candidate finishes the essays before the set sixty minutes, the break will still be of five minutes. It is sensible to utilize this break by gearing oneself up for the tougher sections that follow subsequently.

Quantitative Section

The 37 questions in this section comprises of two kinds of questions: Problem Solving (PS) and Data Sufficiency (DS). The two kinds do not have a clear-cut break-up; usually there are around 20 PS and 17 DS questions. This section tests the level of Mathematics 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 find out - 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 union. 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 answer them.

Verbal Section

The verbal section in GMAT involves 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 11-12-12 or 14-14-13 or any such combination.

Test Score

The GMAC council grades your GMAT performance for individual section and overall test. Each section is graded on a scale of 200 to 800. About 2/3 GMAT test takers’ scores falls in the range 400 to 600. Since GMAT is a Computer Based Test you can view unofficial GMAT score right after finishing the test. Your GMAT score will be released 20 days after taking the test.