GMAT stands for Graduate Management Admission Test. It is a computer adaptive test, which is most commonly use as the test as one of the many selection criteria for enrollment into an MBA program in United States of America and Canada.More than 7,000 programs at approximately 2,300+ graduate business schools around the world accept the GMAT as part of the selection criteria for their programs.The GMAT exam measures basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills that one has developed in his education and work
The GMAT consists of four main sections, each designed to assess different skills relevant for business school candidates. Here’s a brief overview of each section and the overall structure:
1. Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)
Duration: 30 minutes
Format: One essay prompt
Purpose: Measures critical thinking and analytical writing skills through the analysis of an argument.
2. Integrated Reasoning (IR)
Duration: 30 minutes
Format: 12 questions
Purpose: Assesses the ability to evaluate information presented in multiple formats from various sources. This includes data interpretation, graphics, and multi-source reasoning.
3. Quantitative Section
Duration: 62 minutes
Format: 31 questions
Purpose: Tests mathematical skills and understanding of quantitative concepts. It includes two types of questions: Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency.
4. Verbal Section
Duration: 65 minutes
Format: 36 questions
Purpose: Evaluates reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence correction skills.
Overall Structure
Total Duration: Approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes
Scoring Range: 200 to 800, based on the combined scores of the Quantitative and Verbal sections. The AWA and IR sections receive separate scores.
After completing the test, candidates receive their unofficial scores immediately, while the official scores (including AWA and IR) are available within a few weeks. The GMAT is designed to help business schools assess an applicant’s readiness for graduate-level coursework and is an important component of the admissions process.