Prepare For GMAT

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) has been designed to help business schools (Management Colleges) assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business and management. In most of the cases, students wishing to take up an MBA degree from universities abroad have to take the GMAT. It is created and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Admissions officers use the GMAT to measure academic ability. In fact, ETS data has shown that GMAT scores are consistently good, though imperfect, predictors of academic success in the first year of business school. GMAT scores are also used by admissions committees as a useful guide in comparing the credentials of candidates from widely varying backgrounds.

GMAT scores are used by graduate business schools to make admission decisions as well. Of the several thousand graduate management programs worldwide, nearly 1,700 use the GMAT and more than 1,000 require it. In addition to that, there are several institutions within India which may start taking the GMAT scores for entry. One such example is the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad (ISB).

The exam itself measures general VERBAL, MATHEMATICAL and ANALYTICAL writing skills. It does not test business competence nor specific subject knowledge. GMAT is available year-round at test centers throughout the world.

Generally GMAT is referred to as the “GMAT CAT;” the acronym CAT stands for “Computer Adaptive Test” – the test adjusts to your individual ability level. The GMAT is administered only by computer now. In India also, GMAT is conducted online. Each individual test that is administered contains the same format and areas of content.

GMAT includes Analytical Writing, Quantitative and Verbal questions using a computer-adaptive format. Questions are chosen from a very large pool of test questions categorized by content and difficulty. The GMAT thus consists of 4 separately timed sections. Each of the first two sections contains a 30-minute writing task; the other two sections are 75-minutes each and contain multiple choice questions. The detailing about each of the test areas is as given below.

Analytical Writing Assessment

You begin the GMAT with the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA). The AWA consists of two separate writing tasks : Analysis of an Issue and Analysis of an Argument. You are allowed 30 minutes to complete each one. The Analytical Writing Assessment measures the ability to think critically and communicate complex ideas through writing.

Quantitative Section

Following an optional five-minute break, you begin the Quantitative Section of the GMAT. This section contains 37 multiple-choice questions of two question types : Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving. You will be allowed a maximum of 75 minutes to complete the entire section. The quantitative sections measures basic mathematical skills and understanding of elementary concepts, and the ability to reason quantitatively, solve quantitative problems and interpret graphic data.

Verbal Section

After a second optional five-minute break, you begin the Verbal Section of the GMAT. This section contains 41 multiple choice questions of three question types : Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction. You are allowed a maximum of 75 minutes to complete the entire section. The verbal section measures ability to understand and evaluate what is read and to recognize basic conventions of standard written English.

A Quick Summary

In India, GMAT is conducted round the year at the various Sylvan Testing Centres spread across the country. One can take the test once per calendar month. This is true even if you cancelled your scores on a previous test within the same month.

The additional score reporting fee is $25 per university payable in US$.

(For more information on GMAT, please visit www.gmac.com.)