MBA GMAT Overview

One of the biggest obstacles to hurdle in getting an MBA degree is the Graduate Management Admission Test or GMAT. This standardized exam is required by nearly all business schools around the world. The tests are rarely given in paper format, as most schools administer them in a computerized manner.

BASICS

The GMAT is basically an aptitude test that measures your potential to succeed in an MBA program. Although it doesn’t include inquiries about a specific job or subjective trait, it does measure your verbal, mathematical and analytical writing skills comprehensively. The exam lasts about three and a half hours and has a maximum score of 800.

Questions

The first two parts of the exam uses CAT, or computer-adaptive testing. That means your answer for the current question dictates how difficult the next one will be. For instance, if you answer the first item correctly, the succeeding problems will be slightly harder. On the other hand, the problems become progressively easier if you answered the question incorrectly.

The exam is designed this way to prevent cheating and leakage among students. The first five items of the exam are crucial because they have a huge effect on your final score. Overall, the difficulty of the questions is slightly above average to match the median of the GMAT scores.

Scoring

The total score of 800 only includes the quantitative and verbal portions of the exam, as the analytical writing part utilizes a different scoring system. The median is about 530, with the final scores calculated using a complicated formula.

Since the GMAT is computer adaptive, an item that isn’t properly answered will be marked as an anomaly. Unlike right-minus-wrong exams, the effect of a blank item is much worse than a wrong answer with GMAT. Scores below 10 and above 45 out of a possible 60 are rare for the verbal and quantitative sections of the GMAT. For the analytical writing assessment part, the scores range from zero to six and are not included in the total score of 800.

Most schools do not have an exact minimum score requirement. However, they publish the average and median scores of the latest examinees and use those figures as the basis instead.

VERBAL SECTION

This section measures how well you read and understand written material. It also tests your ability to reason and evaluate arguments. Your task is to correct erroneous items in accordance to standard written English. The verbal section comprises about 40 multiple choice questions divided into three parts that must be completed within 75 minutes.

Sentence Correction

Under this section, your grasp of English grammar and expressions is assessed. Each item has a sentence with an underlined clause that should be revised. You must improve the sentence by replacing the underlined part with one of the five given choices.

This test evaluates your ability to recognize standard written English, including grammar, logic and sentence construction. Make sure the answer you pick produces the clearest, most concise statement without altering the thought of the original sentence.

(Avoid grammatical errors by knowing The Most Common Grammar Mistakes.)

Critical Reasoning

In this subsection, you need to supply an answer for the question given at the end of each short paragraph. The query may require you to make a conclusion, identify assumptions or indicate the main points of the passage.

Critical reasoning looks at your ability to analyze and evaluate short paragraphs or passages. All 15 items are very challenging, tricky and confusing. The technique is to flush out statements that seem redundant, irrelevant and inconsistent and choose the most sensible answer among the five options.

Reading Comprehension

This section divides 12 to 14 problems among four paragraphs made up of about 200 to 350 words each. Each item has about three to four inquiries that examine how well you understood the passage and the information it contained.

The topics widely vary and may be anything from business and economics to physical and social science. These questions also evaluate your ability to determine the weak and strong points of a paragraph.

QUANTITATIVE SECTION

This part of the exam is all about mathematics. If the verbal section is all about quality, this one is all about quantity. It includes problem solving, graph interpretation and quantitative analysis. Compared to the verbal section, the questions in this portion are less vague and more definite. You have 75 minutes to answer all 37 multiple choice inquiries.

The common topics found in the quantitative section are basic arithmetic, elementary algebra and general geometry. Similar to the overall theme of the GMAT, not all questions in this segment are necessarily about business or economics. Before getting worried about numbers, you should know that most examinees get a higher score here than in the verbal section.

Problem Solving

The problems here are a mixture of arithmetic, basic algebra, and elementary geometry. Some queries are plain numerical equations, while the rest are word problems that require mathematical solutions.

The problems presented here demand basic mathematical knowledge, skill, understanding and reasoning. Besides numbers, you will also encounter figures to help you solve a specific equation. Since you are dealing with specific questions, all you need to worry about is carelessness.

Data Sufficiency

This part of the quantitative section is slightly harder than problem solving. You are given a question followed by two relevant statements, wherein the five options are derived from. To answer each item, you must combine your basic knowledge of mathematics with real world facts, such as number of days in a month or the direction of a clockwise motion.

Arriving at an answer is very tricky. You need to analyze the relationship between the two statements and how they would satisfy the main problem. You decide whether the statements are sufficient to answer the question, either individually or in combination.

ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSESSMENT

The writing part of the GMAT demands for an analysis of two separate topics, namely a specific issue and an argument. You have 30 minutes to showcase your writing skills about a topic of general interest and not just business-related.

Unlike the previous two sections, the essays are scored on a scale of zero to six, with six being the highest. Even if you have no idea what the topic is all about, you don’t have to panic because your score is only based on your ability to write an analysis. This includes making well-structured sentences, coherent paragraphs and a satisfactory essay.

However, many business schools give less importance to the AWA compared to the verbal and quantitative sections of the GMAT. Some schools even ignore the writing part altogether.

Analysis Of An Issue

In this portion, you have to analyze and explain your point of view on a common issue like government regulation and private ownerships. You are graded according to your writing skills, grammar, choice of words and sentence structure.

The issue given to you really has no right or wrong answer. Consider different perspectives and use your own experience and observations to tackle the issue. You should express your position on the issue or opinion as clearly as possible.

Analysis Of An Argument

Unlike the previous writing exercise, you must criticize the given argument without imposing your own perspective. You need to present the argument in an unbiased and constructive manner using a specific line of thinking.

Organize your ideas and compile them in full. Review your work and make the necessary revisions to improve it. You are graded according to how you organize, develop, and express your ideas using reasons and examples that support your claim.

TAKING THE EXAM

You should set an appointment before you can take the GMAT. Afterwards, familiarize yourself on where the test will be held and how to get there. Arrive at least 30 minutes before your GMAT appointment commences. Being a few minutes late might disqualify you from taking the exam, and the fees are often non-refundable.

Requirements

You must present a government-issued identification card at the test center, such as a driver’s license or passport. You will also be requested to provide a photo, signature, digital fingerprint and confirmation letter obtained from the appointment.

Prohibited Items

Don’t even bother bringing someone to the test center because no one is allowed to stay in the waiting room. GMAT test centers are very strict. You are not allowed to bring personal items, bags, purses and cell phones. Any personal or unnecessary items are deposited in a secure place inside the test center.

Some of the everyday items that are prohibited inside the test center are calculators, mobile phones, handheld computers, books, rulers, alarms, writing materials and general electronic devices.

Tips

To help you through the exam, try following these simple tips.

• Get a good night’s sleep the night before the GMAT.
• Avoid taking the test on an empty stomach.
• Arrive early at the test center and relax until the exam begins.
• Read the instructions carefully before starting each segment.
• Pace yourself so you have enough time to go through each question at least once.
• If you are unsure of the answer, keep eliminating the most irrelevant option available until you narrow the choices down to one.
• Tackle the easy questions first.
• Always allot some time to review your answers to make sure you don’t skip any.
• Maximize the provided pencil and scratch paper for the quantitative section.
• Don’t cave in to pressure and maintain a positive outlook.

If you fail your latest GMAT, it doesn’t mean you have to give up and shelf your MBA application for next time. Your real world accomplishments, such as academic performance, employment history, professional references and application essays remain important qualifications. Still, it’s easier to get into an MBA program if you give your best and pass a GMAT exam.