GMAT Prep Guide

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized computer adaptive exam used to assess test-takers’ readiness for a master of business administration (MBA) program. More than 6,000 MBA programs currently use the GMAT as a predictor of student performance, and GMAT results are weighed heavily during the admissions process. Often, schools look at GMAT scores before reviewing any other part of a candidate’s application. Job recruiters also look at GMAT scores as an indicator of an applicant’s ability for quantitatively intensive work.

The GMAT is required for admission to most business schools, and is offered worldwide throughout the year in designated testing facilities. Studies show that graduate degrees translate to increased earnings, and people with an online MBA degree start their management careers with a higher median salary than those without the degree.

The Graduate Management Admission Council reports that the expected median starting salary for MBA graduates in the US last year was $100,000 — $45,000 more than the median starting salary for bachelor’s graduates. Job prospects are also continually growing for MBA grads. According to the Council, 84% of employers said that they planned on hiring MBA degree-holders in 2015, a 10% increase from the year before.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below.

The GMAT is comprised of an analytical writing assessment section, an integrated reasoning section, a quantitative section, and a verbal section. The exam takes 3.5 hours to complete, and is delivered on a computer. Once a question is answered, the student cannot return to it. Additionally, the quantitative and verbal sections employ computerized adaptive testing. This means that the response given to each question will determine the difficulty level of the next question. For example, if a test-taker answers a question of average difficulty correctly, the next question will be of slightly greater difficulty. Eventually, test-takers will be given a steady stream of questions that are around the same level of difficulty. Those who answer more of the difficult questions correctly will score higher in the end.

The analytical writing assessment section is designed to evaluate a student’s argument analysis and critical thinking skills. Students have 30 minutes to write an essay that critiques a given argument. The essay should point out problems with faulty reasoning in the argument, and ways to improve it. Evaluators score the response based on quality of the analysis –including relevance of examples and a thorough explanation of gaps in the argument’s reasoning. Command of grammar, coherent organization, and development of ideas are weighed heavily during evaluation.

There is only one prompt for this section. It is an argumentative passage taken from a source that does not require specialized knowledge to analyze. Sample prompts are available. The argument presented will be flawed in one or more ways, and the main analytical task is to determine how and why the evidence presented does not support the author’s conclusion.

The student is expected to write a short essay (typically three to five paragraphs) identifying and explaining the argument’s flaws, or gaps in the logic of the argument, and suggest relevant improvements. The student’s own view is not relevant to the analysis and critique. Instead, the focus is on the objective features of the argument. The identification and explanation of these errors, along with suggested improvements to the argument, produce a counter-argument.

In this section, you will be asked to write a critique of the argument presented. You are not asked to present your own views on the subject.

One of the most common mistakes among test-takers is their failure to proofread what they have written. While test evaluators will not dwell on spelling errors, grammatical errors can interfere with the overall clarity of the essay. Another trap that test-takers tend to fall into is thinking that the exam is asking for their opinion. Scorers are not looking for a test-taker’s ability to choose the “correct” side of an issue, but rather their ability to argue one side of the issue using strong examples and counterexamples.

The integrated reasoning section measures one’s ability to integrate data from a variety of sources to solve problems. The data are presented in graphs, tables, and written information. Students have 30 minutes to complete 12 questions. Some involve multi-part analysis, which means a single question may have more than one component the student must answer in order to receive a score. In addition, one prompt may be used for more than one question. A calculator is provided on the computer.

There are 12 questions in the integrated reasoning section, and four types of questions that involve charts, numeric tables, graphs, and prose text. Each exercise involves one or more skills: information synthesis, evaluation of information from diverse sources to reveal relationships and to solve interrelated problems, and manipulating information from multiple sources to solve problems.

The multi-source reasoning format is presented on a split screen, one side of which has information; the other side contains the questions. The table analysis presents a table of numbers, sortable by column. One question in this sub-section will have multiple parts. Graphic interpretation is presented visually, but in multiple ways (e.g., line graphs or pie charts). Questions in this sub-section are in drop-down menu form. Two-part analysis questions are presented in table form.

In this section, all parts of a single question must be answered correctly to receive credit; there is no partial credit given. In addition, all parts of a question must be answered before a new question on another screen is presented.

In an effort to move quickly through a section, test-takers risk missing important information. Since the integrated reasoning section of the GMAT focuses on analyzing and synthesizing data from diverse sources, no information presented should be overlooked. Once the student understands what a question is asking, the answer can be found in the relevant table, chart, etc.

The quantitative section measures a student’s content and analytic knowledge. Most of the math questions in the section cover skills learned at the high school-level, and test-takers should be prepared to know basic concepts, equations, and rules in arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. The quantitative section is included in the exam because of the emphasis on quantitative reasoning in business school.

There are 37 questions in the quantitative section, and they are a mix between two types: problem solving and data sufficiency. Data sufficiency exercises (20-24 questions) test management skills by presenting statements that are or are not sufficient to answer the question. This will be presented as a main question followed by two statements of data. Test-takers must decide whether the statements provide enough information to answer the question. Problem solving exercises (13-17 questions) are presented as a question with five multiple-choice answers.

Both question types involve reasoning in arithmetic (approximately 46%), geometry (approximately 14%), and algebra (approximately 40%). The questions range from properties of integers to counting series, functions, exponents, and word problems consisting of each subject listed. Many questions cover statistics, unknown variables, coordinate geometry, and fractions.

Pattern-making is an essential and natural cognitive skill applicable to mathematics, but test-takers have to avoid traps in the questions. For example, distribution patterns don’t apply to reciprocals and square roots, and exponents distribute over addition and subtraction. In addition, common mistakes include dropping the negative sign, dividing by the numerator, distributing a square, distributing a root, and distributing a fraction. Any of these mistakes can trip up anyone going too quickly.

The verbal section consists of 41 multiple-choice questions, including reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence correction. This section is designed to measure a test-taker’s ability to read and comprehend written material, evaluate arguments, and correct wording according to the rules of standard written English. The test-taker has 75 minutes to complete the section.

There are 14 reading comprehension questions (34%), 11 critical reasoning questions (27%), and 16 sentence corrections (39%). Reading comprehension questions test a person’s critical reading skills. Test-takers may be asked to summarize the main idea of a passage, make inferences based on details provided in the text, or to identify the tone or purpose of the author. Critical reasoning questions test a person’s ability to evaluate an argument in a given statement and to draw conclusions from evidence provided in the text. These statements often cover topics such as wages and labor, supply and demand, statistical testing, law and the legal system, and economic growth. The sentence correction questions assess a test-taker’s written English skills.

In this section, test-takers are given a lengthy sentence, part of which is underlined, they will be asked to replace the underlined part with one of the answers provided.

One of the biggest traps test-takers fall into is getting caught up in tricky wording. Critical reading questions, specifically, are known to be lengthy and complicated, so test-takers are advised to read carefully. They are also warned not to spend too much time on shorter questions, as the longer passages will need more time.

A GMAT score is valid for five years. The Official Score Report includes all GMAT scores for a five-year period, a photograph of the test taker at the test center, self-reporting information (e.g., phone number, GPA), and percentile rank. If the exam is taken multiple times, each total score is reported; scores are not combined.

The total score for a given GMAT exam is determined by the quantitative and verbal sections only. The analytical writing assessment and the integrated reasoning sections are scored separately. A perfect score is 800, but most scores range from 400 to 600. The analytical writing assessment score is determined by two independent readers, one of which may be a computer program written to evaluate 50 linguistic and structural features. The analytical writing assessment scores range from zero to six, with half-point increments. Integrated reasoning scores range from 1 to 8, with no increments. Because the integrated reasoning section includes multi-part questions, all parts of an exercise must be completed to receive credit.

Answer all of the questions. There is a greater penalty for skipping a question than answering it incorrectly.

Unofficial scores are available immediately after taking the exam. Official electronic results are available within 20 calendar days of testing, and are also sent electronically to schools selected on the day of the exam. An email with instructions on accessing the results is emailed to the test taker. Paper results are mailed to the test taker and selected schools within 20 calendar days of testing. If, on the day of the exam, a test taker does not select schools to report results, or if the test taker wants to select more than five schools, they can order additional score reports for a fee. Students who want to wait and see their test results before they are sent to a school may decide not to select any schools in advanced. Once a score is sent to a school, it cannot be undone.

GMAT scores are valid for five years, and the exam can be taken multiple times. Scores can be canceled, and not reported to schools. Someone wishing to formally take the exam for practice, for example, may wish to cancel the score. The GMAT’s Score Preview feature gives students the option of sending or canceling their score at the test center, immediately after they have completed the exam. Canceled scores can be reinstated for a fee. Scores older than five years are non-renewable.

Test-takers should become familiar with the format and structure of the exam, and spend additional time on the sections they struggle with. The amount of time people spend preparing for the test varies widely, with roughly the same number studying 20 hours or fewer (21%); 21-50 hours (23%); 51-100 hours (28%); and 100 hours or more (28%).

Time spent studying correlates strongly with success on the exam. The Graduate Management Admission Council found that individuals who reported studying for 75 hours scored less than 400 on the exam, on average. In contrast, students who spent an average of 121 hours studying reported scoring 700 or higher.

There are multi-platform prep options for under $500. There are also many free test guides and online practice tests available. It’s not necessary to take an expensive prep course in order to score well on the GMAT. A well-organized learner with a solid plan can prepare for the GMAT at little to no cost.

A prepared test taker is a relaxed test taker. On the night before the exam, there is no more preparation to do. Instead, relax and mentally prepare yourself to take the test.

Test-takers should arrive at the test center at least 30 minutes before the exam. Anyone arriving 15 minutes or more after the start of their scheduled exam time may not be admitted and may also forfeit their exam fee. Test-takers should bring with them a valid I.D., such as a driver’s license, passport, or military I.D.

The test center has private computer work stations for each test taker. The test begins promptly when the test taker reaches their designated computer station. Five-minute breaks are allowed in between each section. It is during these times only that test-takers can have food and drinks. Exams are interrupted only if there are exigent circumstances, such as weather conditions or technical problems.

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There are various accommodations for test-takers with disabilities or health concerns. Those who meet eligibility requirements are afforded additional time to complete the exam, additional or extended breaks in between testing sections, use of a medical device in the testing room, a test reader, a trackball mouse, a recorder for test taking responses, sign language interpreter, and large font on the monitor. Some aids do not require authorization. These include eyeglasses, hearing aids, insulin pumps, and neck pillows.

Anyone who wants a GMAT test accommodation should review the requirements, and complete and submit the GMAT Test Accommodations Request Form. Some disabilities require documentation, which should be included in the accommodations request package. These include psychological, sensory, and learning disabilities. Accommodation requests can be sent by mail or fax. Average responses take seven to 10 days, but they can last up to four weeks.

Magoosh’s GMAT blog includes an article on the physiology of anxiety, and how to reduce it.

GMAT Hack describes the sorts of anxiety one may feel when preparing for and taking the GMAT.

The Veritas article covers some background on the GMAT, providing practical tips for managing test anxiety.

This site offers a variety of free GMAT resources.

The official GMAT site provides a free preparation timeline.

A GMAT test taker discusses a variety of materials considered to be helpful in improving or achieving solid scores.

A variety of integrated reasoning resources are linked from this site.

Discovery Business offers a concise set of strategies for taking the GMAT.

The military reimburses members through the G.I. Bill eligibility.