The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is one of the tests you may take in the process of applying to admission into a graduate program, such as an MBA. In fact, it is the admissions test required by the majority of business schools. So, if you are a business undergrad major looking to get a graduate degree, you’ll likely be taking this test – and the test will help prospective business schools with their admissions decisions. It’s an important test, and, like the SAT, will likely require some preparation on your part. There are a variety of ways to prepare, including an online test prep managed by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) – the group that creates and manages the test. Below is some general information about the test.
The purpose of the test
The GMAT is at test that examines the readiness of a prospective graduate student for graduate level work, and is seen as a predictive factor for future success in graduate school. It is designed to assess your ability in reading, writing, English, and Math skills. You’ll also be assessed on your analytical, quantitative reasoning and verbal skills. The test itself is split into four parts; Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), integrated reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and a verbal section.
Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA):
The AWA test is thirty minutes long. During that thirty minutes you will write one essay. This essay is an analysis of an argument, in which you will analyze the nature and validity of the argument as well as giving your personal critique of that argument. It is scored on a 1-6 scale. A “1” score indicates a deficient essay. A “6” score is an outstanding score.
Integrated reasoning
The integrated reasoning is designed to test your ability to evaluate and analyze information. You’ll evaluate data presented in a variety of ways, through graphs and tables and other sources. You’ll answer twelve detailed questions. Each question typically has several different parts. You’ll have thirty minutes to complete the test.
Quantitative section
As implied by the title, the quantitative section will measure your ability to reason quantitatively. You’ll need to demonstrate a knowledge of algebra, geometry and general arithmetic. You’ll need to apply your mathematical knowledge in a practical way in order to solve a problem. You must be able to recognize the parts of the test question that are relevant in order to come to the proper solution. You’ll have 75 minutes to complete 37 questions.
Verbal section
In this section, you’ll be evaluated on reading comprehension, your ability to reason and analyze information, and demonstrate proper grammar. The sentence correction section will check your ability to properly communicate with good grammar. Reading comprehension is designed to test how well you can reason through information and think critically. You have 75 minutes to complete 41 questions.
You can schedule to take the GMAT at one of their test centers. The test costs $250 to take. It is recommended that, prior to taking the test, a student should spend time preparing for the test and taking practice tests.
