Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is conducted by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). It is a computer based standardized test. It tests reasoning and analytical skills of the candidate but not the business related skills. The examination has been initiated since the year 1953. The exam is offered multiple times a year. The exam is conducted in 600 examination centers in around 114 countries. The validation of the score is for 5 years.
Why to Take the GMAT Exam?
The score in the exam is considered for the admissions in graduate management programs of several reputed business schools over the world. Around 2,100 schools over the world are using the score for the admission. While the recruitment and throughout the career path, the reputation of the studied school does matters. Thus, most of the students prefer top business schools to study. Those business schools prefer students who are good in reasoning and analytical schools. Thus, the exam has become so popular.
GMAT Exam Eligibility
There are no official eligibility criteria for the exam. Though the exam is mainly intended for the candidates who completed the Graduation course, candidates of below 18 years can also take the exam for practice purpose. Those who are below 18 of age must provide parent consent form which can be downloaded from the official website. Proficiency in English is expected.
GMAT Exam Pattern
The exam contains four sections – Analytical Writing, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative and Verbal sections.
First section is Analytical writing assessment for 30 marks. The candidates are to analyze the reasoning of the given argument and must write a critique of the argument.
Second section contains 12 questions of integrated reasoning for 30 marks. The section includes four types of questions – multi-source reasoning, table analysis, graphics interpretation and two-part analysis.
Third section carries 37 questions of quantitative for 75 marks. Data sufficiency and data solving are the major focused questions. Candidates must be able to analyze, recognize and identify the solution of the quantitative problem.
Fourth Section is Verbal section which contains 41 questions for 75 marks. Reading, comprehension, critical reasoning, sentence correction etc are focused in the section.
The duration of the exam is 3 hrs 30 minutes. The students are provided the facility of canceling the GMAT score and retrieve within 60 days.
How to Apply GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)?
Candidates must register either through registered online website or through any of the mentioned test centers. Fee can be paid through valid online payment modes. The exam can be taken once in 31 days duration. The appointment can be taken at test centers to schedule the test. Test takers must carry the passports as photo identity to the test centers.
How to Prepare for GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)?
The official website provides sample practice questions, practice tests for fee. Even the study guide and online coaching are available. Apart from them many institutions offer long term and short term coaching. Even several publications have published study material books.
Divide the curriculum and practice all of the topics regularly. Spare equal time for concept understanding and practicing. Improving the speed can be attained only through thorough practice and continuous testing. Testing oneself with time limit is very useful.
Start as early as possible. It gives enough time to practice step by step which enables clear concept understanding.