The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a Computer-Adaptive standardized test in Mathematics and the English language for measuring aptitude to succeed academically in graduate business studies. Business schools, all over the world, commonly use the test as one of many selection criteria for admission into graduate business administration programs. You can take the test on any of the designated test centers of Pearson, the company that conducts the GMAT. You can register for the computer adaptive test on www.mba.com. As of June 2015, the fee to take the test is $250 worldwide.
The exam measures verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills that the examinee has developed over a long period of time in his/her education and work. Test takers answer questions in each of the three tested areas, and there are also two optional breaks; in general, the test takes about four hours to complete. Scores are valid for five years (at most institutions) from the date the test taker sits for the exam until the date of matriculation (i.e. acceptance, not until the date of application). The maximum score that can be achieved on the exam is 800. As per the most recent data by GMAC, the global average GMAT score is 546
There are four sections that need to be answered in the GMAT. The following table provides the details of the various sections, the specified time duration, and the number of questions in each section.
Section |
Duration in minutes |
Number of questions |
Analytical writing assessment | 30 | One Essay |
Integrated reasoning | 30 | 12 |
Quantitative | 75 | 37 |
Verbal | 75 | 41 |
The Select Section Order is a new feature that will provide test takers the flexibility to choose the section order, in which they wish to take the GMAT test. In effect from July 11, 2017, this feature will provide students three options at the beginning of the test. These are:
A few other points…
(a). In case, a test taker fails to select an option, the first option, which is the default option, will be automatically selected. The option, which is chosen by the test taker will not be visible to the schools he/she applies to, as it will not be visible in any official or unofficial score report.
(b). The optional eight-minute breaks will be spaced at relatively even time intervals throughout the exam and will largely coincide for all test takers, irrespective of the chosen section order.
(c). There is no recommended section order and the choice is a prerogative of the student, based on his/her competencies, comfort levels, and testing preferences. The scores attained from each format are absolutely comparable, a fact proven during the pilot study that was conducted by GMAC IN 2016.