What Is The GMAT Exam?
What is GMAT and who needs it?
The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a standardized test which aims to predict your academic performance as an MBA (Masters in Business Administration) student.
The GMAT test score is an important part of the business school application process and is taken into consideration along with your work experience, academic record and other supporting materials.
The GMAT is developed by GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council) which decides the skillset the GMAT test should measure and how. The GMAT’s score is used by over 2,100 universities and institutions in the U.S. and other countries.
The GMAT structure
The GMAT is a multiple-choice, adaptive (CAT-Computer Adaptive Test) test that actually adapts to your performance as you’re taking it. As you answer questions correctly, the computer serves up harder questions and increases its estimate of your ability and vice versa.
The GMAT test is taken only on a computer in selected locations and takes about 3.5 hours including breaks. There are four main skills the GMAT measures: analytical writing assessment, quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and integrated reasoning.
These skills come to action in four sections on the test, and the test taker will have the option to choose the order in which they take the exam. Each section gets a separate scaled score:
Analytical Writing Assessment section is scored from 0 to 6 scale.
Integrated Reasoning section is scored on 1–8 scale.
Quantitative and Verbal sections each have a scaled score of 0–60.
The three scores listed above are then combined to generate a score between 200–800. The GMAT final score reflects the level of difficulty of the questions the test taker answered correctly using a proprietary GMAC algorithm.
| Test Section | Questions | Type | Score | Time |
| Analytical writing assessment | 1 writing task | Analysis of Argument | 0 to 6 scale | 30 minutes |
| Integrated reasoning | 12 Questions | multiple-choice | 1–8 scale | 30 minutes |
| Quantitative | 37 Questions | multiple-choice | 0–60 scale | 75 minutes |
| Verbal | 41 Questions | multiple-choice | 0–60 scale | 75 minutes |
| GMAT EXAM TIME | 3.5 hours |
How much does it cost?
Taking the GMAT will cost you $250, which includes sending your score reports to up to five colleges/universities, and can be taken up to five times a year.
GMAT scores are valid for up to five years. So, it’s important to choose the right time to take the exam and of course, the best prep course there is for you. This can eliminate the need to take the test in the future.
*Some prep courses offer to pay your GMAT fee.