The 4 Most Important Components Of The MBA Admission Test
Preparing for the GMAT? Find the tips and tricks you need to prepare, and to beat the GMAT and gain admission to an MBA program.
September 29, 2021 , Modified on June 9, 2022

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Beating the GMAT & Getting into Your Dream MBA Program
The GMAT, or Graduate Management Admission Test, provides MBA programs with a crucial metric “to predict program performance.” In this guide, we’ll unpack the distinct challenges of each of the four exam components. We’ll then detail the most effective ways to prepare for them, based on expert advice and documentation from test-prep coaches and GMAC itself. By scrutinizing the GMAT’s components, identifying personal weaknesses, and then applying targeted test-taking strategies, anyone can beat the GMAT and gain admission to an MBA program. Meet the Expert 49% of GMAT test takers report spending at least 51 hours preparing for the exam.
Breaking Down the GMAT
The GMAT contains four distinct sections. The core of the exam, which yields a score of 200 to 800, is comprised of the verbal and math (or quantitative) sections. These sections are broken down by subject matter and question types below. In addition, the GMAT includes one essay question, an analytical writing assessment that is graded on a scale of one to six. The final and newest component combines quantitative math skills with verbal comprehension under the rubric of “integrated reasoning.”
The average combined verbal/quantitative score during the 2012-2013 academic year was 546 out of a possible 800.
GMAT Test Section | Number of Questions | Question Types | Timing Allotment |
---|---|---|---|
Analytical Writing Assessment | 1 Topic | Analysis of Argument | 30 Minutes |
Integrated Reasoning | 12 Questions | Multi-Source Reasoning Graphics Interpretation Two-Part Analysis Table Analysis | 30 Minutes |
Quantitative | 37 Questions | Data Sufficiency Problem Solving | 75 Minutes |
Verbal | 41 Questions | Reading Comprehension Critical Reasoning Sentence Correction | 75 Minutes |
Total Exam Times | 3 hours, 30 minutes |
GMAT: Analytical Writing Assessment
The first hurdle in the GMAT is the essay section, formally known as the analytical writing assessment (AWA), which is assigned a point value from one to six. Different MBA programs assign varying weights to the AWA score, and in terms of overall time commitment it’s generally considered the least important part of the exam to study for. The purpose of the AWA is to test one’s ability to think critically about a statement and then logically articulate the strengths and weaknesses of that statement. MBA admissions staff use AWA scores to gauge an applicant’s basic writing and reasoning skills.
Dennis Yim, Associate Director of Pre-Business and Pre-Graduate Programs at Kaplan Test Prep, offers the following advice on how to approach the AWA essay:
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GMAT: Integrated Reasoning
The integrated reasoning (IR) section, which is assigned a score between one and eight points, was added in 2012 and is now considered to be the most complex part of the exam. There are four types of IR questions, all of which measure verbal and quantitative skills (i.e., word problems). They may involve:
- Synthesizing information presented in graphics, text and numbers
- Evaluating information from different sources
- Organizing information to see relationships and to solve multiple, interrelated problems
- Combining and manipulating information from multiple sources to solve complex problems
For example, a typical IR question might have a graph with two sets of variables, followed by three questions asking for an interpretation of the data. To get credit, the test taker must answer all three questions. Moreover, all parts of the question must be answered before moving on to the next one; once a question is fully answered, the test taker cannot go back.
Most MBA admissions offices do not weight the IR section of the GMAT as heavily as the combined math/verbal score. However, it is seen as a useful gauge of an applicant’s complex thinking skills and aptitude for data management and analysis. Here are some tips from Yim:
GMAT: Quantitative Reasoning
After getting past the essay and integrated reasoning sections of the GMAT, some people may breathe a small sigh of relief to be moving into more familiar test-taking grounds, which is not to imply that the remainder of the GMAT is a breeze. The quantitative section involves answering 37 multiple choice questions in just 75 minutes. Roughly two-thirds of those questions fall under the problem solving (PS) designation, which involves applying basic math to problems. Preparing for this part of the quantitative section simply requires brushing up on algebra, geometry, fractions, and the like.
The remaining third of the quantitative section presents data sufficiency (DS) questions, which demand careful reading and require the test taker to determine whether or not the information provided in two statements is enough to draw a conclusion. Through this test, admissions staff are looking for students who can demonstrate not just an understanding of basic math, but also higher-level interpretive skills. To ace the qualitative reasoning component, experts recommend the following:
GMAT: Verbal
The verbal section has 41 questions broken down into three types. Reading comprehension (RC) questions test candidates’ ability to understand, interpret and draw conclusions from a short passage of text. Sentence correction (SC) questions require the use of grammar rules and common usage to replace a word or phrase in a sentence. And critical reasoning (CR) questions present word-logic problems that involve evaluating the evidence and conclusions presented in a short passage.
Because of the targeted nature of the GMAT, the verbal section is not aimed at assessing overall English language proficiency or vocabulary. Its primary objective is instead to measure analytical reading skills. As one test-prep expert pointed out only half-jokingly, the best way to prepare for the verbal section is to read The New Yorker cover to cover for two months. Yim offers a list of tips for the verbal section:
Increasing Your GMAT Score
The GMAT is given year-round, six days a week, at testing centers located across the country. It can be taken up to five times a year by individuals, but only once every 31 days. Most people would prefer to just take it once, however, so how can you put yourself in the best position to maximize your score on your first try?
- Get to know the test. Take one of the free practice tests offered by GMAC online to get a sense of how it feels to take the GMAT, not just in terms of the questions themselves, but also in regards to how the questions appear on screen. Then, get your hands on an “Official Guide for GMAT Review” and use the practice questions in each section to determine your strengths and weaknesses.
- Understand the algorithm. Unlike a linear test with set questions in a set order, the GMAT is a computer adaptive test (CAT). That means that the questions you’re presented with during an actual test are not predetermined but are instead selected by an algorithm that ranks each question by degree of difficulty and then chooses subsequent questions based on how well you did on previous questions. Scoring is based on both the number of questions answered correctly and the degree of difficulty of those questions. A good strategy is to learn through practice exams to recognize easier questions and make sure you get them right. An incorrect answer to an easy question hurts your score more than answering a difficult question wrong.
- Get your timing right. Not leaving enough time to finish a section of the GMAT creates a major scoring disadvantage. The GMAT’s adaptive algorithm penalizes for consecutive wrong answers, and if you leave multiple questions unanswered at the end of the test, they will be, by definition, consecutive wrong answers.
- Use practice tests judiciously. One somewhat counterintuitive piece of advice that test-prep gurus tend to agree on is that taking too many practice exams is an inefficient study method. GMAC offers two free practice tests and an additional two practice tests for $49.99. Since official GMAT materials are regarded as the best preparatory tests, they should be deployed judiciously. The key to mastering the GMAT is to identify your strengths and weaknesses, and then to focus on improving in problem areas. That’s achieved through the use of targeted practice questions rather than full exams.
- Replicate actual testing conditions. Do your best to take practice tests under the same conditions and restrictions that will be in place when you take the actual test. That means sitting at a desk without a calculator, protractor or notebook. You can, however, use scratch paper to take notes, and you should get used to doing so. Time the test, including the optional five-minute breaks, which test-prep coaches suggest that you use to stretch and clear your head. This is also when you’ll have a chance to use the bathroom, so take advantage of that opportunity. The more comfortable you are with actual testing conditions, the better you’ll handle the little things on the day of the test.
- Don’t cram. Because the GMAT tests less for specific knowledge than for critical thinking ability, it’s important to be in good thinking shape. Cramming for the GMAT by doing practice questions for hours on end in the days leading up to the exam tends to be less helpful, according to experts, than getting a full eight hours of sleep every night, eating well and keeping your mind clear and sharp through relaxation methods or regular physical activity.
A Study Timeline for the GMAT
GMAT Quick Facts
- 1,300 students took the GMAT in 1954, the first year it was offered.
- During the 2012-2013 academic year, 238,356 GMAT exams were administered, with 675,733 score reports sent to nearly 5,600 graduate-level management programs around the world.
- The GMAT is administered in 600 locations in 114 countries around the world.
- The top business schools generally require a combined verbal/quantitative score of at least 600, with the most elite MBA programs setting the bar at around 700.
Take Free Practice GMAT Tests
The single best thing a person can do to prepare for the GMAT is to take at least one full practice exam. Even top-notch undergraduate students with a 4.0 GPA and excellent math, verbal and writing skills don’t know how they are going to perform on the GMAT until they’ve taken it. And for those who have been out of school for a while, a practice exam is the best way to determine the areas to focus on. You can find practice exams through the following resources:
- Graduate Management Admission Council There are two free practice tests available through GMAC as well as two additional practice exams that can be purchased as part of the GMATPrep Exam Pack for $50.
- Manhattan Prep This private test prep company offers one free GMAT practice exam and a package of six online computer-adaptive GMAT practice tests for $49.
- Princeton Review The Princeton Review offers one online GMAT practice exam free of charge.
- Veritas Prep This private test prep company offers one free GMAT practice exam as well as seven additional computer-adaptive GMAT practice exams for $49.
Additional GMAT Resources
Along with private test prep companies that offer classes and online tutorials, many MBA programs themselves have online resources that can be helpful. Below are some places where you can find more information on how to beat the GMAT.
- Beat the GMAT advertises itself as “the MBA social network” and has a free downloadable “GMAT Avengers Guide” featuring tips and strategies for taking the exam.
- The Economist has a “GMAT tutor blog” devoted to discussions of topics related to preparing for the GMAT exam.
- GMAT Club is a free online forum dedicated to discussions about the GMAT and MBA programs.
- GMAT Free is, as advertised, a free online resource that offers materials to those preparing to take the exam.
- Manhattan Prep has workshops, boot camps, private tutoring and an array of informative essays and advice columns on taking the GMAT.
- MBA.com is the official GMAC site for the GMAT exam, and it contains registration information, practice tests and questions, and other resources.
- Princeton Review is a private test prep company that offers a range of workshops, tutorials and classes for the GMAT exam.
- Quora.com is a crowdsourced site with a number of threads related to optimizing GMAT performance.
- Test Prep Unlimited is a private test prep company that has an entire page devoted to debunking GMAT myths. It also has classes and other resources for those preparing to take the GMAT exam.
- Veritas Prep is a private test prep company that offers courses, a free GMAT webinar, an iPhone app for GMAT practice questions, and other assets for test takers.
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