The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is the entrance exam for many graduate level degrees in business, management, and finance, including the MBA. Most schools require the GMAT in order to get accepted into their program, and the score is weighed heavily. The reason it is taken so seriously is because it puts everyone on an equal basis. Undergraduate degrees vary widely between schools and departments. The professional career of one applicant can be quite different from that of another. The GMAT is the main way a school can get a direct comparison between two applicants of dissimilar backgrounds.

Preparing for the Test
The GMAT tests the student’s quantitative and verbal skills. The skills are based off a high school level, so neither engineering skills nor an English major are required to be successful on the exam. Below is an overview of the types of questions that the test contains. A full study guide with practice exams should be used before attempting the test for the first time.

Quantitative
The quantitative section of the GMAT is made up of problem solving and data sufficiency questions. The problem solving questions and data sufficiency questions are mixed together, so you will never be sure which will appear next. There are 35 questions in this section, and 75 minutes are allowed to complete it.

Problem Solving
The problem solving section of the GMAT consists of questions that the examinee must answer mathematically. Most are in the story problem format, where a brief real-life situation is set up and there is one correct solution. The problems include the use of arithmetic, including percentages and fractions; algebra; and geometry, including areas and volumes. Conversions between units are not used and do not need to be memorized.

Test taking strategy: The answers are presented in numerical order, which assists in guessing when the examinee does not know how to work the problem. Start with the middle answer and plug it into the problem. If the result is too large, look only at the smaller answer choices left. If the result is too small, look only at the larger answer choices left. That means that on problems that lend themselves to plugging in, the examinee will at most have to plug in three possible solutions, rather than a full five.

Data Sufficiency
The data sufficiency section contains a problem similar to the problem solving section; however, the problem itself does not give enough information to fully answer the question. The problem is followed by two statements. The examinee’s job is to determine whether they have enough information to find a solution using the stated problem and the statements. The possible answers for these types of problems will be
• Statement 1 is sufficient to answer the question
• Statement 2 is sufficient to answer the question
• Each statement alone is sufficient to answer the question
• Both statements combined are sufficient to answer the question
• The statements combined are not sufficient to answer the question
Like the problem solving section, these problems require knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. The goal of these problems is to determine whether or not there is enough information to answer the question, and NOT to determine whether or not the answer is correct.

Test taking strategy: Look at each of the two options individually and see if they are sufficient to answer the question. If either is you can limit the options available to choose from to be the one that is sufficient or that each is sufficient on its own. If neither is sufficient individually then look at the two combined and see if that will give an answer.

Verbal
The verbal section tests basic rules of English as well as the examinee’s ability to understand what they are reading and make logical conclusions. The verbal section is made up of sentence correction, critical reasoning, and reading comprehension questions. The three types of questions will be mixed together, however each reading comprehension sequence is made up of three of four questions and those questions will always follow each other immediately. There are 41 questions in this section and 75 minutes are allowed to complete it.

Sentence Correction
The sentence correction section contains a few sentences with one, or a portion of one, underlined. The examinee must determine if the underlined portion is proper English, or if not, which of the answer choices would turn the sentence into proper English. Common mistakes that must be caught and corrected in the sentences include subject/verb agreement and tense agreement.

Test taking strategy: Ignore the first answer choice when reading through the options. The first choice is always the same as the one that is actually in the sentence problem, and reading it again just takes away time.

Critical Reasoning
Critical reasoning is a short paragraph that contains a logical argument. The answer choices ask about what can be concluded from the paragraph using logic.

Test taking strategy: Any outside knowledge about the subject should be ignored. If it can not be concluded solely from the information given, then it is not the correct answer for the purpose of the exam.

Reading Comprehension
The reading comprehension section contains a few paragraphs and then a series of questions regarding the passage. The passage will remain visible throughout all of the questions so the examinee can refer back to it. This section will not include logical conclusions, but will require the reader to put the pieces together to understand the larger picture being presented.

Test taking strategy: The notepad can be used to write a couple words describing the key concepts of each paragraph, and an indication of where names of people or specific items appear for quick reference later while answering the questions.

Analytical Writing
Two essays must be written analyzing an issue. Thirty minutes are allowed to complete each essay.

Argument Analysis
The argument analysis presents a couple paragraphs that argue for or against some subject. The job of the examinee is to read the argument and decide if the argument is contains sufficient information to uphold it, or if it is lacking in critical information. The examinee must then present their analysis in an essay.

Issue Analysis
The issue analysis presents a couple paragraphs that have an issue with two sides. Each side may be clearly presented or it may be implied. The examinee must choose one side of the issue and present an essay supporting their position.

Test taking strategy: Either the noteboard or the textbox can be used to create an outline for the essay. All the points the examinee wants to cover can be typed out and later reorganized into a flow that makes sense. A few more details can be stuck in between points until the examinee has created the analysis they want within their mind. Then it is only a matter of turning the points into complete sentences in order to finish the essay.

Taking the Test
Once the studying is complete, the exam will be taken at an official testing center. These centers are located around the country and follow detailed procedures.

Registering
Registration is completed online. The examinee can search for testing centers near their location and then find out what times are available for testing. The test can be completed any day a testing center is open, there are no set dates set aside for nationwide testing. The web site will ask for your personal information and payment. Be sure that you use your official name exactly as it is written on your identification such as a driver’s license.

Checking In
To check in you will be required to present photo identification that includes a signature. A driver’s license is the most common form, but a list of all acceptable forms are given on the website during registration. After the testing center has identified the examinee they give the examinee a paper with the GMAT rules spelled out. After reading through that the applicant will have their picture and fingerprint taken. Everything the examinee brought with them to the testing center will be stored in a locker. Only identification and the locker key will be allowed into the test room. Even car keys must be left behind.

Entering the Test Room
Each time the examinee leaves and reenters the test room their fingerprint will be retaken and the computer will attempt to match it with the earlier print taken. If the fingerprints do not match, then identification will have to be shown again. The test room itself is soundproof, with one wall of glass where a proctor sits and watches everyone within the room. Cameras also videotape everything within the room and are displayed real-time to the same proctor. Each examinee, which may be taken any exam offered by the testing center, not just the GMAT, will be in individual cubicles with a computer and some desk space.

Selecting Schools
Once the computer is running the exam the examinee can verify the personal information and then select which schools the score should be sent to. The schools selected at the testing center are free, schools added later through the online interface will have an additional cost.

Computer Adaptive
The exam itself is adaptive. That is, each question asked is based on the answer to the previous question. If the examinee answers a question correctly, the following question will be harder. If the examinee answers a question incorrectly, the following question will be easier. This allows the computer to narrow in on the precise abilities of the examinee.

The Noteboard
Each examinee is given a noteboard to use with the exam. The noteboard contains a few pages of plastic-covered sheets of paper. Dry erase pens are used along with it to work math problems or make notes about verbal problems. Small writing is difficult, so practicing exams by writing largely or getting a dry erase board it useful. If the examinee runs out of sheets they can raise their hand and the proctor will bring them more.

Taking Breaks
Each time the examinee reaches a breakpoint in the test the proctor must come in and escort that person out. The proctor knows to come when the examinee raises their hand. After a short break the examinee must once again have their fingerprints taken to get back into the testing room.

Getting the Score
As soon as the test is complete the examinee is given a choice to keep the score or cancel it. If it is cancelled the examinee will never find out how they did, but no schools will be sent any results. If the score is accepted then the examinee gets the qualitative and verbal scores immediately at the computer. The score ranges between 200 and 800. The essays are scored later by the combination of a human and a computer program. That score ranges between 0 and 6, and is given separately from the other two scores. When that score is available the examinee receives an email with a link to a page containing a full report of their exam results.

Once the examinee has their score, they are ready to begin applying to business schools.

More resources

• Getting into the Best MBA Schools