What is GMAT?

GMAT stands for the Graduate Management Admission Test, which is a computer-based test that is accepted as a standard test for management students by over 6 thousand universities and schools. The test scores are a standard measure of the student’s ability to adapt to the management curriculum, and plays an important part in deciding whether they get accepted to their school of choice, or not.

What is the objective of GMAT?

Since candidates from a variety of academic backgrounds, the GMAT serves as a standard measure to evaluate how suited the applicant is for the management course. Candidates have varying cultures, career paths and work experience, hence the GMAT helps the universities to judge the applicants on a standard scale. Also, the GMAT helps universities judge other important skills that a management student must have, like critical thinking, good grammatical know-how and many such other skills. Since the GMAT is designed specifically for the management courses in mind, your scores in GMAT may be an accurate prediction of how you shall fare in the actual course itself.

GMAT Exam Pattern :

With a duration of over three hours, the GMAT consists of the following 4 sections :

• Analytical Writing Assessment, (30 Minutes)

• Integrated Reasoning, (30 Minutes)

• Quantitative (75 Minutes) ,and

• Verbal (75 Minutes).

The quantitative as well as verbal section consist of multiple choice questions.

What exactly is a computer adaptive test?

• It is a type of test in which the difficulty level of succeeding questions is dependent on the candidate’s response to the previous questions.

• Each response updates the total score of the candidate, and if you give the correct answer to a question, the next question is more difficult, else it is easier than the previous one.

• The maximum possible score a person can get on GMAT is 800 (for verbal and quantitative sections only), and the score is valid for 5 years.

GMAT Centre and Dates:

Candidates can book the GMAT exam for almost any day throughout the year, and go and take it at any one of the nearest exam centers. The candidate may register for GMAT exam either online at MBA.com or by calling/reaching out to one of the test centers. One has to take an appointment at one of the designated test centers to schedule the exam for a particular day. Candidates can take the GMAT for a total of five times in a single calendar year, and two successive attempts must be taken at a gap of 16 days.

Fee Structure and Mode of payments:

The registration fees for GMAT is $250 (INR 16,500 approximately), which can be paid via credit card and/or money order. However, if due to some reason, you are not able to appear for the GMAT at your scheduled date, then the fees shall be forfeited, so make sure that you plan your GMAT with certainty.

Documents Requirement :

The only document that you need to present at the time of giving the GMAT is a valid proof of identity. Also you need to present a valid passport to your name, that clearly shows your name, signature as well as photograph. All these documents are mandatory for you to be able to appear for your GMAT at the scheduled time, date and place. Apart from this there is no official eligibility criteria for giving the GMAT exam, but the candidate must be a graduate from a recognized educational establishment, and must be proficient in English language.

What is an Ideal time to start with your GMAT preparations?

The amount of time required to prepare for the GMAT is specific to each candidate, and it is always advised that the candidate must go through as many questions as possible for practice before they finally appear for GMAT. On an average, complete GMAT preparation takes about four months, and that means that the preparation should be well underway at least 6 months prior to the deadlines of the various schools.

What GMAT Score Do You Need for Business School?

For all major business schools the world over, the average GMAT score lies in the higher 500s range. But for the top 15 business schools of the world, the cutoff GMAT score may be as high as 700, so you should prepare according to your current calibre as well as the school you are targeting.

How to start with your GMAT preparation?

To start with the exam prep, first you need to familiarize yourself with the various kinds of questions that are asked on the test. Taking mock tests and going through the practice questions is the best way to do so. Also, always consult official resources to be sure that you are updated with the latest pattern of the test.

Some of the best online and offline resources for your GMAT preparation includes:

• GMAT official guide,

• Economist GMAT,

• Prep 4 GMAT

• Gmatclub.com

GMAT vs GRE:

The dilemma between GRE and GMAT is natural, especially you are not yet decided about

what degree to pursue.

Below, we have mentioned the key differences and similarities between the two which will

provide you a better idea regarding the right test for you :

Target schools:

• While GRE is accepted by a variety of programs across schools, the GMAT is designed specifically for management schools. Attempting GMAT limits your options, in case you are not sure about which course to pursue.

Adaptive Nature :

• Both exams are adaptive in natures, meaning that the difficulty of succeeding questions is dependent on the candidate’s responses to the previous questions. However, GMAT is a question adaptive test whereas GRE is a section adaptive test. GRE allows you to mark questions for review and then revisit them later, but the GMAT adapts to your response after every question.

Conclusion :

GMAT, like any other exam, requires planning, and hard work. There are a number of

credible resources available online that can help in the planning of the same. Also, practice

is key to success in case of GMAT.

We hope this blog was helpful in solving all your doubts regarding GMAT, and we made your

preparation journey an easy ride.

All the best!