What Is the GMAC Business Writing Assessment?

• The new GMAC Business Writing Assessment serves as a standalone test that can be taken at home.
• Students will be given 30 minutes to objectively analyze and critique an argument.
• The assessment is $30.
• Some schools, like Harvard, are requiring the test if students take the GMAT Focus Edition, which doesn't have a writing assessment of its own.

The new Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) Focus Edition dropped the analytical writing assessment — but a new test will fill that gap amid demand from business schools.

The soon-to-be-released GMAC Business Writing Assessment will allow test takers 30 minutes to analyze an argument. The goal will be to critique the argument's reasoning and evidence "objectively and cohesively," rather than sharing a personal response, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) website.

That means prospective master of business administration (MBA) students and those wanting to pursue other high-demand graduate business degrees will have the option to tack on an additional writing assessment to their applications.

"In the era of generative AI (artificial intelligence), business schools want to know that you can communicate important ideas critically and concisely through your writing," the GMAC website reads. "Coming soon, the GMAC Business Writing Assessment allows you to demonstrate your analysis, reasoning, and written communication abilities beyond traditional application materials."

The $30 test can be taken at home with "minimal preparation." Average prep time for the assessment is between two and six hours, according to the GMAC. The test will be scored in one-point increments on a scale of 0-6, and it’s free to send it to participating business schools.

The new writing assessment comes at a transformative time for both the GMAC and business education. AI is rapidly reshaping the business landscape across industries — but recent GMAC research found that employers continue to value human skills like communication and leadership.

What's the GMAT Focus Edition?

The GMAT Focus Edition is now the sole version of the graduate business school assessment.

The GMAC sunsetted the traditional GMAT in early 2024 in favor of the new test, which offers a shorter test-taking time and focuses on high-demand areas like data analytics, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

The GMAT Focus Edition features three 45-minute sections and takes almost an hour less to complete than its predecessor. The new test also dropped the analytical writing section features in past versions.

The GMAT is used by thousands of programs and institutions as part of their admissions, according to the GMAC. GMAC CEO Joy Jones previously said in a press release that feedback on the new format has so far been "overwhelmingly positive."

“I believe that we have achieved what we set out to do at the inception of the redesign more than two years ago, allowing business school aspirants to best demonstrate their capabilities in the most relevant and in-demand skill sets like critical thinking and data intelligence,” Jones said.

Those changes are similar to the revamped Graduate Record Examination (GRE), another popular admissions test for graduate schools. The Educational Testing Service cut the GRE test time in half and now features one analytical writing essay instead of two.

Do You Need to Take the GMAC Business Writing Assessment?

Taking the GMAC Business Writing Assessment isn't a requirement if you take the GMAT Focus Edition, but you might need to complete both if you apply to certain schools.

Harvard University, for instance, requires a writing assessment by its MBA applicants. That means if you take the GMAT Focus Edition, you'll be required to take an additional writing assessment.

"Writing is an essential component of the MBA program," the Harvard Business School (HBS) website reads.

"Therefore, to be admitted to HBS all students must have an official writing assessment. You can satisfy this with a valid GRE, GMAT (10th Edition), or English language test score. If you only submitted the GMAT Focus, which lacks a writing section, HBS will contact you at the interview stage about taking the separate GMAC Business Writing Assessment (to be released July 2024)."

Harvard notes that it doesn't have a preference between the GRE and GMAT.

Of course, many schools have moved away from requiring standardized tests at all. Many schools have adopted test-optional policies in recent years, although some of those institutions will still accept admissions tests to bolster your application.