What’s the lowest GMAT score possible, and how many test-takers get it? Will a low GMAT score ruin your chances of MBA admission? In this article, I’ll go over the lowest GMAT score you can get on the exam, how common it is, and the minimum GMAT score you’ll need to get into your MBA program of choice.

What Is the Lowest GMAT Score Possible?

So, how low can you go when it comes to a GMAT score? The lowest GMAT score possible is a 200. The range of possible GMAT scores is 200-800. This range applies to the total score, which combines the Verbal and Quantitative scores.

Below are the score ranges for the GMAT total score, as well as each individual section:

It’s somewhat uncommon for students to get either very low or very high scores on the GMAT. Relatively few students receive below a 400 or above a 600; according to the GMAC, two-thirds of test-takers receive a score between 400 and 600.

If you fit in this group and are struggling to improve your score, check our PrepScholar GMAT’s comprehensive online course. It’s an affordable option that is so effective it comes with a 60 point score improvement guarantee!

Percentile Rankings and the Lowest GMAT Score

As I explained above, a 200 and similarly low GMAT scores are not at all common, according to the percentile rankings released by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC). Percentile rankings, which you’ll receive for the total score as well as for each individual GMAT section, tell you how your score fares in comparison to your peers. If you get a percentile ranking of 80%, for example, it means that you scored more highly than 80% of your peers, while 20% of your fellow test-takers scored as well or better than you.

Here are the percentile rankings for GMAT total scores of 350 and below from GMAC for the last three years:

A score of 200 corresponds to 0% percentile ranking, meaning that 100% of your fellow test-takers got a a 200 or higher. However, it’s not impossible to get a score in the very low range: the first percentile of test-takers (those who score a 200 or 210)  includes more people than you might think, given that it represents 1% of the hundreds of thousands of students who take the GMAT every year.

So, while uncommon, a significant minority of students do get very low scores on the GMAT. Even if you start off with a low score on your GMAT practice tests, don’t panic. Many test-takers improve their scores significantly as long as they prepare well.

Minimum GMAT Score for MBA Programs

There is no single minimum GMAT score for MBA programs, and most schools don’t have a hard GMAT cutoff. However, if you’re looking at top 20 programs it will be almost impossible to get in without at least a 650 (and in many cases that will still be too low).

To find out what GMAT score you’ll need to get into a prospective business school, the best resource is the school’s incoming class profile on its admissions page. Class profiles generally list the average GMAT scores, or the middle 80% range of scores, for the most recently admitted class of students. These profiles will give you a good barometer of how your score fits into a given program.

Here’s a chart of the average GMAT scores of the incoming classes at a few top-tier and mid-tier MBA programs:

Generally speaking, you should aim for a score of 700+ to get into the highest-ranking MBA programs, while most mid-tier business schools accept students with GMAT scores of 630-680. There are some programs, particularly part-time programs aimed at working professionals, where a score as low as 550 is acceptable.

But remember, the important thing is the minimum GMAT score for MBA programs that you’re interested in, so make sure to look up the expectations for every school you’re applying to.

Top-Tier MBA Programs and a Low GMAT Score

Many students wonder if it’s ever possible to get into a top-tier MBA program with a low GMAT score. The answer is yes, but don’t count on it. Not all schools report their lowest admitted student’s GMAT score, but a few do. Harvard Business School rather famously admitted a student with a total score of 570 in 2014. The Stanford MBA Class of 2018 admitted a student with a total score of 590.

However, remember that these scores are outliers. Usually these students have an outstanding MBA application in other respects, such as exceptional personal circumstances (like overcoming significant obstacles to get where they are, for example). The vast majority of students admitted to top-ranking business schools have GMAT scores close to (or above) their school’s average.  It’s better to aim for schools where your score is the norm rather than the exception.

There are also some business schools that don’t require GMAT scores at all. This policy is especially common for Executive MBA programs, which are geared towards working professionals who have already proven their capabilities with relevant experience in business. If you already have six or seven years of experience and your GMAT score is very low, an EMBA might be worth considering. Prestigious programs that don’t require GMAT scores are available at Stern School of Business at NYU, the UCLA Anderson School of Management, and the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University, among others.

What’s Next?

Want to understand your GMAT scores more fully? Learn the complete GMAT score range and what it mean.

To learn more about how business schools view your GMAT scores, check out our expert guide to the GMAT total score.

If you’re not sure whether to take the GMAT or not, check out our complete list of MBA programs that don’t require the GMAT.

The post What Is the Lowest GMAT Score for MBA Admissions? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

The Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) announced two changes impacting test-takers starting in July 11, 2017. Most importantly, students may now select the order of the GMAT sections. In addition, the test center profile you see immediately after the exam has been removed.

In this article, I’ll go over how the option to select GMAT section order works and how you can use it your advantage.

Select Section Order and Removal of Test Center Profile

Beginning on July 11, 2017 students who take the GMAT are now able to choose the order in which they complete the four sections of the exam (the Analytical Writing Assessment, the verbal section, the quant section, and Integrated Reasoning).

The GMAT sections are now available in three different orders: the original GMAT section order and two new possible orders. Here are the three GMAT section orders you are able to choose from:

• Option 1: Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, Verbal (original order)
• Option 2: Verbal, Quantitative, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment
• Option 3: Quantitative, Verbal, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment

You’ll be presented with the three section order options immediately before you take the exam (after you’re given instructions on how to complete the GMAT and have been asked to provide the names of your prospective schools). You’ll then have two minutes to select the order you want.

You’re will also no longer be asked to complete a profile about your undergraduate academic history, personal demographics, etc., after you take the test. Instead, you will be able to fill out this information anytime before or after you take the GMAT at your profile on mba.com. GMAC made this change to give test-takers a more streamlined and convenient experience at the testing center.

How to Select Your GMAT Section Order

Now, you’re probably wondering what these changes mean for you. Let’s go over how you can choose the GMAT section order that works best for you and the other ways that this new flexibility will affect you on exam day.

Prospective business schools are not able to see what order you completed the GMAT sections in (the order you choose won’t be on your score report), and the order in which you take the sections will not affect how your exam is scored. So you don’t need to worry about selecting a certain section order to look more impressive.

Instead, you should select your GMAT section order based on your own strengths and weaknesses. This will look different for everyone. When you choose your GMAT section order, take your own testing patterns into account.

For example, a student with high testing anxiety who struggles with the quant section might choose Option #3 in order to get quant out of the way right away so they can focus fully on the subsequent sections.

Meanwhile, a student who’s comfortable and familiar with the verbal section might choose to complete that section first (Option #2) instead, using their easiest section as a warmup for later, more challenging sections.

A non-native English speaker who feels uncomfortable with writing at length might choose Option #1 in order to avoid burnout by the end of the exam, when they’ll have to complete a writing sample.

The bottom line is that you’ll have to pick what GMAT section order works best for you and your unique needs and skill set. There’s no “right” or “wrong” except what works or doesn’t work for you.

You should also definitely choose your section order before the day of the exam, so you can be well prepared for exactly what you’ll encounter when you take the GMAT. You should practice the order of GMAT sections you choose well in advance of exam day.

How Does This Affect Your GMAT Breaks?

Now that you’re able to select the order in which you complete the GMAT sections, your optional breaks are available at the following points during the exam.

Will GMAT Prep Materials Reflect This Change?

Official GMAT prep materials like the GMAT Prep Software and GMAT Exam Packs 1 and 2 have been updated to reflect the change in section order flexibility since July 31, 2017.

If you have already purchased or downloaded these products before July 31, 2017, you will be provided with a free software upgrade that will incorporate the changes into your existing downloads.

The Bottom Line: GMAT Select Section Order

Being able to select the order in which you complete the sections of the GMAT will allow for more flexibility and choice on your part. Try out different options, choose wisely, and good luck!

What’s Next?

Not sure if you’re ready for GMAT exam day? Check out our 18 expert tips to rock test day.

If you’re looking to retake the GMAT, our guide to rescheduling the exam will help.

For more information on the GMAT format, check out our guide to the four exam sections.

The post How to Select the Best GMAT Section Order for You appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

Many MBA hopefuls aren’t sure what their GMAT scores mean. What is a good GMAT score? What’s a bad GMAT score? How about a really exceptional one? And most importantly, what are the average GMAT scores at your top choices for business school?

In this article, we’ll go over what makes a GMAT score good, GMAT score ranges of admitted students at various MBA programs, and how to set your own target GMAT score.

What Is a Good GMAT Score, Really?

Business schools are all different and have different expectations and uses for your GMAT scores. Generally, the GMAT is used to predict your likely first-year performance in comparison to fellow business school applicants, as studies have shown that a higher GMAT score is a fairly reliable predictor of a more successful first year in business school. There is no one score that will guarantee you admission, though (even if you get a perfect 800 total score). There’s also no one score that will necessarily deny you admission all on its own, either.

When it comes to GMAT scores, the main takeaway is this: ultimately, the most important thing to remember is that a good GMAT score is the one that gets you into the business school of your choice.

As of 2018, the mean total GMAT score is 556.04, but that doesn’t mean you just have to get above a 550 to get into the school of your dreams. At many schools, even a 600 would be a very low GMAT score. At top MBA programs like Stanford, Harvard, Yale, UC Berkeley, and Dartmouth, the average GMAT score of incoming students is above 720.

However, some well-respected schools with high post-MBA employment rates don’t have the same expectations, and have average GMAT scores of less than 600. This is often especially true for part-time and/or online programs geared towards working professionals or those who are somehow lacking in significant relevant academic experience.

GMAT Percentile Rankings

When you apply for MBA programs, you’ll be competing against your peers for a limited number of coveted spots, so your GMAT score will have to compare favorably to theirs. This means that your GMAT percentile rankings are arguably even more important than your score itself.

GMAT percentile rankings, which are provided on your score report, let you know how you did on the exam as a whole and on every section of the exam in comparison to other test-takers. For example, a total score (that is, the Verbal and Quantitative sections combined) of 650 will give you a percentile ranking of 75%. A 75% percentile ranking means that you got a higher total score than (or equal total score to) 75% of your peers and a lower total score than 24% of fellow GMAT test-takers.

650, then, is a good starting benchmark for a high GMAT score: it usually hovers around the 75% percentile ranking spot, which is a solid place to be relative to your fellow applicants. A low GMAT score, on the other hand, is anything under 550.

Percentile rankings are recalculated every year based on the past three years of test-takers. This means that while the possible scores for each section remain the same every year, the percentile rankings change (usually very gradually) from year to year.

Here are the GMAT percentile rankings from the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) for the past three years, beginning with the total score and followed by section-specific charts for the Verbal and Quantitative sections, the Integrated Reasoning section, and the Analytical Writing Assessment:

Note the differences between Verbal and Quant percentile rankings: A score of 51 would put you in the 99th percentile for the Verbal section and in the 96th percentile for the Quant section. A score of 46 would keep you in the 99th percentile in Verbal, but put you in the 60th for Quant! This gap exists because more students score highly on the Quant section than on the Verbal section, partly due to an increasing number of international students (many of whom have trouble with the Verbal section) taking the GMAT.

The percentile rankings for the Integrated Reasoning section show us that 7% of test-takers get a perfect score on the section, since a perfect score of 8 would put you in the 93rd percentile. A high GMAT score on the Integrated Reasoning section is roughly considered to be 6 or above.

11% of test-takers get a perfect score on the Analytical Writing Assessment. A high GMAT score on the AWA is usually considered to be 5.0 or above.

Which GMAT Sections Are Most Important?

Business schools consider the total GMAT score first, followed by the individual Verbal and Quant sections. Having a significantly higher score in one section over another may indicate your particular strengths or weaknesses to your prospective program.

So what about the Integrated Reasoning section and the Analytical Writing Assessment? Many students wonder how important these sections are to business schools. After all, they aren’t calculated into the overall total score.

The short answer is that both of these sections matter, but not quite as much as the Verbal and Quantitative sections or the total score. For one thing, the Integrated Reasoning section is newer than the others; it was added in 2012, so it’s not quite as tried-and-true as an analytical tool for schools. And while the schools you apply to receive and read a copy of your Analytical Writing Assessment essay, there are many other places on the application for you to provide writing samples. So it makes sense that a business school admissions committee might not regard a 30-minute essay written under pressure as the #1 means of evaluating an MBA applicant.

The longer answer is that:

1. It’s hard to tell just how much value MBA programs place on the IR and AWA sections, as schools usually don’t publicly report section-specific information. In fact, they usually only report the average total score for incoming students.

2. There is some evidence that the Integrated Reasoning section in particular has become more significant to business schools in recent years. One 2015 survey indicated that 59% of MBA admissions officials claimed to evaluate the Integrated Reasoning section as a significant aspect of an applicant’s profile, in comparison to 41% of the same pool of officials just a few years prior.

3. The Analytical Writing Assessment can be especially beneficial for non-native English speakers. If you can do well on the timed writing assessment, it’s a great indicator of your fluency in English, as MBA admissions officials can know for sure you didn’t have to take too much time to complete it and didn’t have outside help during the test. This can boost your chances of admission.

In short, prepare for both of these sections just as you would for the others. Regardless of their overall significance, an extremely low or extremely high score in either section could certainly affect your application.

For more information about how the Graduate Management Admissions Council suggests that schools use the Analytical Writing Assessment to evaluate applicants, check out these guidelines.

What Is a Good GMAT Score to Get Into Business School?

Like we went over previously, there is a wide range of GMAT scores that can gain you admission to your business school of choice. Generally speaking, top 10 MBA programs consistently look for GMAT scores of 720 or above. For mid-to-high-range business schools (those consistently ranked between 25 and 80 on annual rankings lists like U.S. News), average scores of incoming students are usually in the 600-700 range.

So, where can you find the average GMAT scores at your favorite prospective programs? MBA class profiles, like this one from Harvard Business School, are usually published yearly, as soon as an incoming MBA class is admitted and accepts their offers of admission. Class profiles are a treasure trove of information about how you might fit into various schools in terms of demographics, work experience, GPA, undergraduate major, and, yes, GMAT score.

Let’s take a more in-depth look at average GMAT scores at a range of 15 different MBA programs. Note that the ‘middle 80% range’ is reported by some schools as part of their class profiles. It includes the range of GMAT scores of all incoming students, excluding the bottom 10% and top 10% of scores:

What Is a Good GMAT Score for You? Setting a Target

Remember that the main criterion for a good GMAT score is that it helps you get into the business school of your choice. A high GMAT score for one applicant could be a low GMAT score for someone else— it just depends on what your business school plans are.

Thus, the first step in GMAT preparation is setting your own target score. This will help you know what kind of prep you need to do: do you need to brush up on a few targeted areas? Or do you need long-term, in-depth instruction? It will also help you calculate how many hours you’ll need to study.

Let’s go over how to determine your target GMAT score. Follow along with my sample chart as we go.

Step 1: Print Out the Worksheet

Before you do anything else, you should print out this worksheet:

We’ll walk through how to customize it below.

Step 2: List Your Programs

Next, you’ll need to come up with your list of prospective MBA programs so we can make a chart like the one in the previous section that’s tailored to your individual list of schools. Write the list in the column on the left. Here’s a sample:

Step 3: Find the Average GMAT Score for Each Program

For each school, find the average GMAT score of the most recent incoming class. Each school’s website nearly always includes the most recent class profile, which is where you’ll usually find this info. If for some reason you can’t find a class profile (which will be very rare), you can try the school-specific MBA Forum at GMAT Club. Write the average GMAT score in the right column. If the school only provides the middle 80% range of GMAT scores, use the top score in the range to be safe:

Step 4: Choose Your Target Score

Lastly, choose the highest score in your right column. You can either leave it as is or add 20-30 points to it if you want to have a bit of a cushion. This will be your target GMAT score:

Remember that earning your target GMAT score or higher won’t necessarily guarantee you admission. But if you reach it, you have a good shot of getting into at least one of your selected MBA programs. And having a realistic goal will help you prepare without getting lost in a sea of other numbers and comparisons.

Recap: What Is a Good GMAT Score?

Let’s review:

• A good GMAT score is one that gets you into the business school of your choice, no matter what anybody else thinks.

• A good ‘baseline’ GMAT score is 650. Top 10 business schools usually expect GMAT scores of 720 or above.

• The MBA class profiles of your prospective schools will usually provide you with the average GMAT of incoming students. This average will give you a good idea of where you might fit in relative to other applicants.

• Use your target GMAT score to decide how and when to prepare for the exam.

What’s Next?

If you’re ready to start prepping for the GMAT, check out our expert guide to determining how long you need to study for the exam.

Still curious about how to interpret your GMAT scores? Learn more about the GMAT Total score and how schools look at it.

Looking for a section-by-section tour of the GMAT? Our complete guide to the GMAT format breaks it down.

The post What Is a Good GMAT Score? A Bad One? An Excellent One? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

While it’s impossible to know exactly what questions you’ll get on the GMAT, you can predict the structure of the test. Everybody gets a slightly different version, but each test taker sees the same GMAT pattern.

This guide will go over the GMAT exam pattern so you know exactly what to expect. After reading this article, you won’t have any surprises when it comes to format.

To start, let’s go over what you need to know about the GMAT before taking this unique test.

GMAT Logistics: What You Need to Know

The GMAT is always a computer-based test with four sections, Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, and Verbal, in that order. Each section is strictly timed, and you’re responsible for answering all of the questions in a section before time runs out.

If you don’t get to all of the questions in a section, then your score will take a serious hit. You can only answer one question at a time, and you can’t skip or return to any questions.

The Quantitative and Verbal sections of the GMAT are adaptive, meaning that questions are selected based on your performance as you go along. The adaptive sections rely on an algorithm that matches questions to your ability level.

This adaptive format is meant to gain an accurate measure of your skills. It also allows GMAT scores to be comparable to one another across different versions of the test.

There are experimental questions scattered throughout the Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative and Verbal sections. These experimental questions test out material for future tests, and they don’t count toward your final scores. You won’t have any idea which questions are experimental, though, so you should treat all tasks as equally important.

Now that you have a general sense of how the GMAT works, let’s look more closely at the GMAT exam pattern and format of each section.

What Is the GMAT Exam Pattern? Overall Structure

The GMAT is a three hour exam, plus you can take two optional eight-minute breaks. You’ll also spend between 15 and 20 additional minutes entering score recipients, confirming your personal information, reading instructions, and deciding whether you want to keep or cancel your scores.

The AWA and Integrated Reasoning sections are 30 minutes each, while the Quantitative and Verbal sections are 62 minutes and 65 minutes, respectively.

You can choose one of three orders for the GMAT sections:

• Option 1: Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Break, Quantitative, Break, Verbal
• Option 2: Verbal, Break, Quantitative, Break, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment
• Option 3: Quantitative, Break, Verbal, Break, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment

This chart shows how many questions you get in each section, along with an estimate of how much time you have per question. Remember that each estimate is just an average. It’s often a better practice to spend more time on certain question types than to divide your time up equally.

Again, you’re responsible to getting to all of the questions in each section. Developing an efficient test-taking rhythm is essential for doing well on the GMAT. Now let’s take a closer look at the GMAT test pattern within each section, starting with AWA.

GMAT Pattern: Analytical Writing Assessment Section

The Analytical Writing Assessment is 30 minutes long and asks you to respond to an essay question.

Before you get to your essay, you’ll have 10 minutes to read a tutorial with instructions on the essay and how to navigate the text box. You can find this same tutorial on GMAT practice tests, so you should go into the test already familiar with what it says.

Once you start the section, you’ll see an essay prompt in the form of a short excerpt of an argument. You can actually find the full list of GMAT AWA prompts here. Here’s just one example:

After the prompt, the instructions will say the following:

In your essay, your job is to critique the argument, not to talk about your own opinion or views on a subject. You can find sample essays online, as well as look over the rubric that graders use to score your essay. Your AWA score will fall between 1 and 6, and you’ll get it about 20 days after you take the GMAT.

How to Prepare for the AWA Format

In the AWA section, you need to write a well-structured and well-organized essay in 30 minutes. To prepare, you should read plenty of highly scored sample essays, as well as the rubric that graders will use to score your essay.

You should also set aside time to write your own practice essays. You might use the first three to five minutes to plan your response, the next 20 to draft, and save three to five minutes at the end to edit and revise.

By dividing your time among planning, drafting, and revising, you can take a structured approach to the AWA section and ensure that you produce a solid response before time is called.

GMAT Pattern: Integrated Reasoning Section

After you write your essay, you’ll move onto a screen with instructions for the Integrated Reasoning (IR) section. Again, you should already be familiar with these instructions. You’ll only get one minute to read them on test day, or you can click through before the minute is up to start working.

The IR section was introduced to the GMAT in 2012. You’ll answer 12 questions in 30 minutes. Unlike the Quantitative and Verbal sections, IR is not adaptive. The questions don’t change based on your performance. This section is scored between 1 and 12.

IR is the only section on the GMAT where you can use a calculator. You can’t bring your own, but rather will use the on-screen calculator tool. You’ll also use drop-down menus to manipulate data. For instance, you might reorganize a chart by its different columns.

So, what’s tested in the IR section? This relatively new GMAT section asks you to evaluate data in multiple formats. This data may be presented in a passage, chart, graph, or other graphic. Your job is to interpret and synthesize information and evaluate statements.

While IR questions are multi-part, you can’t get partial credit. You must answer all parts of an IR question correctly to get points.

There are four question types in the IR section. Read on for a description and sample of each question type.

Integrated Reasoning: 4 Question Types

The four question types in the IR section are table analysis, graphics interpretation, multi-source reasoning, and two-part analysis. Let’s take a closer look at each type, starting with table analysis questions.

Table Analysis Questions

These questions will present you with a table of data. You’ll sort the data to help you evaluate the accuracy of four to five statements. Each statement will have opposing answers, like yes/no, true/false, inferable/not inferable, and you’ll have to select one answer.

Here’s a screenshot of a table analysis question. If you download the GMAT Prep Software, you can practice answering sample questions that are sortable, just like you’ll get on the real exam.

Graphics Interpretation Questions

These questions ask you to interpret a graph or image and then use drop-down menus to complete various response statements. Your job is to choose the answer that makes the answer statements accurate.

Check out this official sample question to get a clearer sense of what graphics interpretation questions are all about.

Multi-Source Reasoning Questions

With these questions, you’ll get a set of tabs that you can click through. Each tab will have information on a certain topic. This information might be presented in the form of a passage, graphic, or chart. You’ll have to use all data from all three tabs to determine the accuracy of various statements.

Here’s a screenshot of a multi-source reasoning question from the GMAT Prep Software.

Two-Part Analysis Questions

Finally, two-part analysis questions present you with a table of answer choices. You have to select one answer from each column to solve a problem. Check out this sample question to see how two-part analysis questions work.

Tips to Prepare for Integrated Reasoning Format

There are a couple of features unique to the Integrated Reasoning section. One is the various drop-down menus that let you reorganize data. You’ll need to practice with GMAT Prep Software to become adept at sorting data in a useful way.

The second feature you should practice using is the on-screen calculator. You won’t be able to bring your own calculator, so you should make sure you can use the computer-based one. There aren’t any special tricks to it, but you may want to practice so you don’t lose time here.

Finally, you’ll need to develop your skills of reading graphs, charts, and other graphics. You’ll find information presented in a huge variety of formats, so you’ll want to be comfortable interpreting and evaluating data in different forms and switching quickly from one to the next.

GMAT Pattern: Quantitative Section

The Quantitative section is one of two adaptive sections on the GMAT. Questions are selected depending on your performance. Basically, adaptive testing works like this — if you get a question right, then your next question will be more difficult. If you get a question wrong, then you will move on to an easier question. It’s not always as straightforward as this, but you get the idea.

The Quantitative section asks you 31 math questions in 62 minutes and is scored between 0 and 60. Even if you haven’t taken math for years, you should be able to do well in this section, because the tested concepts aren’t particularly advanced.

You don’t need to know advanced calculus or statistical analysis. The Quantitative section mainly focuses on arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and logic.

There are two main question types, problem solving and data sufficiency, and they are interspersed throughout. Read on for a description and sample question of each type.

Problem Solving Questions

Problem solving questions are straightforward math problems. You’ll solve these questions and come up with one answer. All of them are multiple choice and feature five answer choices.

Here are a few sample problem solving questions that you could see in this section.

Data Sufficiency Questions

Data sufficiency questions are a bit more unusual. They present you with a formula or graphic, followed by a problem and two statements. It’s your job to figure out whether the statements, alone or together, give you enough information to solve the original problem.

You don’t actually have to solve the problem. You just have to indicate whether one of the statements, both, or neither gives you “sufficient data.”

Check out the example problem below. All data sufficiency questions will feature these same five answer choices.

Quantitative Section Format: How to Prepare

The Quantitative section is adaptive, but you shouldn’t worry about that. Some people get in their heads and think that easy-seeming questions mean they’re doing poorly.

However, there’s really no way of understanding the progression of questions as you go, and trying to do so will only sap your precious mental energy. Focus on solving the problems, and you’ll get your scores soon enough.

There isn’t anything particularly unusual about the problem-solving question types in the GMAT Quantitative section. They probably resemble problems on most other math tests you’ve taken. Your main mode of getting ready for these should be reviewing relevant concepts.

The data sufficiency questions are a little more unusual, and you should go into the test familiar with your answer choices. They will always look the same on every data sufficiency question, but they can be confusing if you’re reading them for the first time on test day.

Finally, you should make the most of the note boards and markers you’ll get at the testing center. These are entirely for your own use, and you should fill them up during the Quantitative section as you work out the problems. The note boards won’t be graded, and you’ll return them at the end of the test.

GMAT Pattern: Verbal Section

The Verbal section is 65 minutes long, asks 36 questions, and is adaptive. Like the Quantitative section, it’s scored between 0 and 60. As its name implies, this section tests your verbal skills, including your reading comprehension, understanding of grammar, and critical reasoning.

As in the other three sections of the GMAT, your critical reasoning skills come into play here. You’ll have to evaluate arguments and pinpoint their strengths and weaknesses.

There are three main question types in the Verbal section: reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence correction. Read on to learn more about each type, as well as to see a sample question.

Reading Comprehension Questions

You should get about four passages in the Verbal section. You’ll read through the passages and then answer three or four questions about each one. These questions might ask about meaning, logic, or central premise. You might interpret the passage’s main idea, supporting details, structure, or tone.

Here’s an example of a reading comprehension passage and question on the GMAT.

Critical Reasoning Questions

About one-third of the questions on the Verbal section will be critical reasoning questions. These questions are reminiscent of your AWA essay, since they present a short argument and ask you to evaluate it.

Rather than writing an entire 30-minute essay about each prompt, though, you’ll answer a multiple choice question. These questions often present statements and ask you which one would weaken, strengthen, or complete the argument. They might also ask you to evaluate structure, find an assumption, make an inference, or evaluate a conclusion.

To see what critical reasoning questions look like, check out this sample question.

Sentence Correction Questions

Here’s where your understanding of English grammar comes into play. Sentence correction questions present a sentence, often long and wordy, with a certain word or phrase underlined. Your job is to figure out whether the underlined portion has an error, and if it does, how it should read instead.

You’ll get five answer choices with suggested revisions. The first answer choice will always be the same as the underlined portion. You’ll choose this first version if there’s no error in the original sentence.

The instructions will remind you that your answer “should be clear and exact, without awkwardness, ambiguity, redundancy, or grammatical error.” Here’s an example of a sentence correction question on the GMAT.

How to Prepare for the Verbal Section Format

With 36 questions and several long passages, the Verbal section demands that you work fast. You should develop your speed reading skills as you get ready for the GMAT.

You might focus on big picture issues, like organization, tone, and main point, rather than spending too much time reading each and every word. Time-saving strategies like this one will help you do well in this section.

As you can see, there’s a lot that you can learn about the GMAT exam pattern before actually taking the test. While you won’t know exactly what questions you’ll get, you can know how many questions you’ll get, what they’ll look like, and how much time you have per section.

As you get ready for the GMAT, what can you do to specifically prepare yourself for the format of the test?

Getting Ready for the GMAT Exam Pattern: 6 Essential Study Tips

To do well on the GMAT, you definitely need to immerse yourself in reviewing content and developing your skills in math, reading, grammar, critical reasoning, and data interpretation. These study tips, however, are focused specifically on how to prepare for the GMAT pattern and structure.

What can you do to get ready for the format of this strictly timed test? Check out the six tips below to find out!

#1: Familiarize Yourself With the Format

First and foremost, you should take time to learn all about the GMAT test pattern. If you’ve made it to the end of this guide, then that mission is already accomplished!

While there’s a lot you can’t know about the exam, you should minimize surprises as much as possible. That way, you can focus all of your energy on solving problems, and you won’t have to waste time reading through instructions screens or trying to figure out how those tricky data sufficiency questions work.

Understanding the format will also help you start to develop a sense of timing. You know how many questions and how much time you have per section, so you can start to divide up your time in a way that will maximize your efficiency.

#2: Memorize the Instructions

When you take the real GMAT, you’ll get instruction screens between each section. Apart from the AWA tutorial, you’ll only have a minute to glance over these instructions.

Rather than rushing through these screens on test day, take the time to learn all the instructions before test day. You can see them all on practice tests on the GMAT Prep Software.

When you actually take the GMAT, you can use these screens to take a deep breath and switch focus between subject matter, confident that you already know what you need to do know next.

#3: Develop a Test-Taking Rhythm

Unlike a lot of other tests, the GMAT doesn’t let you skip or return to any questions. Plus, it requires you to get to all of the questions in a section before time runs out.

To deal with this format, you should take timed practice tests to develop a rhythm. You’ll find yourself getting more efficient and improving with practice.

As you work on pacing, you should try your best to focus solely on the question in front of you at any given time. If the previous question stumped you, just try to forget about it. You can’t return to it, so continuing to think about it will only make it harder to do well on the next one.

To excel on the GMAT, you need to develop a mindset that focuses only on the question at hand and forgets about questions that have already gone past.

#4: Strive to Answer All of the Questions

Again, you’re responsible for answering all of the questions in each section and will face a severe score penalty if you don’t. On average, you should only spend about two minutes per question. However, you might find yourself spending longer on some question types than on others.

For instance, you’ll probably devote more time to reading a passage and relatively less time to answering the questions that follow. Similarly, you might spend more time on reading comprehension questions overall than on sentence corrections.

As you practice and take the real test, keep an eye on the timer and make sure that you’re working at a pace that will help you get to all of the questions in time. If, conversely, you find yourself rushing, then you might want to slow down to prevent careless errors. You can’t return to any questions, so there’s no point finishing a section with 10 minutes left to spare.

#5: Forget About the Adaptive GMAT Pattern

As you learned above, the Quantitative and Verbal sections are adaptive. An algorithm selects questions for you that match your ability.

If you get one or more questions wrong, then the subsequent questions should become easier. If you’re acing all the questions, then the difficulty level should increase.

The algorithm that selects these questions is a complex one, and there’s no advantage to trying to gauge your performance as you go along. For one, it’s difficult to evaluate the difficulty level of a question accurately. A question may feel easy just because you recently studied the concept, not because it’s actually easier than others.

Second, there are several experimental questions thrown into the mix. These won’t be scored, but you have no way of telling which ones they are.

Some people take the GMAT and freak out when they feel like the questions are getting easier. They assume this means they’re doing badly. There’s really no way of knowing how you’re doing until the end, so trying to crack the code would just distract you.

Use your mental energy on solving problems, and wait until the end to see your scores.

#6: Make the Most of Your Breaks

Finally, you should take advantage of your optional breaks to get up, move around, and stretch. You can also drink water and eat snacks. The GMAT is a long and demanding test, and these breaks will help you get reenergized between sections.

Plus, if you don’t take them, people could be moving in and out of the test room while you’re trying to concentrate. All of this movement could get distracting and make you lose precious time.

If you follow all of these tips, then you’ll be familiar with the GMAT exam pattern and ready to handle the format of this important exam. In closing, let’s go over the key takeaways you should remember about GMAT structure.

GMAT Exam Pattern: Final Thoughts

Whatever version of the GMAT you take, you’ll get a test with the same format as everyone else. You’ll have four sections – Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, and Verbal – and each will be strictly timed.

You’ll be taking a computer-based test, and the Quantitative and Verbal sections will be adaptive, meaning questions change to match your ability level.

Besides studying content, you should prepare for the GMAT test pattern by developing time management skills and reading all of the instructions before test day.

By familiarizing yourself with the GMAT exam pattern and question types, you can make sure you don’t get any surprises on test day.

What’s Next?

Have you drawn up a study plan for the GMAT yet? Whether or not you’ve started preparing, you should check out this full GMAT syllabus for tips on how to design a personalized study plan that will help you achieve your goals.

Do you know exactly how the GMAT is scored? This guide will tell you everything you need to know about scoring on the GMAT.

Have you chosen a date to take the test? Check out this article on GMAT test dates and how to choose the best one for you.

The post GMAT Exam Pattern: Learn the Test Format appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

Every year, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) takes a close look at everyone’s GMAT scores. They find the average GMAT score for all test takers, plus they calculate mean scores by different demographics, like gender and region of citizenship. All of this number crunching helps GMAC see trends in scores over time and ensure that the GMAT is a valid test for people across the world.

Read on to learn how everyone does on the GMAT and to see whether your scores are competitive. You’ll also find data on the average GMAT scores of accepted students at almost 50 business schools!

Let’s start with the most recent data we have on GMAT scores for all test takers. What is the average GMAT score?

Average GMAT Score for All Test Takers

In 2016, the average GMAT score was 558. This average was taken across all 261,248 test-takers worldwide, as reported in GMAC’s 2016 Data to Go Report Series.

The average GMAT scores by section are based on a sample of over 750,000 individuals who took the GMAT between 2013 and 2015. 

You might be surprised to see that average Quantitative scores are a lot higher than average Verbal scores. Math scores have gone up over time, perhaps as more and more student from math-proficient countries across the world take the GMAT.

As the test becomes more international, students have especially strong math skills but weaker verbal skills, since English may not be their native language. As a result of this trend, you’ll find that it’s now harder to rank in a high percentile for Quantitative than it is for Verbal.

We’ll discuss trends in average GMAT scores over time in more detail below, but first, let’s take a look at the GMAT average score by gender and region of citizenship.

Average GMAT Score by Gender

The most recent data we have on average GMAT scores by gender also comes from GMAC’s 2013 Profile of GMAT Candidates Executive Summary. This chart shows the GMAT average scores for men and women for testing year 2013. 

Overall, more men take the GMAT than women, and they also average higher total scores.

In addition to finding mean scores by gender, GMAC also analyzes data by region of citizenship. The chart below shows GMAT average scores by region for 2016.

Average GMAT Scores by Citizenship Region

To give you a sense of testing trends in your region of citizenship, GMAC crunched the numbers for Africa, East and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and other regions across the world. This chart shows the GMAT average scores by region for testing year 2016.

Some regions average higher than the worldwide mean of 558, while some fall lower. The Australia & Pacific Islands area takes the prize for highest GMAT score averages, with a whopping 610! (Note it also had the lowest number of exams taken, so the students coming from this region may be especially well prepared.)

If you’re interested in average GMAT scores by each individual country, you can find this data in GMAC’s official report.

Have average GMAT scores always looked like this? Read on to see how scores have shifted over the years.

How Have Average GMAT Scores Changed Over Time?

Has the GMAT average score increased, decreased, or stayed the same over time? To answer this question, consider the chart below showing the average total scores worldwide from 2012 to 2016.

For the most part, average GMAT scores have increased over time. This increase in average total scores likely reflects the overall increase in Quantitative scores.

As mentioned above, there are more excellent math scores on the GMAT than ever before. As a result, you need a higher score to rank in a high percentile for the Quantitative section today than you did in years past.

Besides making percentile rankings more competitive, does this trend in average scores affect what scores you need to get into business school?

What Is the Average GMAT Score for Business School?

For the most part, the average GMAT scores of students who are accepted to business school tend to be higher than the average scores across the world or by citizenship region. In fact, the average worldwide score of 558 is on the low side for many business schools.

So, what scores do you need to get in? That all depends on where you’re applying. Top schools tend to expect scores over 700, while less selective schools leave more wiggle room.

Let’s consider the GMAT average scores of accepted students at almost 50 business schools, some that are highly selective and others that are less so.

The most selective business schools have an average GMAT score of about 720, but less selective ones accept students with scores in the 500s or 600s. You can also find a few, like Nicholls State, that will accept students with GMAT scores in the 400s, but you may have to balance out a lower than average GMAT score with a higher than average undergraduate GPA.

Remember, all of these scores are just averages, meaning some students got in with lower scores and some students had higher. In addition to your GMAT scores, your essays, recommendation letters, academic records, and work experience are also important parts of your application.

When setting a goal for the GMAT, it’s more important to find the average scores of accepted students at business schools than average GMAT scores overall. If you’re applying to a school that’s not on this list, how can you find the average GMAT score of accepted students?

How to Find Average GMAT Scores for Business Schools

Most schools publish data on the GMAT average score of accepted students every year. You should be able to find this information in the admissions section of the school’s website. You can search around the school website or use a search engine to look for, “school name + average GMAT score.”

If you can’t find this information, then you should feel free to call up or email the admissions office of the school. While they probably won’t give you a score cutoff, they should be able to tell you the average GMAT scores of students who got in last year.

By doing this research, you can set specific goals for your own GMAT section and total scores. Then, you can start preparing to meet those goals and make your business school application the strongest it can be.

In closing, what can you take away from all this data on average GMAT scores? Let’s go over some final thoughts about average GMAT scores and how they can help you evaluate your own GMAT performance.

What Is the Average GMAT Score? Final Thoughts

GMAC analyzes the huge collection of GMAT data every year to calculate average scores for all test takers. By looking at average scores, you can gain a sense of how competitive your own scores are compared to those of other prospective business school students.

At the same time, you should be more concerned with the average scores of students who have been accepted to business schools that you’re interested in. For the most part, business programs want scores that are higher than the worldwide or national average.

In fact, the global average of 558 is quite low for many business school programs and would likely eliminate your application from consideration to the most selective business schools in the country and world.

When setting your own target GMAT scores, you should emphasize average scores from business schools, rather than the GMAT average score from the Graduate Management Admission Council. That way, you can figure out what you need to score and work towards achieving competitive GMAT scores.

What’s Next?

Now you know all about average GMAT scores, but do you know how the test is scored? Check out this GMAT scoring guide to learn everything you need to know.

In addition to section and total scores, you’ll also get a percentile ranking. Head over to our GMAT percentile guide to learn what this ranking means and how section and total GMAT scores correspond to percentiles.

Have you decided on a GMAT test date yet? Check out this full guide to choosing a GMAT test date and time that will help you do your best.

The post Average GMAT Scores: Where Do You Rank? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

To truly understand the GMAT, you need to break it into pieces. There are four sections in the exam, each with its own challenges and demands.

There are some shared themes throughout the GMAT sections, but each stands on its own and requires unique preparation. This guide will go over the four GMAT sections in full so you know exactly what to expect from each one and how to get ready for exam day.

To start, let’s go over a general overview of the four GMAT test sections.

What Are the 4 GMAT Sections?

The four sections of the GMAT are Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), Integrated Reasoning (IR), Quantitative, and Verbal, always in that order. The AWA and Integrated Reasoning sections are 30 minutes each, and the Quantitative and Verbal sections are 75 minutes.

Altogether, the four GMAT sections take three and a half hours to work through. This chart shows the length of time, number of questions, and average time per question in the four sections of the GMAT.

The AWA section asks you to write an essay in response to a prompt, but the remaining GMAT sections are multiple choice. The Quantitative and Verbal sections are unique because they are both adaptive.

On an adaptive section, questions are selected as you go to match your ability level. If you’re getting questions wrong, then the subsequent ones should be a little easier. If you’re acing everything, then the questions should get progressively more difficult.

This adaptive format means that no two versions of the GMAT are exactly the same. It also means that it’s important to answer all of the questions in each section so that the scoring algorithm can get the most accurate measure of your skills.

The GMAT sections are unique, but they all draw on your critical reasoning and problem solving skills. As the GMAT is a test for business school, the exam often asks you to examine evidence, draw conclusions, and evaluate solutions. All in all, the GMAT tests the writing, math, verbal, and data interpretation skills you need to succeed in business school.

Now that you have a general sense of the GMAT test sections, let’s take a closer look at each one, starting with AWA.

GMAT Section #1: Analytical Writing Assessment

The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section asks you to write an essay in response to a short prompt. You’ll get an excerpt featuring an argument and then be asked to evaluate the strength of that argument.

You will be given a set of instructions, followed by the short argument you need to assess. Your instructions will always say this:

You’ll also be reminded that your job is to evaluate the argument, not to present your own opinion on the topic.

Helpfully, GMAC published a comprehensive list of most of the AWA prompts it’s ever used. Below is one example, but you can practice writing essays from this full list of GMAT AWA prompts.

Your essay will be graded between 0 and 6 in half-point intervals, and you’ll get the score on your official GMAT score report about 20 days after you take the test. Your essay will be graded by one person and one machine. A third grader may offer input if the two scores differ by more than a point.

You can check out the rubric that graders use to score the essays. An essay with a top score of 6 “clearly identifies and insightfully analyzes important features of the argument” and “effectively supports the main points of the critique,” along with other requirements.

Beyond familiarizing yourself with the AWA rubric, what can you do to get ready for the AWA section of the GMAT?

Tips for the AWA Section

How can you write an essay that will earn you a high AWA score? There are several challenges in this GMAT section, not the least of which is time. Since you only have 30 minutes, you should be strategic about how you divide up your time.

You might spend three to five minutes at the beginning familiarizing yourself with the prompt and writing a quick outline of your essay. Then, you should spend the majority of your time, perhaps 20 to 24 minutes drafting and leave three to five minutes at the end to proofread and revise.

Structure is very important for the AWA essay. You don’t want to go off on a rambling narrative, but instead should stick to a four to five paragraph essay with a clear introduction, two to three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Since the arguments are brief, most will have some assumptions and blind spots. It’s your job to pick out the two to three major flaws and describe them with specificity. You should also bring in effective supporting examples that support your analysis. As mentioned in the prompt, these may be counterexamples that would weaken the argument in the excerpt.

As you strengthen your AWA essay writing skills, you should read highly scored sample essays and familiarize yourself with the AWA rubric. Write timed practice essays from real AWA sample prompts and grade them yourself or with a friend. Above all, aim to write an essay with a clear structure and specific examples.

GMAT Section #2: Integrated Reasoning

Integrated Reasoning is the newest of the GMAT sections. It was introduced in 2012 to bring skills of data interpretation and evaluation into the GMAT.

This 30-minute section asks 12 questions, each of which integrates your verbal, math, and reasoning skills. The questions are multi-part, so in reality, you have quite a few more than 12 questions to answer in Integrated Reasoning.

There are four main question types in Integrated Reasoning. They are graphics interpretation, multi-source reasoning, two-part analysis, and table analysis questions.

Graphics interpretation questions feature a graph, chart, or other kind of graphic. Below the graphic, you’ll have two fill-in-the-blank statements. To choose your answer, you’ll use a drop down menu, as in the sample question below.

This sample question includes a rather unusual graphic. Other graphics interpretation questions might feature more typical graphics, like bar graphs, scatter plots, or pie charts.

Multi-source reasoning questions present three tabs of information, and you’ll need to click through each one to get the full picture. These tend to the be the most time-consuming question types, as they have several questions that accompany the same information.

This sample question shows a multi-source reasoning question and one of three accompanying questions. On the real test, you’ll be able to toggle between the three tabs.

Two-part analysis questions contain two columns, and you’ll choose one answer for each. The questions may be entirely math, entirely verbal, or a mix of both.

Finally, table analysis questions present a table of information that you must manipulate to find the answers to a series of questions. You can sort the table by column to answer the accompanying questions. When you sort a column, it will rearrange itself in alphabetical or numerical (low to high) order.

The question will include three statements, and each statement will appear next to a dichotomous answer choice, like true/false or yes/no. To find your answer, you’ll need to consider each statement in relation to the information in the table.

This sample question asks you to select “Yes” if the statement can be proved true with the information in the table. If it can’t, then you would select “No.

Throughout the Integrated Reasoning section, you’ll get information in a variety of formats, like passages, tables, charts, graphs, or other unusual graphics. Your job is to interpret the data, draw conclusions, and evaluate statements.

Beyond familiarizing yourself with the four question types in Integrated Reasoning, what else can you do to get ready for this challenging section?

Tips for the Integrated Reasoning Section

One of the biggest challenges of the GMAT Integrated Reasoning section is figuring out what a question is asking you. You should practice answering all four IR question types. The problems are not very intuitive, so having seen and solved these question types before will automatically help.

In most cases, you should read the question before spending much time looking at the graphs or passages. You might glance over a graph or passage to get your bearings, but then you should read the question to figure out what you’re looking for. Once you understand your assignment, then you can look more closely at the data to locate your answer.

The reason it usually helps to read a question first is because each graphic, table, or passage will have a lot of extraneous information. You don’t need to know everything about each information source. Instead, you need to sift through the data to find specific information.

As mentioned above, tables will have sorting functionality, so you can rearrange columns to help you answer a question. You could arrange a column in alphabetical or numerical order. If a question is asking you to compare a car with a high speed versus a car with a low speed, to give one example, then you could sort the chart by speed from lowest to highest. That way, you can make sure you’re looking just at the cars with the highest and lowest speeds.

As you look at the data, make sure to pay close attention to units. A graphic may show speed in hours while a question asks about speed in minutes, to give one example.

Not only do you need to be comfortable reading various types of graphs and charts, but you also need to be comfortable using the on-screen calculator.

Finally, keep in mind that the Integrated Reasoning section calls for an integration of your math and verbal skills. In addition to data interpretation, you’ll need the same reading comprehension and fundamental math skills in this section that you will in Verbal and Quantitative.

You’ll need to work efficiently, know when to guess and move on, and divide your time in a way that will allow you to answer all of the questions before the timer runs out.

GMAT Section #3: Quantitative

The Quantitative section is all about math. It’s your first adaptive section on the GMAT, and it asks 31 math questions in 62 minutes. There are two question types in the GMAT Quantitative section, problem solving and data sufficiency.

Problem solving questions are typical multiple choice math questions that you must solve for one correct answer. Here’s one example of a problem solving question involving algebra.

Data sufficiency questions are more unusual. They present a problem followed by two pieces of information. Then you need to decide whether the first statement, the second statement, both together, or neither give you enough information to solve the original problem.

Here’s an example of a data sufficiency problem involving geometry. All data sufficiency problems will have these same five answer choices.

Quantitative questions are challenging, but you might be relieved to hear that they don’t test especially advanced math. The main concepts tested are arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, plus you’ll get word problems that will call on one or more of these skill areas.

You won’t have to do particularly advanced calculations either, as you can’t use a calculator in this section. On average, you have about two minutes per question.

You’ll have to work quickly and efficiently to do well in the GMAT Quantitative section. What else can you do to meet your goals?

Tips for the GMAT Quantitative Section

To prepare for the GMAT Quantitative section, you should review fundamental math concepts in arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, as well as practice answering word problems. Once you’ve reviewed concepts, you should drill these skills by answering lots of practice questions and taking timed practice tests.

Timed practice tests will help you develop a test-taking rhythm, so you can get to all of the questions in time. You’ll also know when you’re wasting too much time on a question and would be better off guessing and moving on.

Beyond answering lots of practice questions, you should also memorize the answer choices for data sufficiency questions. These will always be the same, and you don’t want to waste time figuring out what they’re asking on test day.

You don’t have to write out a full solution to data sufficiency questions. Instead, you should do just enough to know whether you have enough information to solve a problem.

You won’t get a calculator here, but you can use provided note boards and markers. Take advantage of these materials to write out your work. Writing out problems will help you keep your thinking straight, plus there’s enough arithmetic in this section that mental math will only take you so far.

GMAT Section #4: Verbal

Like the Quantitative section, the Verbal section of the GMAT is adaptive. The difficulty levels of the questions fluctuate as you go along to match your ability level. The Verbal section tests your reading, reasoning, and grammar skills with 36 multiple-choice questions.

The GMAT Verbal section has three question types: reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence corrections.

Reading comprehension questions are probably the most time-consuming, because you’ll have a passage to read along with three to five accompanying questions.The questions might ask about main point, specific details, tone, purpose, organization of ideas, or other features of the passage.

Here’s one example of a passage and two of its five accompanying reading comprehension questions.

The second question type, critical reasoning, is reminiscent of the essay prompt in the AWA section. It gives you a few factual statements or a short excerpt of an argument, followed by a multiple choice question. This question type asks you to consider evidence, draw a conclusion, or evaluate the statements in some way.

Here’s one example of a critical reasoning question in the GMAT Verbal section.

Finally, sentence corrections mainly ask about grammar. You’ll get a (typically wordy) sentence with a word or phrase underlined. If the underlined portion has a grammatical error, you’ll choose an answer that shows what it should say instead.

If the underlined portion is correct, then you’ll go with the first answer choice, which will always look identical to the underlined portion.

As you can see, the Verbal section tests your reading comprehension and grammar skills. What can you do to set yourself up for success in this GMAT section?

Tips for the GMAT Verbal Section

To prepare for Verbal, you should approach each question type separately.

For reading comprehension questions, you need to sharpen your speed reading skills. Rather than wasting time reading each and every word of a passage, skim the paragraphs with an eye on structure, tone, point of view, and purpose.

Critical reasoning questions require the same critical eye as the AWA prompt. You’ll want to practice evaluating and analyzing arguments with an eye on assumptions, flaws, and unfounded claims.

Finally, you should study rules of grammar to get ready for sentence corrections. You might get tested on parallel structure, subject-verb agreement, or other common rules.

The sentences in these questions are often extremely wordy, so it can help to break them up into their component clauses and mentally cross out the superfluous ones. On a sentence with a subject-verb agreement error, for instance, there may be a long clause between the subject and the verb to distract you. Try blocking out the extra clause so you can focus on the important parts of the sentence.

Now that you have a sense of all four sections of the GMAT and how to approach them, let’s consider how they function during the admissions process. Do admissions officers look at all four section scores equally, or do they care about some GMAT sections more than others?

How Important Are GMAT Section Scores in Business School Admissions?

While GMAT section scores are used in business school admissions, they actually take a backseat to the GMAT total score. As mentioned above, the total score is based on Quantitative and Verbal scores, and it ranges from 200 to 800. When applying to business school, your GMAT total score is the most important value on your score report.

While admissions officers remain relatively close-lipped about how they evaluate applications, it seems that they use the total score in their initial review of an application. If the score is up to scratch, then they move on to review section scores as a secondary factor.

Since the total score is based on Quantitative and Verbal scores, this means that the Quantitative and Verbal sections are more important in business school admissions than AWA or Integrated Reasoning.

That doesn’t mean you should ignore these other two sections, as an extremely low score could stand out as a red flag. However, they’re not your top priority when studying for the GMAT.

The one exception is for non-native English speakers taking the GMAT. The AWA score becomes more important when admissions officers are assessing your English level, particularly in writing. If an applicant sends a strong essay but a low AWA score, then this discrepancy could cause concern.

It’s also useful to note that Integrated Reasoning is new, but it’s been growing in importance from year to year. In 2012, only 22% of business schools said it was important, as opposed to 59% in 2015 according to a Kaplan survey. As time goes on, the IR score will likely continue to take on weight in the admissions process.

Essentially, your GMAT total score is more important than your individual section scores, and your Quantitative and Verbal scores are given more weight than AWA or IR scores. As for these two major sections of the GMAT, is one more important than the other?

Quantitative Vs. Verbal GMAT Scores: Which One’s More Important?

When it comes to Quantitative and Verbal scores, is one more important than the other? Some admissions officers suggest that section scores take on more weight depending on your educational background.

If you majored in the humanities, then officers may pay more attention to your Quantitative score to make sure you have the math chops to do well in business school. If you were a math major, then they may look at Verbal scores to ensure your reading comprehension skills are up to scratch.

Because of the math-heavy curriculum at many business schools, some officers have suggested that the Quantitative score is the more important section score.

In a Poets and Quants interview, Dee Leopold, the former managing director of admissions and financial aid at Harvard Business School, said, “people have to be able to do the analytics. Not everyone has to be an Excel monkey and build models, but you do have to be numerate and not phobic about numbers. When you don’t see evidence to do the guts of the work here, you realize you are putting this person at risk unnecessarily.”

The Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley similarly emphasizes the importance of math skills in its admission requirements, stating that, “the Admissions Committee looks carefully at quantitative proficiency when making its admissions decisions.”

Both Quantitative and Verbal scores are important, but some schools emphasize that they need to see evidence of proficiency in math to make sure that prospective students can handle a math-heavy business school curriculum.

This shouldn’t affect your test prep a great deal, as you should spend time getting ready for both the Quant and Verbal GMAT sections. However, it does mean that a high Verbal score may not be enough to balance out a low Quantitative score.

If you’re uneasy about your Quantitative performance, then it may be worth retaking the GMAT so you can send off an application that shows evidence of your proficiency in math. In closing, let’s go over some final thoughts about the GMAT sections and how to prepare for each of them.

GMAT Sections: Final Thoughts

There are four distinct GMAT test sections, each with its own demands and idiosyncrasies. What the sections have in common is an emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking.

Whether you’re writing an essay, interpreting a graph, solving a math problem, or reading a passage, you’ll need to keep a critical eye, evaluate information in front of you, and sift through a large amount of data to identify what’s most important and discard what’s not.

While each section calls for specific preparation, any studying you do will likely help you across the entire test. By developing your critical thinking skills and efficiency as a test-taker, you’ll be better prepared to tackle the challenging GMAT sections and to focus throughout a long, demanding test.

While you should study for all four sections, you should prioritize the Quantitative and Verbal sections, as they are most important in the business school admissions process. By achieving your target scores in these sections, along with solid AWA and IR section scores, you can show the admissions committee your commitment to joining the business school community.

What’s Next?

The GMAT is a tough test, but it’s definitely possible to achieve your target scores. Check out this guide to learn just how difficult the GMAT is and how to tackle the challenge.

Have you come up with your GMAT study plan? This guide gives you 23 essential tips for designing a customized GMAT study plan that will help you achieve your goals. (coming soon)

Taking GMAT practice tests is an essential part of any study plan. Check out this full list of free practice tests you can take online!

The post The 4 GMAT Sections: What to Expect on the Test appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

What’s the highest GMAT score possible, and how can you get it? How common is the GMAT max score? Do you need it to gain admission to your MBA program of choice?

In this article, I’ll go over the highest score in each GMAT section, tips on how to get it yourself, and how a perfect GMAT score can help you get into business school.

What Is the Highest GMAT Score?

The highest GMAT score possible is an 800. When we discuss the GMAT score, we generally mean the total score, which includes both the Verbal and the Quantitative sections. The Integrated Reasoning and Analytical Writing Assessment sections are not included in the total score.

Below are the score ranges for the GMAT total score, as well as each individual section:

How Can You Get the Highest GMAT Score?

So, how can you score that coveted perfect 800 GMAT score? There are a few reasons why we can’t know for certain how many questions you need to get right in order to get the GMAT max score. Firstly, the GMAT is a computerized adaptive test (CAT), which means that the test adapts to the test-taker’s abilities as he or she takes the exam. Getting a medium question incorrect will result in fewer moderate or advanced-level questions and more easy ones, while getting easy or medium questions correct will lead to more moderate and difficult questions to gauge your overall level relative to your peers.

Since your GMAT score relies not only on how many questions you get right, but on how many easy, moderate, and difficult questions you get right, there is no one magic number of right answers that will guarantee you an 800.

Secondly, the GMAC (the Graduate Management Admissions Council) doesn’t offer specific annual stats on how many questions you can get incorrect and still get an 800. There are actually three ‘scores’ you receive in each section: the raw score (as in, how many questions out of 37 you get correct on the Quant section, how many questions out of 41 you get right on the Verbal section, etc.), the scaled score (1-60 for both Verbal and Quant), and the percentile ranking (which tells you how well you did on that section or the total score in relation to your peers).

Recent unofficial student reports indicate that a scaled Verbal score of 51 (approximately raw score of 35-37 out of 41) and a scaled Quant score of 48 (approx. raw score of 30-34 out of 37) , could result in an 800. So could a scaled score of 48 on the Verbal section and a 51 on the Quant section.

The important things to note here are that 1) you can have a slight discrepancy between your Verbal and Quant scores and still get an 800, but not a significant one, and 2) you can get a few questions incorrect and still get the max GMAT score.

What we can know for sure is that to get the GMAT highest score, you’ll need to do well on both the Verbal and Quant sections, get very few answers incorrect in each section, not skip any questions, and answer difficult questions correctly.

How Common Is the Max GMAT Score?

Not very. GMAC reports that very few students score very low or very high. In fact, two-thirds of GMAT test-takers score between a 400 and a 600. Very few students score below a 9 or above a 44 on the Verbal section, or below 7 or above 50 on the Quant section.

GMAT percentile rankings tell you how you did in comparison to other students—for example, a percentile ranking of 40% would mean you scored higher than 40% of students, and 60% of test-takers scored the same as or more highly than you—and they can tell us something about the highest GMAT scores, too. Here are the GMAT total score percentile rankings for the last three years for scores between 650 and 800:

Note that a 760 or above would put you in the 99th percentile, meaning that only one percent of fellow test-takers get a 760 or above. This means, of course, that the number of students who actually get the GMAT highest score of 800 is exceedingly small. Out of the approximately 200,000 GMAT tests taken every year, only 2,000 score 760 or above.

Even though an 800 is a lofty goal, it’s not impossible.

Will a Perfect GMAT Score Get You Into Business School?

So does a perfect GMAT score really matter? Will a perfect GMAT score get you into the business school of your dreams? First, for reference, here are the average GMAT scores for recent incoming classes at five top-tier MBA programs:

Note that all five of these top-ranked MBA programs have average GMAT scores of 710+, and in many cases incoming students have average GMAT scores of 720 and above. So you certainly don’t need an 800 to get into these top schools.

Score ranges give even more clarity: At Stanford, the most recent class profile lists a range of 590-790 among admitted students (which means no one scored a perfect GMAT score of 800!). At Harvard Business School, the incoming class of 2018 has a middle 80% score range of 690-760, which means the bulk of students fit into this range, and a few students scored even higher.

Generally, you’ll only need a GMAT score of 720 and above to be admitted to a top-ranking MBA program, so don’t worry if you don’t have a perfect score. Most of the students that your favorite business school admits don’t have one either. The rest of your application is important: GPA, work experience, letters of recommendation, and essays and other writing samples.

Of course getting an 800 can help you stand out, since getting the GMAT max score is so rare. But keep in mind it’s not a guarantee of admission, since in the admissions officers’ eyes, a 780 is quite similar the same as an 800. After you pass the academic GMAT cutoff, the rest of your application is what matters.

How To Get the Highest GMAT Score: Prep Strategies

So if your goal is the highest GMAT score possible, how can you get there? There’s no guarantee, but here are a few strategies:

1. Prep extensively. You’ll need to put in a lot of prep time if you want the max GMAT score, even if you start out strong in your first practice tests. Use the GMATPrep study software to complete practice tests under simulated test conditions and track your progress.

2. Target your weaknesses. Aiming for a perfect 800 on the GMAT will take some fine tuning. When you review your practice tests, take note of your weaknesses. Do you have trouble with trigonometry or geometry? Do you find Critical Reasoning or Sentence Correction questions more challenging in the Verbal section? Get more specific than that if you can, too: Do you have trouble correcting run-ons in Sentence Correction questions? Focus your review on that weakness. Honing in on your weak spots is the only way to shoot for an 800.

3. Make sure you’re strong in both the Verbal and Quant sections. As I noted, you’ll need high scores on both the Quant and the Verbal section to end up with a perfect GMAT score. If you’re a little weaker in one, focus the bulk of your prep time on that.

4. Analyze official questions on GMAT practice tests. Particularly for question types you struggle with, try breaking them down into their various parts. Which part of the question confuses you? Find an answer explanation and compare it to your own line of thinking. Where does your logic break down? Getting an 800 will require this level of specificity in your GMAT prep.

GMAT Highest Score: The Bottom Line

You don’t need to obsess over getting a perfect GMAT score of 800. Getting a 720 or higher will get you into almost any business school, and a 750 or higher would be considered highly exceptional at even the most selective MBA programs.

However, if your goal is an 800, plan your GMAT prep accordingly. Devote many hours to your prep, target your weaknesses, break down question types to analyze where you’re getting it wrong and make sure you’re scoring well in every GMAT section.

What’s Next?

Check out our guide to GMAT Percentiles for help understanding GMAT percentile rankings in more detail.

Still confused about how the GMAT is scored? Our complete guide to GMAT scoring will give you more in-depth info about GMAT scores as a whole.

The GMAT is intimidating, but is it hard? Read our expert analysis of how difficult the GMAT actually is for more info.

The post What Is the Highest GMAT Score? Can You Get a Max Score? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

If you’re considering business school, you’ve likely asked, “Should I take the GRE or GMAT?” But what is the difference between GMAT and GRE? Why take one over the other?

In “The Difference between GMAT and GRE”, we discuss the key factors that distinguish the two tests and lay out the three steps you can use to decide which test is right for you.

The differences between the two tests range from broad to specific. At the broad level, different graduate programs require different exams. Similarly, if you’re choosing GMAT or GRE for MBA program admissions, specific schools may require or prefer different exams. So one difference between GMAT and GRE is that certain tests are better suited for different academic paths.

Another difference between GRE and GMAT is that the tests use different computer adaptive algorithms that impact the test taking experience. Depending on your ability to manage your time and your testing anxiety, you may perform better on one test than the other.

At the question level, the two exams test many similar concepts across the Verbal and Quantitative sections. However, a critical difference between GRE and GMAT is that each test features some unique concepts. Along the same lines, not all of the concepts on both exams are tested at the same level of difficulty. This difference between GMAT and GRE means that you may receive a higher score on either test depending on your skill level in a couple different areas.

Watch the video to figure out which test is right for you!

If after analyzing the difference between GMAT and GRE using the steps in this video, you’re still unsure about “Should I take the GRE or GMAT?”, take a practice exam for each test to determine which one you score higher on — this will help you determine which is easier, GMAT or GRE. Taking both the GMAT and the GRE is also an option, but you’ll usually come out with a higher score if you study really well for one test than if you study a little bit for both.

To stay updated on our latest GMAT videos, you can subscribe to our new PrepScholar GMAT YouTube channel — we’ll have three new free videos every month.

Happy studies!

The post Learn the Difference Between GMAT and GRE [Video] appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

Do you want to know what’s on the GMAT? Do you have a general idea of the sections, but want to get a better idea of what to expect on test day? Are you confused about this whole ‘adaptive testing’ thing?

In this article, I’ll go over the GMAT structure and timing, the fundamentals of CAT (computerized adaptive testing),  and a breakdown of the question types in each section of the test. Finally, I’ll discuss what the GMAT format means for you and offer tips on how to prepare for exam day.

Article Roadmap

• What is On the GMAT?: The Basics
• The GMAT is a Computerized Adaptive Test
• Breaking it Down: GMAT Sections and Question Types
  • Analytical Writing Assessment
  • Integrated Reasoning
  • Quantitative Section
  • Verbal Section
• Tips: How to Make the GMAT Format Work for You
• Review: GMAT Format

What Is on the GMAT? The Basics

The GMAT has four timed sections, with two optional eight-minute breaks. Here’s a breakdown of the sections.

As you can see from the chart, the actual GMAT is just over three hours long. With breaks and sign-in time, ‘exam day’ usually takes about 3.5 to 4 hours.

As of July 2017, you can choose the order in which you complete the GMAT sections. Find out more about this change to the GMAT here.

What Is a Computerized Adaptive Test?

The GMAT is a CAT (Computerized Adaptive Test). This means that all parts of the GMAT are computerized, including the writing assessment. However, you only need basic computer know-how to take the GMAT. The exam is not technologically complicated.

You don’t need to learn any new skills if you can use a basic word processor/text editor (for the writing assessment), a standard calculator, and basic computer software. Essentially, you only need to know how to point, click, type, cut, and paste to successfully take the GMAT.

Note that there is no paper version of the GMAT. The GMAT is only delivered at Pearson VUE testing centers in a computerized adaptive format.

Computerized GMAT Exam Format: What to Expect

As I noted above, the computerized GMAT format is pretty straightforward overall: you type up your essay and then use drop down menus and simple multiple choice forms to select your answers for the other sections. Nonetheless, there are a couple of unique features and quirks you should be aware of.

A timer at the top righthand corner of your screen will keep track of how much time you have left in each section. You won’t get any other notifications about the time as you go along.

You will need to confirm each of your answers before you move on to the next question. When you’re satisfied with an answer, you’ll click ‘Next’ at the bottom righthand corner of your screen. A screen popup will ask if you are OK with your answer; you’ll click ‘yes’ or ‘no’ before moving on. This can throw some test-takers off at first, so it’s a good idea to practice with computer simulated tests to get the hang of it.

You can’t go back to previous questions once you’ve answered them. Even within the same section, you cannot go back to a previous question once you’ve confirmed your answer. This means you’ll have to be especially aware of the time as you complete each question.

Adaptive Testing: The Fundamentals

Adaptive testing is one of the major points of confusion for the average GMAT test-taker, but it’s not as complicated as it sounds. In a nutshell, ‘adaptive testing’ means that each test is individualized based on an algorithm that calculates a student’s ‘level’ as they answer questions of varying difficulty.

The GMAT begins each section by ‘assuming’ that the student is of average skill level and able to answer questions of medium difficulty. If the student answers most easy and medium questions correctly, the test adjusts to offer more difficult questions to place the student in his/her appropriate score range. If the student answers medium-level questions incorrectly, the test will adjust to offer the student easier questions.

This algorithm ultimately determines the student’s GMAT score for all the multiple-choice sections (Integrated Reasoning, Verbal, and Quantitative). The Analytical Writing Assessment is scored by live graders after the day of the test, so it’s not adaptive.

It is nearly impossible to determine how you’re doing as you go along and strategize accordingly, so it’s better not to try. It’s much harder than you might think to guess the difficulty of any given test question, especially under exam pressure and a time crunch. Even if you could tell whether a question is hard or easy, that knowledge is unlikely to make much difference in your ability to answer the question correctly.

The bottom line: It’s good to understand the basics of adaptive testing so you know the fundamentals of how your scores are calculated, but don’t obsess over it. It’s better to prepare well and do your best on every single question, no matter how easy or difficult it seems.

Breaking Down the GMAT Format: Sections and Question Types

Now let’s get into the details about each section and the question types in each one. Remember that there are four GMAT sections: Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, and Verbal.

Analytical Writing Assessment

You’ll receive one essay prompt in the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) and will have thirty minutes to complete it. The prompt will present an argument and ask you to critique it. This section assesses your critical reasoning and writing skills and your ability to communicate effectively in the English language.

Analysis of Argument Prompt

Each AWA prompt will begin with an argument, as in this example from a previous GMAT:

Arguments will be related to advertising, marketing, management, and other areas that are relevant to a business student, but no prior knowledge of the topic is necessary to succeed on the essay. You won’t be asked to provide your own opinion, but to critique the underlying assumptions and the evidence presented by the argument in the prompt.

After the argument, you’ll see this prompt, asking you to critically analyze the argument you’ve been provided:

Tips for Succeeding on the Analytical Writing Assessment

1. Below the prompt will be a basic text editor that allows you to type, cut, and paste. You will write and submit your essay here.
2. You can and should use your erasable notepad (provided by the testing center) to write an outline of your critique as you read the prompt and before you start writing. Don’t include notes or outlines in the provided text editor; they will be read as part of your essay.
3. You can’t indent paragraphs using the text editor, but you can hit ‘enter’ between paragraphs to separate them. This will help you organize your ideas.
4. When you’re finished, click ‘Finish’ and you’ll be asked to confirm your answer. If you click ‘Yes,’ you’ll move on to the Integrated Reasoning section without a break.
5. You can find more sample AWA prompts here to help you prepare here.

Integrated Reasoning

Integrated Reasoning (IR) is the second section of the GMAT. You will have 30 minutes to complete 12 questions. This section tests your ability to integrate and analyze data from various sources and to make sound inferences and come to logical conclusions based on that data. There are four question types in the IR section, and they may appear in any order.

Multi-Source Reasoning

In Multi-Source Reasoning questions, you will be asked questions about a set of information organized by tabs. Here’s an example:

Information may include historical background, statistics, or charts. Note that in this example, you could find out more about ‘Techniques,’ ‘Artifacts,’ or ‘Budget.’ Clicking each tab will display a different set of information.

For these question types, remember that you will be asked more than one question about the same set of data.

In Multi-Source Reasoning, you are being tested not only on your ability to integrate different kinds of information, but also to discern which information is relevant to a given question. Choose wisely. Not all the tabs will be important for every question, and some questions will require you to refer to multiple tabs to synthesize information from different sources.

Graphics Interpretation

Graphics Interpretation questions will require you to answer questions about a table, graph, or chart, like this one:

In these questions, you’ll see incomplete statements about the information presented in the graphic. You will use a drop down menu like the one above to make the statements complete and accurate. Choose an answer from each drop down menu. There is no partial credit if you choose only one of the drop-down items correctly.

Two-Part Analysis

Two-Part Analysis questions will ask you to read a passage and solve a two-part ‘word problem’ using two multiple-choice columns:

Here, you would choose one option from the ‘Must not happen in the location’ column and one option from the ‘Must happen in the location’ column.

Read two-part analysis questions carefully; while they may appear simpler than the other question types, they often require you to make inferences based on subtle details in the passage.

Choose only one answer in each column. You cannot choose the same answer for each column. Both must be correct to receive credit.

Table Analysis

In Table Analysis questions, you’ll be asked questions based on tables with a variety of data, like this one:

Each Table Analysis question will ask you if certain statements are True/False or Inferrable/Not Inferrable based on the information available in the table. Choose one answer for each statement.

All of your answers must be correct to get credit for a Table Analysis question. As in the rest of the IR section, there is no partial credit.

Take advantage of the ‘Sort By’ button. This button allows you to organize the table horizontally or vertically based on whatever piece of information you want to highlight. This is a great tool to give you a quick visual shorthand and will help you zero in on the relevant information for the question at hand.

On-Screen Calculator

An onscreen calculator with basic functions is provided for you in the IR section. You can access it by clicking “Calculator” on the upper lefthand corner of your screen.

The calculator will then appear in the center of your screen:

Besides standard arithmetic and square root operations, the IR calculator also includes four memory buttons on the lefthand side:

1. MC, Memory Clear, which clears and resets the memory.
2. MR, Memory Recall, which ‘remembers’ and displays whatever is in recent memory.
3. M+, Memory Addition, which adds the current entry to the current stored memory.
4. MS, Memory Store, which stores in the current memory whatever is displayed on the screen.

The top row has three buttons: Backspace, CE (Clear Entry), and C (Clear All).

The IR calculator doesn’t follow order of operations.

Tips for Succeeding on the Integrated Reasoning Section

1. You must answer all parts of IR questions correctly to get credit for them. This can’t be reiterated enough. There is no partial credit for any IR question. If there’s a three-part question and you only get one part incorrect, the question as a whole is marked ‘wrong.’ So, if you’re trying to hurry, don’t guess on the last part of a question just to move on.
2. Don’t be tempted to use the calculator too often. It may save you time for basic calculations, but you really don’t need to use it for most of the IR section. Integrated Reasoning doesn’t test your math skills; it tests your ability to make sound decisions and think logically, and you have to do so in quite a time crunch. Don’t let the calculator distract you.

Quantitative Section

The Quantitative (Quant) section of the GMAT test format is 62 minutes long and consists of 31 questions. This section tests your ability to use basic math and quantitative reasoning skills to draw conclusions from given data. There are two question types in the Quant section: Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving.

Data Sufficiency

Like the other sections of the GMAT, the Quant section contains a strong logic component. In that vein, Data Sufficiency questions ask you to consider an initial question and two statements, labeled (1) and (2), and decide whether the statements are sufficient to answer the question asked. Take a look at this example:

Note that the five choices listed under the question and two statements in this example will be the same for every Data Sufficiency question, so they’re easy to spot.

You should memorize the five Data Sufficiency answer choices before you take the GMAT. This will save you a great deal of time so you only have to consider the given question and two statements, instead of wrestling with the answer choices on top of those, too.

In this context, ‘sufficient’ means ‘I could answer this question fully with ONLY the information in this statement or these statements.’ That means, for example, that the first two choices ask you if, given each statement separately, you could answer the question correctly.

Problem Solving

Problem Solving questions will ask you to choose one multiple choice answer to complete an equation or solve a word problem. Here’s an example:

Problem Solving questions draw from basic knowledge (such as the number of days in a month) and common secondary-level education math skills. In contrast to Data Sufficiency questions, Problem Solving questions are similar to the kinds of questions you might see in the Quantitative section of the GRE, SAT, or ACT.

Tips for Succeeding on the Quantitative Section

1. There is no calculator on the Quantitative section. Only the Integrated Reasoning section allows you access to a standard calculator. You can use your erasable notepad to do calculations, but if you review number properties in your preparation for the GMAT, you shouldn’t need to use it much.
2. You have about two minutes for each question in the Quant section. Keep track of the time as you go along, and don’t spend too long on any one question.
3. The Quant section draws from secondary level math skills like arithmetic, geometry, and algebra. They’re not overly difficult, but you may have forgotten some of the details. A review of these skills will be helpful to you in your exam preparation.

Verbal Section

The GMAT Verbal Section takes 65 minutes and consists of 36 questions. The Verbal section tests your ability to read critically, to make sound inferences and draw accurate conclusions from those readings, and to correct errors in grammar and sentence structure. There are three question types in the Verbal section: Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction.

Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension questions will present you with a brief passage and questions that ask you about its tone, main idea, details, or structure. Questions may also ask you to draw inferences from the information in the passage. Here’s a sample Reading Comprehension passage:

Reading Comprehension passages are always nonfiction; there is never a fiction/literature passage in the bunch. They might draw from humanities, business-related topics, or the natural or social sciences. However, the exact subject doesn’t that much since you don’t need any outside knowledge to be successful on Reading Comprehension questions.

Generally speaking, there will be one or two longer Reading Comprehension passages (around 350 words) and around three shorter passages (around 250 words). Each Reading Comprehension passage is accompanied by a series of several questions. You will be shown the same passage alongside each one (usually around four).

Critical Reasoning

Critical Reasoning questions ask you to evaluate, unpack (break down), or draw conclusions from a given argument or short passage, like this one:

Pay close attention to what you’re being asked. Are you being asked to make an inference, for example, or to discern the main idea? Knowing will help you choose what to focus on and select a strategy.

Read each answer choice fully before you choose one of the five. There could be subtle missteps that you’ll overlook if you don’t read every answer choice.

Sentence Correction

Sentence Correction questions present a sentence with an underlined portion. Your job is to choose, out of five answer choices, the choice that would best replace the underlined portion of the given sentence:

As in this example, the first answer choice is always a direct repetition of the original underlined portion. The other four answer choices all differ from the original in some way.

In Sentence Correction, you’ll be tested on grammar concepts like punctuation, adjectives and adverbs, phrases and clauses, run-ons and fragments, dangling and misplaced modifiers, and the like. But if you don’t know what some of those are, it’s OK! You need to know about the concepts, not the terms.

Incorrect answers might be grammatically incorrect, redundant, ambiguous, illogical, or otherwise awkwardly written or ineffective. You won’t be tested on spelling.

Tips on Succeeding in the Verbal Section

1. You have about a little over a minute and a half for each question in the Verbal Section. Move as quickly as you can without sacrificing accuracy.
2. Every question type in the Verbal section requires only one multiple choice answer.
3. Read each sentence all the way to the end, particularly in Sentence Correction questions. Sometimes an answer choice will seem fine at the start, but the ending is what’s incorrect. It can be tempting to skim, but if there’s one section where you don’t want to do this, it’s the Verbal section.

Tips: How to Make the GMAT Format Work for You

Whew! Now that we’ve gone through a breakdown of each section, you should have a much better idea of what the GMAT test format will look like onscreen. Familiarity with the question types is a great start on your road to GMAT prep. Here are some other ways to make the GMAT exam format work for you rather than overwhelm you:

1. Take a simulated computerized adaptive test. For this kind of a test, doing practice questions on your own probably won’t be enough. Instead, you’ll want to be more familiar with test day conditions so you feel more relaxed the day of the test. You can simulate the real GMAT exam format using the free GMATPrep software, offered by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) to everyone with an account at mba.com (also free).
2. Familiarize yourself with the format of each section and question type. Recognizing each question type quickly will empower you to approach each question with more confidence and a more effective strategy.
3. Don’t be afraid of guessing. There are no penalties for incorrect answers on the GMAT, so don’t be afraid to take a guess and move on to the next question if you’re taking too long. However, if you prepare sufficiently, you will almost always be able to eliminate one or more of the answer choices, which increases your chances of getting the question correct.
4. You should always take the optional breaks on exam day. This will refresh your mind and help you mentally ‘reset’ before the next section.

Review: GMAT Format

In this article, we’ve covered the GMAT structure and format, some logistics for test day, the fundamentals of computerized adaptive testing, and a few tips on how to make the most of the GMAT test format. Let’s recap some of the main takeaways:

• There are four sections of the GMAT: Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, and Verbal. Each one has a different set of question types. You’ll encounter the same question types in each section no matter when you take the test or how well you do on each question.

• You can choose the order in which you want to take the GMAT sections.

• The GMAT is a computerized adaptive test, which means that the test adapts to your skill level as you go along in order to compute your score.

• But on test day, you shouldn’t worry about figuring out whether each question is difficult or easy. Instead, you should focus on answering every question to the best of your abilities.

• Reread this article whenever you need to and take an official computerized test to make sure you’re fully prepared for the GMAT exam format. Familiarity is power!

What’s Next?

Ready to sign up for the GMAT? Read our step-by-step guide on how to register for the GMAT.

Worried about the GMAT section will be too difficult for you? We break down how hard the GMAT actually is.

Curious about how to prepare? Check out our sample GMAT study schedules and tips on building your own prep plan.

The post GMAT Format: What to Expect On The Test appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.

When you get your official GMAT score report back, you’ll see a number of different scores. In addition to your verbal, quantitative, analytical writing, and integrated reasoning scores, you will find a box for your total score.

What is the GMAT total score? What does it mean? Why does it matter? In this guide, I’ll explain what the GMAT total score is and how it’s calculated, as well as give information about how schools use the total score and what a good GMAT total score is.

What Is the GMAT Total Score?

There are four sections on the GMAT: verbal, quantitative, analytical writing, and integrated reasoning. Your GMAT total score report consists of five parts: total scaled score, verbal scaled score, quantitative scaled score, analytical writing assessment, and integrated reasoning score.

The GMAT total score is a scaled combination of your verbal and quantitative scaled scores. The range for the scaled verbal and quantitative scores is 0 to 60. The range for the total GMAT scaled score is 200 to 800.

It’s also important to note that when people talk about their GMAT scores, they generally mean GMAT total scores rather than individual section scores.

How Is the GMAT Total Score Calculated?

So, we know that the GMAT total score is made up of your scaled verbal and scaled quantitative scores. But how is it calculated?

As I mentioned before, your total GMAT score is made up of your scaled quantitative and scaled verbal scores. Those are both scored on a range of 0 to 60. There are three factors that determine your score for each of those sections, and, by extension, your total score: the number of questions you answer correctly, the number of questions you answer, and how difficult the questions you answer are.

Let’s talk about what that means. Remember, the GMAT is different from most other standardized tests because it’s adaptive. That means that questions will get harder or easier based on how well you’re doing. In other words, every test taker will see a slightly different set of questions and be scored based on the questions he or she sees.

The first factor is pretty simple: you get points based on how many questions you answer correctly. The more questions you answer correctly, the more points you get. So, if you answer 25 questions correctly, you’ll get more points than someone who answers 19 questions correctly.

The second factor is also pretty straightforward. You need to answer every question on the test. For the quantitative section, you have to answer 31 questions in 62 minutes. For the verbal, 36 questions in 65 minutes. Answering all the questions will get you more points than skipping some questions.

The third factor is definitely the most complicated. Every question on the GMAT has an assigned difficulty coefficient. What that specifically means is somewhat complicated and not publicly disclosed by the GMAT, but, basically, a bunch of smart psychometricians use a scientific process to assess how difficult every question on the GMAT is. This means that test takers who see more difficult questions get a benefit.

Think about it like taking an Advanced Placement course in high school. Often, AP courses carry extra weight, so getting an A in an AP class will actually count for more than a 4.0. The same is true of questions on the GMAT. More difficult questions carry a higher weight than easier questions.

All of these factors play into your scores for the verbal and quantitative sections of the GMAT. Your verbal and quantitative scaled scores are then used to determine your total GMAT score, though GMAC doesn’t explain exactly how.

How Important Is My GMAT Total Score?

Of the scores that you will get on your official GMAT score report, the total GMAT score is without a doubt the most important. Schools will also pay attention to your Verbal and Quantitative scores, especially if there’s a major difference between them, and, to a lesser extent, the Analytical Writing and Integrated Reasoning, but the total GMAT score is still the most important.

The GMAT total score is the only score factored into a school’s ranking. Schools therefore place a higher emphasis on the total score because it helps to boost their standings among their competitors. Neither the integrated reasoning nor the analytical writing assessment factor into school rankings.

Again, the vast majority of business schools place considerably more weight on your total GMAT score, and the Verbal and Quant scores that contribute to it, than your Integrated Reasoning or Analytical Writing scores. However, that doesn’t mean that you should just ignore your IR or AWA scores. Having lower scores (below 4 on the AWA and below 5 on the IR section) can hurt your application.

The IR section, in particular, has been gaining in importance over the last few years as schools become more familiar with it. the integrated reasoning section is still relatively new. It was first launched in June 2012, so it’s only been around for about four years as of when this article was written. Initially, this made it hard for schools to compare candidates who had different scores on their reports.

According to a survey by Kaplan Test Prep, only 41% of admissions officers considered an IR score important in 2014. That number rose to 59% in 2015. The IR section gives schools a good indicator of your ability to evaluate information that’s presented in multiple formats from multiple sources. Expect it to continue to grow in importance alongside the GMAT total score.

The AWA section is also a good way to show competent writing skills to business schools. The AWA can go a long way towards showing how well you have mastered writing analytical essays to admissions councils, particularly if your native language isn’t English.

What’s a Good GMAT Total Score?

What is a good GMAT total score? This can vary from test taker to test taker. For all test takers, however, a good GMAT total score is the score that helps you get in to the program that you want to attend.

That being said, a total GMAT score of 650 or above will put you into the top 25% of all test takers. That’s a great place to be. Putting yourself into the top 25% of test takers makes your application stand out, especially in the current competitive admissions cycles. However, as I said before, what a good GMAT total score really is different for every applicant.

Before we get into understanding how you can determine a good total score for you, let’s look closer at average GMAT total scores. According to GMAC, the average total score for the GMAT is 551.94, with two-thirds of test takers scoring between 400 and 600. Scores below 9 and above 44 for the verbal section and below 7 and above 50 for the quantitative section are rare.

Your percentile ranking can be useful in understanding how your test score corresponds to other test takers. Your GMAT score percentile links your score and the percentile of everyone who takes the GMAT. So, if your score percentile is 76%, that means that you did better than 76% of test takers.

Here’s a look at how total GMAT scores correspond to percentile rankings.

As I said before, the total GMAT score you aim for will vary depending on what schools you’re applying to. It’s important to do some research on the average GMAT scores of admitted applicants at the programs you’re interested in. You can find this information in a number of different places. Most schools publish their average GMAT scores on their admissions page.

You can also try to call the admissions office if the average scores are not available online. Third-party resources like U.S. News also publish information on average GMAT scores. Remember, only the GMAT total score contributes to a school’s ranking. Check out the chart below to see the average GMAT scores of admitted applicants for a some sample business schools.

While there are many factors that go into having a well-rounded business school application, a great GMAT total score can really boost your competitiveness as an applicant. Because GMAT scores contribute to the annual rankings published in U.S. News & World Report, many schools aim to admit candidates with high scores to increase the overall ranking quality of their program.

Remember, however, that there are many components of your business school application. Make sure you spend time trying to put together a strong application across the board, rather than spending it all trying to score 800 on the GMAT. A well-rounded application with college grades, letters of recommendations, and a solid GMAT total score will help you more than having a perfect GMAT score and weak other parts.

What’s Next?

Not sure how the GMAT is scored? Check out our complete explanation of how GMAT scoring really works.

Take an in-depth look at average GMAT scores to learn how your score compares.

Finally, find out more about what makes a good GMAT score and how to set the right goal for you with our complete guide to understanding GMAT scores.

The post GMAT Total Score: What Is It? What Does It Mean? appeared first on Online GMAT Prep Blog by PrepScholar.