All About the GMAT Exam

December 9, 2020 GMAT, Learning Techniques, Preparation Strategies, Strategies, Test Taking Tips 0

What is the GMAT Exam?

Many working-aged individuals presume their experiences taking standardized tests like the SAT are well behind them, yet business school hopefuls face a contrasting reality. To secure a spot in any selective graduate business program, individuals must score impressively on the GMAT Exam. The Graduate Management Admission Test is a business school entrance exam that acts as a strong indicator of whether or not an individual is academically prepared for business school. Although GMAT scores are only one component of your application, admission committees take this score very seriously and a higher scoring applicant will have a greater chance of being admitted to the business program of their choice.

The Breakdown of the GMAT Exam

The exam takes around three and a half hours to complete and has four sections designed to test an individual’s aptitude to carry out various skills relevant to business school. These four sections are defined as analytical writing, integrated reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning. The analytical writing section measures your ability to think critically and effectively communicate an idea. The integrated reasoning section reflects your ability to analyze and interpret data presented in various formats (e.g., passages, tables, and graphics). The quantitative reasoning portion measures mathematical reasoning skills as well as the ability to interpret graphic data and solve quantitative problems. Lastly, the verbal reasoning section measures your ability to evaluate arguments, comprehend what you’re reading, and edit sentences effectively in standard written English.

How do I prepare for the GMAT Exam?

Everyone has their method of studying and test preparation, but many find it useful to learn from those who have a greater knowledge of a subject. Miles Smart Tutoring offers a unique opportunity to work with tutors who know the exam inside and out and can provide GMAT section specific assistance, as well as a plethora of test-taking strategies that are proven to be effective.

The Miles Smart Tutoring approach includes reviewing and practicing GMAT questions in real-time (either in person or virtually) as well as learning time management skills and question answering strategies that will not only benefit you on the GMAT exam but in the business world and throughout life.

Scoring of the GMAT Exam

Five to seven days after taking the exam, you will receive a score anywhere from 200-800. At first glance, you may have certain feelings about your score. However, it is important to examine your score report in search of potential areas of improvement or just to see how well you scored in each section. For the analytical writing section, essays are scored using professional essay graders and a machine algorithm that produces a score ranging from 0.0-6.0. The integrated reasoning portion’s score is based on how many exam questions you answered correctly. These questions may have had multiple parts and to receive credit for that question, each part needed to be answered correctly. This score ranged from 1-8. For the quantitative and verbal reasoning section, your score was based on the number of questions answered, whether your answers to those questions were correct, and the difficulty of the questions you answered. This score ranges from 6-51. Total scores are dependent on your performance before scores are given for the quantitative and verbal reasoning sections. Later, the raw calculation is rescaled to resemble a number in the 200-800 range. An important part of the GMAT is knowing how the score breakdown works to maximize your earned points in each section.

What is a Good GMAT Score?

The question all would like the answer to is: Is my GMAT score good enough and will it get me into a graduate business program? For comparison, the average score on the GMAT is 556, and about two-thirds of test-takers score between 400-600. On test day, as soon as you’ve finished the exam, the computer will display your unofficial results and you’ll have two minutes to decide whether or not you’d like to report your results to business schools or cancel them. Each school’s exam score requirements differ, so you’ll need to be armed with the knowledge of what score you need to get into your program of choice before test day so that you can make an informed decision whether to send them or not. If you’re not sure about your desired program admissions scores, research the school’s requirements or use reliable websites such as Princeton Review to find the information you need.

At the end of the day, the GMAT is a vital first step towards a business career, so make sure to take the time to adequately prepare for it and take it seriously.

Best of luck!!

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