GMAT: A Step into Your Dream Business School
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized, multiple-choice, computer-adaptive exam that prospective students take for pursuing a career in management or business-related fields. The main purpose of the exam is to measure the candidate’s skills — relevant to management — with a special emphasis on reasoning and critical thinking.
Additionally, GMAT is very important for MBA aspirants as 90% of business schools across the globe accept GMAT scores for admissions. Hence, when planning to pursue an MBA degree, it is essential to know all the necessary details regarding GMAT.
Different Sections of the GMAT Exam:
GMAT is divided into four sections — Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning.
1.Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)
The Analytical Writing Assessment tests the candidate’s writing skills in English. It consists of one 30 minute task, wherein the candidate has to analyse and critique a given argument through an English essay.
2.Integrated Reasoning (IR)
Integrated Reasoning measures the candidate’s ability to evaluate data presented in multiple formats. It is regarded as one of the most important sections of the GMAT and consists of four types of questions — Graphics Interpretation, Table Analysis, Two-Part Analysis and Multi-Source Reasoning. Candidates get 12 questions to solve in 30 minutes.
3.Quantitative Reasoning
GMAT Quantitative Reasoning consists of 31 objective type questions that have to be answered within 62 minutes. It measures the candidate’s ability to evaluate the data and draw conclusions using their logical and mathematical skills. The questions are of two types — Problem-solving and Data sufficiency.
4.Verbal Reasoning
This section consists of 36 multiple choice questions that have to be answered within 65 minutes. It measures the candidate’s ability to comprehend, read and correct written material, analysearguments, and express ideas clearly. It consists of three types of questions — Critical reasoning,Sentence correction, Reading comprehension.
How are the Sections Scored:
Section | Score Range |
Quantitative Reasoning (QR) | 6-51 reported in intervals of 1 |
Integrated Reasoning (IR) | 1-8 reported in intervals of 1 |
Verbal Reasoning (VR) | 6-51 in intervals of 1 |
Analytical Writing Assessment(AWA) | 0-6 reported in intervals of 0.5 |
The total score of the candidate is based on the performance in the QR and VR sections. The scores range between 200-800. However, scores of IR and AWA are also important.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Candidates must be 13 and above.
- Should have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline from a recognised university.
- Candidates can only appear five times a year for the GMAT. However, he/she must wait for 16 days to retake the test. The maximum number of attempts in a lifetime is eight.
- Candidates belonging to any nationality can take the exam.
- There is no specified minimum cut off for the candidate’s past marks to sit for the exam.
- Candidates can take the GMAT even if their medium of study in the past was not English.
GMAT Examination Fee:
The registration fee for GMAT is US$ 250 or INR 18,230. However, it may vary in some countries. Visit GMAT official website for more information regarding the breakdown of fees.
How to Register for GMAT?
- Open GMAT’s official website, i.e., mba.com
- Create an account and enter the basic details like name, address, phone number etc.
- Fill in the details regarding education and work experience (if any)
- Candidates can now schedule their exam date and time. Choose the date carefully as it cannot be changed later
- Verify and submit the details
- After completion of the above steps, pay the GMAT registration fee using a debit/credit card.
Since most B-schools consider GMAT as an integral part of their admission process, it’s essential a candidate is well prepared if he/she is seriously looking to study in top institutes. The better the preparation, the higher the GMAT score and the higher are the chances of getting admissions into schools a candidate desires.