To get admission to a top MBA institute or a business-related course, you must clear the GMAT exam. There are 4 main sections in the GMAT – Verbal, Analytical Writing Assessment, Quantitative, and Integrated Reasoning. The time allocated to complete this exam is 3.5 hours. However, some centres provide students with 4 to 4.5 hours to complete the exam after including mandatory breaks.
Exam Structure
Students need to attempt 41 questions under the Verbal section and the time allocated for this section is 75 minutes. Here, the question types will be related to reading comprehension, sentence correction, and critical reasoning.
Under the Analytical Writing Assessment section, there will only be 1 topic and the time allocated for it is 30 minutes. The question will be related to the analysis of an argument.
The Quantitative section comprises 37 questions and students have 75 minutes to crack them. Questions in this section will range from data sufficiency to problem-solving.
The Integrated Reasoning section comprises 12 questions and students have 30 minutes to solve them. Here, questions will be related to table analysis, multi-source reasoning, two-part analysis, and graphics interpretation.
Difficulty level and analysis
The GMAT is quite different to other exams in that it adjusts to your ability. With this arrangement, the amount of time required to complete this exam gets reduced considerably. Also, the exam establishes an improved level of accuracy as compared to other exams.
In the early part of the GMAT exam, students are presented with questions of intermediate difficulty. The score is presented to the student from a computer based on the performance level. This score will be used as a benchmark in presenting further questions for the student. When correct answers are provided by a student for the initial questions, the difficulty level of the remaining questions gets increased. Similarly, incorrect responses for the initial questions will attract questions with lesser difficulty.
What scores are preferred by top universities?
GMAT scores are considered as a qualifier by a large number of top Business schools across India and the rest of the world. GMAT has the widest reach as compared to other Entrance exams. More than 7000 courses and 2300 colleges consider your GMAT score during the time of admission process.
To give you an idea about the GMAT scores preferred by some of the top universities across the world, here are some details:
The United States of America
University Name GMAT Score Range
1. Stanford University 610 – 790
2. Northwestern University 600 – 780
3. Yale University 690 – 760
4. University of Chicago 620 – 790
5. University of Pennsylvania 530 – 790
6. Harvard University 580 – 790
7. Columbia University 530 – 790
8. Dartmouth University 620 – 780
9. MIT 690 – 760
10. UCLA 680 – 750
Europe
University Name GMAT Score Range
1. INSEAD 709
2. London Business School 708
3. LSE 708
4. University of Navarra 690
5. HEC Paris School of Management 690
6. University of Cambridge 690
7. University of Oxford 690
8. ESADE Ramon Llull 668
9. The University of Warwick 660
10. Bocconi University 650
Canada
University Name Avg GMAT Cut-off
1. McGill University 694
2. University of Toronto 665
3. York University 660
4. University of British Columbia 650
5. Queen’s University – Kingston 650
6. Université de Montreal 625
7. University of Alberta 619
8. McMaster University 616
9. Simon Fraser University 615
10. The University of Western Ontario 600+
Australia
University Name Avg GMAT Cut-off
1. The University of Melbourne 705
2. The University of New South Wales 650
3. The Australian National University 600+
4. The University of Sydney 600+
5. RMIT University 550+
Asia
University Name Avg GMAT Cut-off
1. The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology 770
2. Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 700
3. Tsinghua University 670
4. National University of Singapore 662
5. Seoul National University 650
6. Peking University 640
7. The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) 620
What are the passing scores and what do the scores represent?
Unlike most traditional university exams, the GMAT doesn’t have a passing score. However, each university can have a minimum qualifying GMAT score. Depending on your score, you can secure admission to a college.
Given below are details that are useful in interpreting your GMAT results:
Your Total, Quantitative, and Verbal scores
The total score of the GMAT exam can vary between 200 and 800. However, nearly two-thirds of candidates who take up this exam end up scoring between 400 and 600. Also, Quantitative and Verbal scores fall between 0 and 60 with scores above 51 and below being rare.
Quantitative and Verbal scores can easily be compared between different GMAT test administrations and are on a fixed scale. However, as these scores are constructed differently, comparing them becomes difficult.
Your Integrated Reasoning score
The IR (Integrated Reasoning) scores can range between 1 and 8 in single-digit intervals. Usually, questions in this section need more than one response. Also, as these questions are designed to integrate data for solving complex problems, answering all responses correctly will fetch your credits. Candidates need to know that in GMAT, no partial credits are awarded.
Your Analytical Writing Assessment Score
The deciding factor for your AWA (Analytical Writing Assessment) score is your analysis of an argument essay. This score will range between 0 and 6 in half-point intervals.
Your AWA scores are calculated using a combination of a machine algorithm and approved and trained human raters. When a disparity arises between the human score and the algorithm, the score awarded by an additional human rater is also considered and the overall score is adjusted accordingly.
Edument approach for your GMAT coaching
At Edument, our GMAT coaching programs are designed after taking into consideration the time constraints of both students and working individuals who aim for MIM and MBA programs in India and abroad. Furthermore, our GMAT programs are handled by experienced and expert faculty who have a thorough understanding of GMAT exams over the years and have guided and helped students to the college of their choice.
We are proud to follow a systematic schedule of practice sessions and lectures that will help you cover all areas of the GMAT exam. Students aiming to crack this competitive exam can always use our video lectures for better-understanding key techniques that can improve their success rate. Our expert and friendly tutors are always there to solve difficulties that time and again arise during your GMAT preparation and effectively explain problem areas.
Our GMAT program is as flexible as it comes. In opting for such a program with us, you can pursue the course at a pace that is convenient to you. This program is expertly designed by Edument and can be completed within 12 weeks. However, depending on your needs and comfort levels, it can be an extended or accelerated program.
Our GMAT program is specifically designed to lay a strong foundation in reading, reasoning, and grammar skills. We also see to it that your math concepts are well established through this program. To enhance your Analytical Writing Assignment score, our GMAT coaching experts help train students in essay writing. To provide all-around development to students, we conduct mock tests at the end of the program. Also, like many other Edument services, we provide a GMAT coaching program online. If you wish to get such services online, get in touch with us.
Where to book your GMAT coaching program?
When Edument has designed and developed GMAT coaching programs exclusively to help you clear it with flying colours, why look anywhere else? Get in touch with Edument experts today to know more about our GMAT programs and how they can help you! Whether it is classroom coaching or online, our GMAT programs are designed to make you feel comfortable, competitive, and confident to take on the challenges.
Registering GMAT exam is simple and quick. Students need to visit the official website of GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council) and register for the exam. The official link for registration is: https://start.gmat.com/register.
Students are advised to register for GMAT as early as possible as the appointment slots can get filled quickly. Also, by registering quickly, there are high chances of securing a date and time of your choice.