The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a graduate admissions entrance exam designed specifically for students who want to earn a postgraduate degree in business. A recent score is often required when submitting an application for an MBA, Master of Accountancy, or Master of Finance.
What Is the GMAT?
This computer adaptive test (CAT) is a standardized exam required for applying to many types of business-related programs at US universities and colleges. If you want to get your MBA in the US, or pursue any other type of graduate business program, this exam is often listed as a requirement to apply; it evaluates your analytical and quantitative skills, as well as your skills with reading, writing, and speaking in English.
Business school admissions staff primarily use the exam to measure applicants’ skills with business-related topics and to determine if they have the required skills and knowledge to succeed at their school’s graduate business program.
The exam evaluates key modern business skills such as organizing data, analyzing information from different sources, making judgments based on data, and more. Your score helps business schools measure your proficiency in these skills.
Programs from different disciplines, such as law and medicine, will have their own unique entrance exams. You can learn more about these in our guide to standardized tests.
When Is GMAT Registration?
Test registration does not have any official fixed dates: You can register for your exam based on your schedule (and when you feel you are ready to take it).
How Do I Register for the Exam?
You can register online through Mba.com, the official testing website, operated by the Graduate Management Admission Council. Registering for your exam requires creating an appointment through the website’s scheduling system, and the exam can currently be taken online or at a testing center in your local area. Students with disabilities can request accommodations for testing via this website if testing centers are chosen.
How Much Does the GMAT Cost?
Non-refundable exam fees are $250, each time you take it.
When Should I Schedule the Exam?
You can register up to six months in advance, and the Graduate Management Admission Council recommends registering two to three months before your preferred testing date. This gives you time to prepare for the exam (and potentially achieve a higher score) compared to registering with shorter notice.
GMAT Prep Tips
Thousands of students around the world take this test every year, which means there are many resources available to prepare. The official testing website offers a variety of prep material, including practice tests, interactive tutorials, videos, guides, and more. Some reputable third parties, such as The Princeton Review and Kaplan, also prepare test guides which you can refer to in addition to your other material.
Additionally, consider the following five tips for your test preparation:
Begin your preparations early. Carefully evaluate how long it may take you to go through all your prep material and start studying as early as you can. This gives you ample time to prepare, without the need to rush.
Avoid studying multiple sections at once. Prepare for one section of the test and move on to the next after you are confident you’ve mastered the material.
Manage your time carefully and practice answering each section on time. This helps you set your pace while answering questions so that you do not run out of time during the actual exam.
Revise your knowledge of mathematics as the exam tests areas such as algebra, geometry, and more.
Practice each type of question multiple times to find the areas you may need to spend more time on. By getting familiar with these sections early on, you can see exactly where you need focus – and hopefully make improvements to achieve a higher score.
At first, it may seem like there is a lot of material for you to review, but you can prepare by creating a personalized study plan. A Shorelight advisor is always ready to help: They can work with you to identify required scores for admission to US graduate programs, give you study tips for exams, and provide other international student services such as assistance with your visa, transitioning to campus, and more!
Study Plan
A study plan is a guide that organizes all the material you want to review over a specific period of time leading up to the date of your exam. Your study plan helps you go over all your material and cover the areas you need more practice on, while also keeping you on track.
Consider the following when creating your study plan:
Dedicate certain days to specific subjects — This helps you focus on just one area of the test per day, so you can improve on the subjects you are less confident about while still covering other areas.
Set a time for practice tests — By organizing your schedule to take practice tests after your review sessions, the material will be fresh in your mind and help you measure your preparedness based on your prep work. It is important to approach each practice test as though it was the actual test to make sure you can pace out your answers for each question and finish on time.
Use your favorite study techniques — Every student has their own way of studying, and you should prioritize what works best for you. Whether you need to study alone in silence, have music on, or study with friends, you will learn better if you study in an environment that feels comfortable to you.
How Long Should I Study for the GMAT?
The exact time you need to study depends on how much of the prep material you have already mastered. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council, most test-takers say it takes at least eight weeks to prepare for the exam, if you are familiar with the test content. With this in mind, if you are not familiar with the material, it can be worth planning to study longer than eight weeks so you have time to cover all the material.
According to Kaplan, test-takers study as many as 100 total hours over three months. Of course, depending on your learning style, you can study more each day over a shorter period if you prefer.
What Are the GMAT Sections?
The exam has four sections and test sections include:
Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)
Integrated Reasoning (IR)
Quantitative Reasoning
Verbal Reasoning
You can choose the order in which you complete the test sections:
Analytical writing assessment, integrated reasoning, quantitative, verbal
Verbal, quantitative, integrated reasoning, analytical writing assessment
Quantitative, verbal, integrated reasoning, analytical writing assessment
These sections are designed to measure the key areas of critical thinking and analysis similar to what will be present in business programs such as an MBA. The sections in this exam also test areas such as basic arithmetic, data analysis, and your proficiency with English.
As many graduate programs require you to assess problems, formulate your own solutions, and draw conclusions from data, the test places a strong focus on evaluating your analytical and problem-solving skills.
Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)
The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) consists of one essay question and you have 30 minutes to write it. The essay is scored between zero and six points, with scores calculated from both a computer assessment and a human reader from the Graduate Management Admission Council.
In the essay prompt, you are given an argument from an author and must critique their argument using evidence from the text and evaluating the author’s reasoning. In this section, the grader measures your ability to analyze statements and organize your ideas logically while connecting your analysis using evidence. The final AWA score is recorded separately from the overall score.
Integrated Reasoning (IR)
The Integrated Reasoning (IR) section measures your ability to evaluate data presented in various formats like graphics interpretation or two-part analysis. You have 30 minutes to complete 12 multi-part questions, using pull-down options, tables, and fill-in-the-blank statements.
In this section, you need to demonstrate your skill with analyzing data and forming logical decisions based on your findings. To do this, you need to evaluate relevant information from different sources, organize information to find relationships and patterns, and combine information to find solutions to problems. Scores range from one to eight points; like the AWA, this score is separate from the total score.
Quantitative
The Quantitative Reasoning section focuses on problem-solving and data sufficiency questions using algebra, geometry, and arithmetic. While calculators are not permitted, a wet-erase pen and laminated graph paper are provided so you can work out problems by hand.
You are required to analyze statements related to the presented data to determine if there is enough data provided, then you need to identify the most important information to come up with answers, all within a limited timeframe. Scores range from six to 51 and students have 62 minutes to answer 31 multiple-choice questions.
Verbal
The Verbal Reasoning section tests your proficiency with reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence correction. This section has 36 five-option multiple-choice questions that must be completed in 65 minutes.
You are required to evaluate different arguments related to specific questions and create a response that links evidence from the text with your own logical conclusions. You also need to analyze sentences carefully to find errors or identify correct text passages. Additionally, you must demonstrate your skill in understanding author tones, perspectives, summarizing ideas, and creating conclusions based on evidence in text. The score in this section ranges from six to 51.
How Long Is the Exam?
The test takes approximately three hours and 30 minutes to complete, and each section of the exam has a specific amount of time allocated.
Analytical Writing Assessment — 30 minutes
Integrated Reasoning — 30 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning — 62 minutes
Verbal Reasoning — 65 minutes
You can also take optional breaks throughout the exam for a total of 16 minutes maximum.
How Is the GMAT Scored?
Scores are given in increments of 10 points with a range from 200 to 800, measuring the quantitative and verbal sections together while the AWA and IR sections are scored separately.
As the exam is a CAT test, the scoring method evaluates your score based on how you perform during the exam. Your exam begins with a medium difficulty question, and the computer will increase the difficulty of questions presented to you with each question you answer correctly. If you answer questions incorrectly, you may be given slightly less difficult questions to compensate.
Your final score is created using a combination of your correct answers and wrong answers with the level of difficulty of the questions you answered.
What Is a Good GMAT Score?
Each US university and college has its own required minimum score in order to be admitted to a specific graduate program. Being aware of the average scores that previous applicants earned can help you find a middle ground for your own target score – and work toward a score that helps you stand out among other applicants.
In the quantitative section, the mean score is 39; the verbal section’s mean score is 27. Most business schools prioritize your cumulative score in the exam, and for the overall exam, most test takers score between 430 and 670, with a mean score around 550. A score between 650 and 700 is considered competitive.
Can I Retake the Test?
Yes, you can! You can take the test up to eight times, with a minimum of 16 days between attempts. The test can only be taken up to five times in a single year, even if your scores are canceled. Recorded scores are valid for five years, and all non-canceled scores from the past five years will be reported.
The online version can be retaken once. If you have a technical issue that requires you to retake the test, this will not count toward your retake limit if the issue can be verified.
Getting started with registering and studying for the test can be challenging to do alone, but a Shorelight advisor can give you the support you need. They will advise you every step of the way and help you confidently prepare for your exam so you can work toward studying at your ideal university.
Study hard and best of luck!
Speak with a Shorelight advisor today to start planning your next steps toward studying in the US >
