GMAT results are taken into account when entering most foreign business schools, which set their own passing score, usually around 700. The test is taken at authorized centers, the certificate is valid for 5 years.

Where and how to take the GMAT

The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) exam consists of four parts:

• argument analysis (essay) - Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA);
• complex solution mathematical problems- Quantitative;
• processing information from different types sources - Integrated Reasoning;
• verbal section - Verbal.

To pass the GMAT, you must have a fairly good command of English: each of the modules is conducted in this language. To preliminary check whether your knowledge meets the required level, it is recommended to try your hand at the TOEFL and TOEIC tests. If no problems arise, you can rest assured that you will easily cope with the essay and verbal (speech) module.

It is not necessary to go abroad - taking the GMAT in Moscow or St. Petersburg is also possible. The centers authorized to administer the exam can be found on its official website.

Exam sections and types of tasks

The abbreviation GMAT - Graduate Management Admission Test - means something like this: “ entrance examination to test management abilities." During testing, not only the completeness of the test subject’s knowledge base is determined, but also his ability to think creatively.

GMAT test structure:

1. GMAT Verbal section.
   This is the speaking part of the exam. Consists of 41 questions and takes 75 minutes to answer. Contains tasks of three types:
   • Sentence Correction (correcting errors in sentence construction). From the five proposed options for speech patterns, you must choose the most suitable one in style and meaning for insertion into the original phrase. To cope with the task, you need not only to know well language norms, but also be able to quickly evaluate the content of the text, its compliance with grammatical, lexical and stylistic standards.
   • Reading Comprehension (reading comprehension). Several texts of 300-350 words and questions for each of them are given. The topics are different: business, economics, society, science. All the information you need to answer is in the material provided for reading. The difficulty lies in the fact that the presentation style is ornate, which makes it difficult to quickly study the content of the text.
   • Critical Reasoning (critical analysis). The tasks test your ability to analyze. A factual argument is offered. The task is to identify assumptions in it that allow one to build reasonable logical connections and draw correct conclusions. The statement must be analyzed in such a way as to understand what serves as its confirmation and how one can arrive at the main idea presented within the argument.
2. GMAT Math (Quantitative).
   This is a math module. It consists of 37 small tasks that must be completed in 75 minutes. Knowledge of geometry, algebra, and arithmetic is assessed. There are two types of tasks:
   • Data Sufficiency. Tasks in this category require the ability to assess the sufficiency of the information contained in the text of the condition to solve a specific problem. There is no need to count anything; you just need to give an answer: “no” or “yes.”
   • Problem Solving. In such tasks, you must solve the problem and quickly select the correct answer from the proposed options. For example, the following conditions are given: “The cost of college is $12,600. This amount must be repaid over the course of a year in monthly installments. At the end of the fourth month, the amount of money paid by the student was $4,580. How much was deposited over the established limits? Answer options: A) 380, B) 540, C) 1050, D) 1380. The ability to concentrate and the ability to count quickly will be very useful for the solution.
3. GMAT AWA (Analytical Writing Assessment).
   Writing an analytical essay. The task consists of two parts, which take one hour to complete. Topics related to business and economics. The first part is Analysis of an Argument (evaluation of the argument). A certain fact is given. It is necessary to analyze and critically examine the statement, discover its strengths and weaknesses. Then comment in writing, pointing out identified errors or inaccuracies, incorrect or unclear cause-and-effect relationships, and put forward a counterargument. If you agree with the statement, support it additional facts and conclusions, briefly describing the course of thought. As the second part of the task, a fragment of some text is proposed (newspaper articles are often used). It must be read carefully, and then succinctly and concisely commented on in writing, giving arguments in favor of the position expressed.
4. GMAT IR (Integrated Reasoning).
   This analytical section is a relatively new addition to the GMAT exam. In the module, in 30 minutes you need to solve 12 tasks that reveal the presence of strategic thinking, entrepreneurial skills, the ability to find optimal solutions, analyze statistical data, and plan your activities.

If you're going to take the GMAT, you need to be more than just diligent in your test preparation.

How does the GMAT usually work?

When you arrive at the location where the GMAT exam is held on time, you must present an identification document and an application to participate to the center employee. The staff will verify the authenticity of your signature, scan your palm and take a photo of you. Then, in a room (like a locker room), participants leave all their belongings in lockers except their ID cards. There is no possibility of cheating on the GMAT exam. If you try to carry cheat sheets or any aids, this will most likely be discovered, then an awkward situation cannot be avoided.

In the exam room, everyone will be given noise-cancelling headphones, a notepad, a pencil, and an eraser. The first part of the test is an analytical essay. The draft can be sketched out in a notebook, but the final version is typed on the computer. After the essay, the second section begins without interruption - analysis of tables and graphs. Then you can take an eight-minute break.

After the math module, there is again an 8-minute rest period. In most cases, the verbal part of the exam is taken last. Marks are given for each of the modules, from the total amount will be calculated GPA for the entire exam.

Preliminary test results are announced immediately after the exam, within two weeks. email You will receive confirmation that the certificate is ready and instructions on how to access it online. The document indicates the scores for each section and the overall grade. If you are not satisfied with the GMAT result, you can cancel it and try to take the exam another time.

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a mandatory exam for admission to a business school; 90% of leading business schools require this exam. The average GMAT score remains 530-540. This means that half of those taking the exam score higher and half score lower.

Average GMAT score for top business schools

Although almost all business schools write that they do not have a minimum passing score on GMAT, they publish the average GMAT score of their students as a guide. The highest average score is American business schools. The average score of students at the top 5 American schools (Stanford, Harvard, Wharton, Kellogg, Booth) in recent years has not fallen below 720. Only 4% of test takers are able to score such a high score.

For universities in the second ten American schools, 680–700 points will be enough, which is already a more achievable result; 10–15% of applicants are able to achieve it.

For other business schools (top 50), the bar is reduced to 620–650 points. This is a completely achievable result. You can find average scores by school in our.

European schools less demanding on GMAT scores. GPA in best schools Europe - from 670 to 710 points. For example, IMD, a well-known Swiss school that confidently ranks among the top three European and, according to FT, world programs, is not too demanding on the GMAT: the average GMAT score for the applicants exam is barely above 670. The average score of Australian schools is even lower - 650– 670 points.

What to do if your GMAT score is below average?

If you still haven’t managed to achieve an average result, this is not a death sentence. Most Western business schools offer "discounts" foreign students, taking into account that English is not their native language. Many people believe that if you are no more than 50 points behind the average, you have a chance. Additionally, when looking at the average GMAT score, one should not forget that half of the students scored below the average.

Schools evaluate your candidacy on a number of parameters, and the GMAT is only one of them. True, the weight of the GMAT in your package of documents is at least 30%, but you still have a chance to stand out. Pay more attention. Write a letter explaining the reason why you fell slightly short of your average score.

A spoon of tar

While a high GMAT score will not guarantee admission to your dream school, one that is too low will guarantee that you won't get in. What I mean? The most famous schools - Harvard, Stanford, Wharton, LBS and some others are extremely attentive to GMAT results. It's probably not worth trying to get into a top five school with a score below 650.

Here are a few times when you should retake the GMAT:

Your score is more than 50 points below the average applicant score

What is GMAT?

GMAT (The Graduate Management Admission Test) is a standardized computer test for English language, allowing business schools to most objectively assess the level of preparation of candidates for further education in the field of business and management when applying to MBA programs or other post-bachelor's programs in management.

The GMAT is currently used by more than 2,500 business schools around the world. Centers where you can take the GMAT are distributed throughout the world and are open to those interested all year round.

GMAT Features

The GMAT is a general education test that tests speaking, writing, and math skills. The difficulty is that the test is taken in English, and therefore requires high level knowledge of English.

The GMAT is designed to test the skills required in the management field. However, it does not require special knowledge and does not concern narrow areas of specialization.

The GMAT test is unique in that, based on its results, you can determine a person’s potential capabilities and predict his success during his studies at a business school.

Contents of the international GMAT exam

Information and sample questions available

The GMAT test includes three types of questions - to test writing, numeracy and speaking skills. Questions are determined individually, in accordance with the level of preparedness of the examinee. They are selected from a wide range of test questions, sorted by content and difficulty. One question appears on the monitor screen. The first question is always of medium difficulty. The choice of each subsequent question will be determined by the answers to the previous one. This way the test is tailored to the test taker's level so that the questions are not too easy or too difficult.

Every question needs to be answered. You cannot return to a previous question or change the answer to it. If an incorrect answer was given by mistake or, conversely, the correct answer was accidentally guessed, subsequent answers will return to the level of questions that corresponds to the examinee’s preparation.

Each test includes practice questions that must be answered before taking the test. These same questions may also appear in the test itself, so you should take the answer to them seriously. Answers to practice questions do not count and do not affect the test results.

The GMAT exam includes 4 sections, each of which is given a different amount of time to complete.

Analytical Writing Section - AWA ( Analytical Writing Assessment) requires writing two essays on computer-selected topics. You are given 30 minutes to write each essay. The first essay is devoted to the analysis of a controversial statement or opinion, which will require justification own opinion, supported by your experience, observations or reading. The second is devoted to the analysis of the argument: you need to consider how the proposed argument is justified, find weaknesses in the argumentation, check whether the conclusions are drawn correctly, whether all circumstances are taken into account, etc. This part of the test allows you to assess your ability to critical thinking and written expression of your thoughts.

The next section of the test, Integrated Reasoning, takes 30 minutes and consists of 12 questions designed to assess your ability to understand and analyze different sources and types of information - graphic, numerical and verbal - and how they relate to each other. You will be required to provide both mathematical and verbal justification for solving complex integrated problems. This section of the exam includes 4 types of questions: Multi-Source Reasoning; Table Analysis; Graphics Interpretation; Two-Part Analysis; The questions in these parts may be of a mathematical or verbal nature, or a combination of both. The ability to interpret graphical information and sort tables to isolate specific values ​​will be required; however, the test does not assume advanced knowledge of statistics. To solve the problems of this section, you will have an online calculator with basic functions at your disposal. Important: the calculator will not be available for the next section (Quantative Section).

After a five-minute break, you move on to the "Math Section" of the GMAT - Quantitative Section. The purpose of this part of the test is to test basic math skills, understanding of basic math concepts, mathematical reasoning abilities, quantitative problem solving, and interpretation of graphical data. This includes 37 questions, each of which has 5 answer options. These are questions of two types - on solving problems and “on determining the sufficiency of data” (Data Sufficiency). Each Data Sufficiency question is accompanied by background information and two statements, numbered “1” and “2,” that contain additional information. The task is to determine whether it contains necessary information in the first, second or both statements. A maximum of 75 minutes is given to complete the tasks in this section.

After the second five-minute break, you can move on to the “Verbal Section” - Verbal Section. It consists of 3 stages: reading, critical justification and correction of sentences. This section is also allotted 75 minutes. Questions from the Reading Comprehension stage follow the texts (approximately 350 words), which are devoted to problems of natural and social sciences, including business-related areas such as marketing, economics and human resource management. The texts included in the test vary in content. Neither reading the texts nor answering the questions requires in-depth knowledge of the issues raised.

Reading Comprehension questions are aimed at assessing the ability to understand text, analyze it and reflect the information received in in writing. All questions require answers based on the material read and do not require specific knowledge.

Questions in the Critical Reasoning stage are designed to test your ability to reason, plan action, and critically evaluate. The materials on which the questions are based are taken from various sources. Knowledge of the subject matter addressed by the questions is not assumed.

Sentence Correction questions ask you to choose from five options the one that best expresses the idea or logical connection in a sentence. To answer these questions you need knowledge stylistic features and the grammatical rules of standard written English. Answers require the ability to correct incorrect and unused expressions in speech.

At the end of the GMAT test, questionnaires are asked about your experience, qualifications, etc., as well as about the schools where you are going to send your GMAT results. You can find out your results in sections where questions with answer options are presented. It is important to remember that if you choose to show your results at a test center, you will not be able to cancel them later. An official score report, including written section results, is mailed to the test taker and the business schools of their choice approximately two weeks after testing.

GMAT results

Once you complete all assignments, you will receive four grades: a Quantitative Section grade, a Verbal Section grade, an Analytical Writing Assessment grade, and overall rating from 200 to 800 points. Each of them also has a percentage expression. The score, expressed as a percentage, shows your level compared to other test takers. The higher the percentage, the better you did. For example, if you score 56%, this means that you are “smarter” than 56% of those who took the test.

One of interesting features The scoring of the test is that essays are scored by both a human and a computer (called an e-rater). These scores are then averaged. If the estimates differ significantly, then they resort to the help of a third party, who determines the final result.

According to U.S. Magazine News and World Report, GPA GMAT results at the best American business schools are as follows: Stanford - 722, Chicago - 695, MIT - 690, Harvard - 689. IN European schools lower average score.

The official result is sent to five business schools of your choice, the names of which you will need to indicate before taking the test. The distribution is carried out by an organization called ETS (Educational Testing Service), which oversees the test.

The GMAT score is valid for five years.

If the result does not satisfy you, the test can be retaken once per calendar month, but no more five times a year. If you have taken the test more than once, the results of the last three tests are sent to business schools. Some schools look at recent results, others look at best results (most of them do), and others look at average scores.

It is important to remember that if you choose to show your results at a test center, you will not be able to cancel them later. An official score report, including written section results, is mailed to the test taker and to your selected business schools approximately two weeks after testing.

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At this stage, the student needs to complete two types of tasks: - Problem Solving; - Data Sufficiency (definition of data sufficiency). In 75 minutes you must solve 37 problems, 22 of which are Problem Solving, and 15 are Data Sufficiency. There are five answer options for each test. Thanks to this test, the commission checks the student's analytical and mathematical skills. The assignment may cover the topic of operations with factors and multiples, number sequences, percentages, fractions, proportions, vector geometry, algebraic equations, variables, etc. After this, a five-minute break is allotted.

1. Verbal Section or verbal section.

To assess verbal skills, namely proficiency in English, the student must read and write well. This will help you prepare for this exam. good tutor in English. The section includes questions in three formats: - Reading Comprehension - Critical Reasoning - Sentence Correction You are given 75 minutes to solve 41 questions. At this stage, your analytical and verbal abilities are tested, and your English skills are assessed. Test results are known immediately after the exam. A certificate is usually issued within two weeks. Very often, a GMAT certificate may be required to obtain a student visa. Students who do not complete this test are considered unwanted immigrants.

In this article, we will talk about the maximum scores you can get for different sections of the GMAT test, how exactly you can achieve them, and what indicators are required for admission.

What is the maximum score on the GMAT test?

The absolute maximum score that can be scored on the GMAT is 800. When we talk about scores, we mean the results of two sections - Verbal (language) and Quant (mathematics). Results from the Integrated Thinking and Essay sections do not count here.

Here are the scores you can get for each section of the GMAT test:

What do you need to do to get 800 points? Because the GMAT is computer-adaptive, meaning it takes your knowledge and skills into account as you take it, it's difficult to predict exactly how many questions you'll need to get right to score the best. If you get a question of medium difficulty wrong, the program will give you basically simple tasks. If you answer the average question correctly, the number of average and complex problems will continue to increase. For complex problems you can get more points, so for a good result you need to solve more of them.

There are no statistics on possible errors that will still allow you to score a maximum on the GMAT. Each section is assessed from three sides: the number and statistics of correctly solved problems in the language and mathematics sections, differentiated points for both sections (1-60) plus your percentile (the position of your result in the ranking compared to other test takers).

Judging by the reviews of those who took it, in order to get 800 points, you need to theoretically pass the language section at 51 (about 35-37 correct answers out of 41 problems), and the math section at 48 (about 30-34 correct solutions out of 37 problems).

The most important thing is not to forget about the following:

• If the difference between the results of the language and mathematics sections is not strongly skewed, you can get maximum score. However, if one section is much worse than the other, you will no longer achieve the maximum.
• The maximum score is possible even with several errors.

To become the proud owner of 800 points on the GMAT, you must pass both parts equally well, making almost no mistakes and correctly solving high-complexity problems.

How common is it to score 800 on the GMAT?

This result is actually very rare. More than 66% get between 400 points and 600. Few get less or more points.

Your percentile score compares you to others taking the test. If, for example, you score in the 40th percentile, that means that 40% of test takers did worse than you on the exam, while 60% did better than or equal to you on the GMAT.

If you score 760 or higher on the GMAT, you are automatically in the 99th percentile. This means that you wrote the test better than 99% of the others taking it. From this it is clear that there are very few people with the maximum score (and even just above 760). In general, getting the maximum or so is incredibly difficult, but not impossible.

How does a GMAT score affect admission?

In fact, no business school in the world requires a maximum score for admission to an MBA program. The average score for students at top business schools is 720-730, meaning you don't even need to be in the 99th percentile.

Using student profiles on university websites, you can even find their minimum and maximum results. For example, at Stanford University last year minimum score was 590, and the maximum was 790, that is, among the students of this top university there was not a single one who reached the maximum.

Thus, if you are planning to enroll in one of best universities, your goal is a score of about 720 points. Achieving the maximum is pointless. In addition, other factors besides the GMAT influence admission - essays, work experience, recommendations, and so on. Even the absolute maximum is unlikely to guarantee you admission if your application is otherwise poor.

What can you do to get the highest score on the GMAT?

• Firstly, you need to prepare very long and thoughtfully. Go ahead, level up and celebrate your progress.
• Secondly, find your strengths and weaknesses. Try to pay more attention to those parts of the dough that “sag” for you.
• Third, make sure that your scores on both sections of the GMAT are approximately the same. If you do worse in one of the sections, take extra time to prepare for it.
• Fourth, analyze problems from official GMAT textbooks and practice tests. Look for “error-prone areas” in them and compare your solution with the official analysis.

Thus, from the above information, we can take the following: the maximum score should not be an end in itself, since no business school requires it. However, if for some reason you want to achieve such a result, you will have to spend a lot of time and effort on training and analyzing problems.