GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)
(pronounced G-MAT)
–a standardized, computer adaptive test (CAT) that measures aptitude to succeed academically a Masters in Business Administration (MBA) degree. Bschools use the GMAT as a way of measuring students’ academic abilities on a global scale, realizing that many come from various educational backgrounds with different grading systems. The test is only conducted in English and it costs $250 no matter where you are.

Business schools take many differet factors to make admissions decisions–your GMAT score is just one of them. Given the intense work required to prepare a business school application, it is a good idea to reach your target GMAT score in as little time as possible so that you can focus on your extracurricular activities and essays.

TEST STRUCTURE

Part I: Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) - [2 Essays, 60 minutes]
   A. Analysis of an Argument (30 minutes)
   B. Analysis of an Issue (30 minutes)

5 min break

Part II: Quantitative Section (37 questions, 75 minutes)
    A. Problem Solving (23 or 24)
    B. Data Sufficiency (13 or 14)

5 min break  

Part III: Verbal Section (41 questions, 75 minutes)
   A. Critical Reasoning (14 or 15)
   B. Reading Comprehension(4 passages, 12-14)
   C. Sentence Correction (14 or 15)

How does the Computer-Adaptive Format of the test work for the Verbal and Quant sections?

The Computer-Adaptive Test (CAT) is new to most people. It helps to understand how it works, but don’t get too bogged down on the details.The GMAT location is different for everyone–it can be at any one of many test centers globally. Just visit www.mba.com to register for the one nearest you at your earliest convenience.

• The Verbal and Quant sections are multiple choice
• Each section starts with a medium-level question
  • If you answer correctly, your next question is harder
  • If you answer incorrectlym, your next question is easier
• The computer will keep adjusting to find an accurate assessment of your ability level in that subject area
• Every test contains trial multiple-choice questions that are being pretested. Technically, they do not count in your scoring. However, it is impossible to identify them.

Many students panic when they see an “easy” question on the GMAT exam, indicating they probably just got the previous question wrong. You should not be focusing on these little details because they can detract from your psychological stamina during the exam. Your goal should be to correcty answer whatever question you get and then move on to the next one in a timely manner.

The # of questions you answer correctly out of 37 Q questions is translated onto a Quant raw score of 51, weighted on level of difficulty and other statistical characteristics of each question.

Likewise, the # of questions you answer correctly out of 41 V questions is translated onto a Verbal raw score of 51, weighted on level of difficulty and other statistical characteristics of each question.

Do I hand write the essays or type it on a computer?
The essays are typed. And yes, you can us the cut and paste feature while editing.

How many years can I use my GMAT score?
The score is valid for 5 years from the day you take the test.   So even if you are not sure about business school in the next year or two, it might be a good idea to take it earlier when you are more familiar with the test-taking process. If you take the exam multiple times, business schools will see all of your scores for the last 5 years.

How would you recommend I prepare?
You should first take a look at the GMATPrep Free Software. Go ahead and get a login from the site to download the program. The questions are about as close to the real thing as you can get!

Lots of prep programs are out there. Lots of them charge $1,500 and I’ve even seen some that charge $10k. However, don’t be fooled. High prices don’t necessarily equate to a better prep resource for you. Think about how you best learn. If you you don’t feel like paying the premium for somebody’s time (as in tutoring or a prep course) then these options may not be for you. 

The GMAT preparation experience does not have to be a stressful one. Find the method that works for you and you’ll be glad you did because you’ve got plenty to work on for your extracurricular activities!

One particular study method that is pretty innovative and is suitable for today’s visually-inclined young professionals is the GMAT Pill Study Method. They specialize in sentence correction at the moment and give specific techniques that help you pinpoint key words as you read a test question. If sentence correction is your weakness, it’s worth the money to use this method and have the confidence to boost your verbal score on the sentence correction part of the GMAT.

There are a variety of free resources you should take advantage of as well. Just do a quick google search and you’ll find plenty. Finding free questions is easy, but you probably won’t find much free quality material when it comes to teaching you how to answer questions effectively.