The GMAT Exam measures students’ readiness for business-related master’s degree programs. Students who chose a bachelor’s degree in a business subject and completed their coursework can take the GMAT before applying for a business degree program, such as an MBA or other similar master’s degree options.
According to Bloomberg Businessweek, some schools recently waived GMAT requirements for MBA applicants. However, some still require it. Others will waive it if students have a stellar undergraduate GPA. Though students can take the exam more than once, there is a lifetime limit of eight attempts. Also, if someone has a below-average score and opts for a retake, it could delay the application process until the following year.
The GMAT Exam might be intimidating, but the truth is that a number of colleges are reconsidering their reliance on standardized tests. This is because standardized testing does not reflect lived experience, may be biased toward certain groups, and often does not predict a candidate’s ability to engage in a dynamic graduate school program. That said, it doesn’t hurt to fully understand the GMAT Exam while considering graduate school options.
According to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which administers the GMAT Exam, the average score is 568.21. Scores can range from 200 to 800, but two-thirds of all test-takers from 2018 to 2020 scored between 400 and 600 points.
The range for Harvard Business School students, for example, is 590 to 790, and the median score for MIT’s Sloan School of Management is 730. Most schools publish a profile of incoming students on their website, so they can see the average GMAT Exam score for the previous year’s applicants.
Students have the option to cancel their score if they are not happy with it. However, if they do not cancel, the score will get reported to their chosen schools whether or not they retake the exam. Canceled scores still count as one of the eight attempts, and students need to wait at least 16 days before a retake. The record will not show the score, printing a “C” in its place, so schools will be aware that it was canceled.
The best strategy, then, is to prepare properly and try to score at or above the median, offering the best chance of acceptance into a chosen master’s degree program. This strategy also helps to avoid application delays caused by multiple retakes.
The GMAT Exam has four sections. Each gets scored separately but factors into the final report. GMAC has details about each section on its website. Here is a breakdown of the components of a GMAT Exam score.
Also, it’s important to note that each part of the exam has a time limit. Students lose points for all unanswered questions. Therefore, preparing to meet the time requirements for each portion is an essential aspect of test preparation.
In addition to different scoring, each of the four sections requires different skills and preparation. Preparing for the individual parts of the GMAT Exam is essential because each will appear on the report attached to MBA applications.
Here’s a closer look at what to expect from each section of the exam, which is administered on a computer:
The total test time is three hours and seven minutes, and there are two eight-minute breaks.
It’s a challenging exam, but you can use the study skills you developed during your undergraduate courses. Consistent preparation in the months leading up to the test often involves finding the best way to study at home.
According to MBA.com, a site where students can register to take the GMAT Exam, successful exam-takers say they needed a minimum of eight weeks to prepare, though getting a good score can require up to six months of consistent study.
Practice exams are available to help you become familiar with the sections and types of questions in each. You can plan to take a practice test each week as part of your long-term study strategy. This way you can measure improvement as you go to ensure you are on track to earn the highest score you can.
Preparing for the GMAT in the months leading up to the exam provides several benefits:
If you don’t prepare for the exam, you might have to retake it based on the score you get.
You can retake the GMAT Exam multiple times. The lifetime limit is eight, but there are rules for when you can retake the exam.
You can take the GMAT Exam once every 16 days. However, you can only sit for it five times within a rolling 12-month period. Each test currently costs $275 in the United States, so retaking the test repeatedly could get expensive.
A graduate of Johns Hopkins University and its Writing Seminars program and winner of the Stephen A. Dixon Literary Prize, Michael Feder brings an eye for detail and a passion for research to every article he writes. His academic and professional background includes experience in marketing, content development, script writing and SEO. Today, he works as a multimedia specialist at University of Phoenix where he covers a variety of topics ranging from healthcare to IT.
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November 15, 2022 • 5 minutes