GMAT
History of the Graduate Management Admission Test
n 1953, the organization now known as the Graduate Management Admission Council(GMAC) began with the cooperation of nine business schools, their goal was to evolve a common testing platform to allow the business schools to select qualified applicants. When it was offered for the first time , the test (now called the Graduate Management Admission Test), was taken up just over 2,000 times; however in recent times, it is taken up more than 200,000 times annual basis. In the beginning it was used by 54 schools for intake purpose, the test is now preferred choice of over 1,500 schools and 1,800 programs universally.
Since 2005, GMAC is conducting the exam. From January 1, 2006 onwards, GMAC switched vendors to a combination of ACT Inc, which prepares the test questions and CAT software, and Pearson VUE, which conducts the exam at its testing centers in different parts of the world.
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT, pronounced G-mat) is a computer adaptive standardized test held in English for evaluating the aptitude in order to come through academically in graduate business studies. Participating Business schools use the test as one of the selection criteria to take intakes for their MBA program. The exam is held at various locations worldwide. In North America and in most of the international locations, GMAT is conducted only through computer. When it comes to international locations where test cannot be conducted via computer, the GMAT is held either at the makeshift computer-based testing centers on a defined schedule or as a paper-based test (held once or twice a year) at specific testing centers.
The GMAT exam is held in a standard format, which is conducted in English language, to allow business schools evaluate the academics of the applicants for progressive studies in the field of business and management.
One, who takes up the GMAT exam, has a better chance of being selected by the business schools that suit you—and also learns more about the business school programs and admissions procedure.
The business schools usually use the test to determine the academic performance in of the person in the MBA program or in other graduate level management programs.
The Test
The exam evaluates the examinee based on the verbal, mathematical and analytical writing skills that he/she must have developed over years in his/her academics and work. Those who take up the tests are given 3.5 hours to answer questions in each of the three skill testing sections, and there are also two 10-minute breaks; in general, the test takes about four hours to complete.
GMAT Score is valid for five years (in most of the institutions) from the date the aspirants takes up the exam till the date of matriculation; means ‘acceptance, not until the date of application’.
The maximum exam score that can be achieved is 800. For the past 3 years, 535.2 has been the mean score.
Verbal Section
The verbal section has got 41 MCQ’s, and maximum time given to answer these questions is 75 minutes. This section generally includes three types of questions: reading comprehension, critical reasoning and sentence correction. Verbal section is scored on 0 to 60 points. For the past 3 years, 27.8/60 has been the mean score; most of the time scores come in the range of 9-44.
This sub-section evaluates the examinee for the knowledge of American English grammar, style and usage.
The Sentence Correction section questions are meant to measure the examinee’s expertise in three areas: proper diction, effective expression and correct expression. Correct expression includes to the structure and grammar of the sentence. Effective Expression tests the concision and clarity to express the idea. Proper Diction tests the accuracy and suitability of the chosen words in cite to the meaning of the words in the dictionary and the context in which the words are demonstrated.
This sub-section is meant to test the logical abilities. Critical thinking questions raise an argument that the examinee can analyze. Critical reasoning section questions ask examinees to draw conclusions, identify assumptions/acknowledge strength or weakness within the argument. The sub-section includes abbreviated arguments/statements and expects the test takers to assess the content or form of the argument/statement.
The Reading Comprehension sub-section tests the critical reading abilities of examinees. The questions are from the passage that is given to the test taker to read. The passage can cover any topic, and the questions from the passage test the extent to which the test taker comprehends the passage and the information given in it. The sub-section name itself denotes, that it is meant to test the capability of the test taker to understand the matter and legitimate structure of a written section.
Quantitative Section
This section comprises of 37 MCQ’s and section has to be answered in 75 minutes. Quantitative section consists of two types of questions: data sufficiency and problem solving. The section is scored on 0 to 60 points. For the past 3 years, 35.6/60 has been the mean score; most of the time scores come in the range of 7-50.
Majority of the international MBA programs considers only the quantitative section, as the degrees rendered are not being taught in English. That’s why the areas generally require a higher score in quantitative section and downplay the verbal sections.
This sub-section measures the quantitative reasoning ability of the examinee. The Problem-solving questions include the MCQ’s in arithmetic, elementary geometry and basic algebra. The task involves solving the problems and choosing the right answer from the given five choices. Some of the problems will be simple mathematical calculations; the rest of the questions will be presented as real world problems that will require mathematical acumen to solve them.
Data Sufficiency questions measures the quantitative reasoning ability of the examinee using questions having an unusual scope. The test taker is given the questions which have two associated statements; the information in the statements might be useful in answering the question. The test taker has to conclude that whether the statement alone is sufficient to answer the question or not, whether both are necessary to solve the question, or whether both the statements are insufficient to answer the question.
Data sufficiency is a unique type of math question created especially for the GMAT.
Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)
The AWA section in the GMAT test consists of two essays. In the first essay, student must analyze the argument and in the second the student has to analyze an issue. 30 minutes are given to write each essay and section is scored on a scale of 0-6.
Total Score
The "Total Score", is the cumulative score of the quantitative and verbal sections, & does not include the analytical writing assessment section. The Total Score ranges from 200 to 800.
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