Business school hopefuls competing for spots at selective graduate business programs should understand that a stellar score on the Graduate Management Admission Test will improve their odds of acceptance, B-school admissions officials say.
“We really do place emphasis on the reasoning capabilities of candidates, both quantitative and verbal reasoning and data insights,” says Arman Davtyan, assistant dean of enrollment management at Pepperdine University’s Graziadio Business School in California. “Those are building blocks of success, particularly in an MBA program. Through its history, the GMAT has been a pretty good indicator of aptitude and competency in those areas.”
The GMAT is not required by every MBA program, and those that accept it say it’s one part of a comprehensive review. Davtyan says there’s evidence that shows applicants with strong GMAT scores perform well in their first year of MBA studies.
Here’s a comprehensive guide to the GMAT, along with tips for success.
What Is the GMAT?
The GMAT is a standardized business school entrance exam that lasts two hours and 15 minutes, contains 64 questions and includes three 45-minute sections:
— Quantitative reasoning, which measures mathematical abilities and numerical literacy.;
— Verbal reasoning, which evaluates reading comprehension skills, editing abilities and ability to make sense of written arguments.
— Data insights, a new section that evaluates skills in data analysis, data interpretation, data visualization and data-driven decision-making.
“The GMAT essentially tests your executive reasoning skills,” says Stacey Koprince, director of content and curriculum at Manhattan Prep, a Kaplan test prep company. “It does so through asking you questions about things like math and logic and a little bit of reasoning. It’s not really a math test or an academic test.”
Test-takers may start with any section and go in any order. They may also bookmark questions to review at the end and change up to three answers per question.
What Is a Good GMAT Score?
GMAT test-takers who complete the test should expect to receive a score for each section plus a total score.
Total GMAT scores range from 205 to 805 and are reported in increments of 10 points. Section scores range from 60 to 90 in increments of one point.
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Schools typically focus more on percentile scores than total scores, Davtyan says. A total score in the 60th percentile — about 575 — is considered competitive for most programs, he adds. However, some top programs have average scores of 717 or higher.
“Because there are multiple sections, ideally we want to see a balance,” he says. “If you’re in 80th percentile on the verbal, but only the 20th percentile on quantitative, that might give us some pause. I’d rather see someone who’s maybe 60/60. We recognize business education is very interdisciplinary, so we really want to see a nice blend of verbal, analytical and quantitative capabilities.”
Luke Parrott, director of graduate admissions with the University of Denver Daniels College of Business in Colorado, says B-school applicants should aim to meet or exceed the average GMAT score at their target grad business programs, and beat the average GMAT score among B-school applicants from their region.
“Every business school has different standards as to where they might expect an applicant’s score to land,” he wrote in an email. “Applicants should learn what the reported average GMAT score is for their admitted students. Based off of this knowledge, one can consider whether they need to find ways to strengthen other parts of their application in order to make a stronger case for their candidacy.”
How Does the Computer-Adaptive Format of the GMAT Work?
Each section of the GMAT begins with a question of average difficulty, then the questions continuously vary in difficulty depending on a test-taker’s accuracy, experts say. So if you get a question right, a harder question usually appears next.
But if you answer a question incorrectly, the next one is typically easier. By the end of the test, the computer calculates a score based on whether you were able to accurately respond to tough questions.
Decision-making is a big part of the assessment and the adaptive nature of the test caters to that, Koprince says. It’s intended to replicate thought processes needed in a business career.
“An adaptive test is essentially built to not allow you to answer everything comfortably,” she says. “You don’t have enough time. It just keeps getting harder when you do well and get questions right. The idea there is that this is like business, where you can’t do everything or say ‘yes’ to every possible opportunity that comes your way.”
How Do I Register for the GMAT?
Most students can register for the GMAT online by creating an account on mba.com, a website run by the Graduate Management Admission Council, then making an appointment through the web scheduling system. Students with disabilities who would like accommodations should fill out an accommodation request form before scheduling their test appointment.
Where and How Often Is the GMAT Offered?
There are GMAT test centers worldwide and throughout the U.S., listed on the “Find a Test Center” portion of mba.com. The test is also available online daily, administered with a live online proctor.
The GMAT may be taken once every 16 calendar days, with a limit of five attempts in a 12-month period. There’s a lifetime limit of eight attempts.
How Much Does it Cost to Take the GMAT?
Prices vary around the world. The current online version of the GMAT costs $300 in the U.S., while the testing-center version costs $275. A limited number of fee waivers may be available at some schools.
[How to Get Accepted to Multiple Top Business Schools]
When Should I Take the GMAT?
The GMAT is rooted in college-level material, so candidates applying immediately after their undergraduate program should feel confident taking it soon after graduation, Davtyan says.
“If, on the other hand, you’re 10 to 15 years removed from your past education experience, you really need to devote some time to preparing for it,” he says. “I would not suggest taking the exam cold.”
Why Do Business Schools Use the GMAT?
Experts say business schools use GMAT scores to gauge whether prospective MBA students have the skills to excel in rigorous courses. Nearly 70% of admissions decisions are made based on GMAT scores, says Ashok Sarathy, the GMAC’s vice president of product management.
“The GMAT is probably the only exam that has been designed for and by business schools,” he says. “We work with admissions professionals to say, ‘Now knowing the skills that need to be measured on the exam, how do we make sure that we’re giving you scores that can help you effectively construct the class that you want to bring into your programs?'”
How Long Should I Study for the GMAT?
Experts say GMAT performance generally correlates with the number of hours spent preparing for the exam, but there is no hard-and-fast rule about how much prep time is necessary.
Test-takers should assess their target score, then compare their current score or practice score, Koprince says. “We need to see what the gap is between the two to see how high you want to lift.”
Some test-takers underestimate the time needed to prepare for the exam, experts say. Koprince recommends devoting three to six months to GMAT prep. She encourages test-takers to simulate the test environment by creating an “exam mode” and “study mode” mindset.
“When you first do a problem, you do it in exam mode,” she says. “You time yourself and you hold yourself to that time limit. You’re literally practicing the decisions you want to make for the test.”
Afterward, revert to study mode and practice each question several times with more time available.
Some candidates make the mistake of spending equal time studying for each part of the test, says Kelly Wilson, an MBA and graduate admissions consultant at professional admissions consulting firm Accepted.
“Instead, I suggest my clients identify their weak area and focus more on preparing for that section of the test,” she wrote in an email. “Burnout from studying for the test can be avoided. Yes, this is a high-stakes test. However, I encourage my clients to plan for down time during the period they will be studying.”
[Read: Does Your College Major Matter in MBA Admissions?]
Which GMAT Test-Prep Methods Should I Use?
Experts say preparing for the GMAT on your own requires discipline. GMAC provides free test prep material on its website, including a free six-week study planner, 70 GMAT-style practice questions and two full-length practice exams.
“Some of my clients feel they need more support, so they hire test prep tutors to help them sharpen their skills,” Wilson wrote in an email. “Depending on the client, they may self-study, hire a tutor, or join a test-prep class either in-person or online.”
Other third-party test prep providers, such as Kaplan and Princeton Review, also offer practice tests and other materials for a fee.
When Does it Make Sense to Retake the GMAT?
Experts say B-school applicants who are unsatisfied with their current GMAT score and are convinced they can do better often benefit from a retake. But “you need to give yourself time to get better before you get back in there,” Koprince says.
Nervousness or inadequate test preparation could explain a lower-than-expected score on the first try, experts suggest. However, test-takers who do poorly don’t have to send those scores if they improve the next time.
Koprince encourages every MBA candidate to first take the test without worrying about the score, so they have more context for later attempts.
“The only drawback now to retaking the test is the test fee and your own time,” she says. “What I tell my students is to assume from the beginning you’re going to take the test twice. If you don’t need to, that’s a bonus.”
How Can I Improve My GMAT Score?
Score reports give detailed data to help identify your strengths, weaknesses and areas that need focus for your next attempt. Candidates pursuing a specific MBA track should focus more on improving scores in the section most closely related to the skills they hope to demonstrate, Davtyan says.
Koprince encourages test-takers to identify problem areas but also understand that they don’t have to get every question right to score well. She has taken the test several times, scoring in the 99th or 100th percentile, and each time she’s answered questions incorrectly.
“I know what my kryptonite is on the test,” she says. “I look at those questions, chuckle, pick an answer and just move on. You have to be able to have that attitude toward it so you can perform where you know how to perform.”
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What the GMAT Is and How to Prepare for the Test originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 08/22/24: This article was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
