What is the GMAT?
The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a test you must take if you are interested in applying to most university and post-university programs in the Management sector.
It will provide official proof of your analytical reasoning, problem-solving and English language writing skills, which will make your CV stand out in any academic or job application.
The GMAT, available only in English, lasts 3 hours and 7 minutes (breaks excluded) and costs about 250 Euros (taxes excluded). It is a Computer Adaptive Test (CAT), meaning that an algorithm will choose the difficulty of a question depending on how you answered the previous ones: a correct answer to a harder question is worth more points than a correct answer to an easier one. Your score will be a number between 200 and 800. To be among the 10% top scorers, you must get at least 710; half the candidates score more than 580.
In this brief article, we will outline the main features of the GMAT test and analyze its four sections:
THE FOUR SECTIONS OF THE GMAT
The GMAT consists of four sections: Analytical Writing, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning.
For the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), you are given a topic and asked to write an argumentative essay based on the evidence given. Here, the examiners aim to test your ability to clearly identify and insightfully analyze parts of the argument, develop and organize your ideas thoughtfully and logically, and connect your statements with clear transitions. This section has a duration time of 30 minutes.
The 12 questions in the Integrated Reasoning (IR) section involve both quantitative and verbal reasoning, either separately or in combination. The candidate is asked to analyze graphs, tables, and charts to extrapolate the relevant information. This section examines your higher-order reasoning skills such as the ability to analyze data. This section also has a duration time of 30 minutes.
The GMAT Quantitative Reasoning section consists of 31 questions and is designed to test your content and analytical knowledge of basic Maths concepts in arithmetic, algebra, and geometry. Here, you will find two types of questions: data sufficiency ones (Are these data enough to answer the problem? Is there any irrelevant information?) and problem-solving ones (standard high school Maths questions). This section has a duration time of 62 minutes.
In the Verbal Reasoning section, which consists of 36 questions, you are asked to prove your understanding of standard written English, your skill in analyzing arguments, and your ability to read critically. This section consists of three sub-sections: critical reasoning, sentence correction, and reading comprehension. In total, this section has a duration time of 65 minutes.
Given the diversity of the skills of the GMAT tests, the CAT structure of the test, the time pressure you will be subject to, and the importance of getting a high score, we suggest spending some time taking mock exams and carefully studying the topics you feel weaker in.