Once high-school is done, it’s time to apply for universities. The application process can be more or less difficult depending on the branch you want to work in and the university you want to apply for. It’s especially the case for business school that requires each student to pass the GMAT in order to apply for a class. The GMAT is was only on paper at first but now it’s possible to pass it online for certain countries. Currently every sections of this test can be done on the internet, even the analytical writing part that has been recently added. If you need any information regarding this test, then this article is made for you ! 

• What is the GMAT 

GMAT stands for Graduate Management Admission Test and is part of the business school application process. This test is required, most of the time, for admission to graduate  business programs. The committee of business schools will look into the work experience, academic record, supporting materials as well as GMAT score of any student who wants to enter a business program. As such, a high score on a GMAT will ensure a positive impact on the business school that the student wants to apply for. This exam is made to test the basic grammar, geometry, arithmetic, algebra and multi-source data analysis skills of a person. The goal of this exam is to comprehend your capacity of thinking critically, solving issues, as well as analyzing and evaluating written materials. It takes generally 3.5 hours to complete all the sections of the GMAT and currently cost $275 in the United States and Canada. This score will be good for five years. It is recommended to study daily during one to three months before taking the GMAT. It is a difficult test that requires a consequent amount of preparation beforehand if you want to be accepted to a good business school. As such, the decision to take the GMAT is not to be taken lightly. To be able to register to this test, you must be careful of the dates where the application is possible. There are different rounds during a year and you will want to know when is the application deadlines for the business school you want to go to before taking the GMAT. 

• Sections of the GMAT 

The GMAT is separated into four different sections. The time allowed per each section is different as well as the score that you can get from them. This test is a Computer-Adaptive test which means that a computer will adapt the score to your performance while you’re taking the test. As such, when you start the GMAT, the computer will assume that you have an average score, thus presenting you with a question that will be relative to a medium difficulty. The better you will be at answering, the harder the question will be and vice versa. Your final score will be determined by an algorithm that is in charge of calculating your level based on the difficulty of your questions as well as your final score. The highest score you can get is 800, so a very good GMAT score will start at 710 , while any score from 570 to under will be considered as weak. The four sections for this test are : integrated reasoning, verbal, quantitative and analytical writing assessment which was recently added as a section that can be done online. 

Integrated reasoning : this task generally takes 30 minutes and is composed of 12 questions. It will challenge you on your ability to solve complex problems when using data from multiple sources.  

Verbal : this section will have to be done in 65 minutes and has 36 questions. This part of the test will see your level regarding analytical reasoning, grammar and reading. A part of this section will be multiple-choice questions. 

Quantitative : this test is composed of 31 questions and you will have 62 minutes to complete it. This section will show your skills concerning algebra, geometry and arithmetic. You will have questions about data sufficiency as well as other problem solving exercises. 

Analytical writing assessment : you will be expected to write an essay about the analysis of an argument.  You will have 30 minutes to complete it in the best way possible. Being organized is greatly recommended as well as using the right vocabulary. 

Conclusion : 

The GMAT is a difficult test that can help you enter the best business school of your country. However, it requires a consequent amount of time beforehand to ensure the best results possible. It is now possible to pass the entire test, with its four sections online in certain countries. It is recommended to think carefully before make the decision to take this test because of how much it costs and the amount of work one has to provide in order to be properly prepared.