GMAT Guide: The Ultimate Crack!

In order to get into a successful management program, over 5000 graduate programmes and schools across the globe consider the GMAT score. It is a standardized test which is conducted in English.The GMAT follows a computer adaptive format in the quantitative and verbal section.

This allows the system to ask questions according to your previous answer. After each question is answered the test is updated. If the updated score is higher than the previous score, the next question is usually of higher difficulty, otherwise it is easier.

The computer adaptive nature of the test makes it self-corrective and making it more dependable accurate to find out the candidates true ability. This makes the GMAT valid and fair and no candidate has any kind of advantage over the other.

The GMAT tests your knowledge on the following segments:

Analytical Writing Assessment

This section requires you to write an essay on the spot on a given topic. You are required to analyse the argument and the reasoning behind it and be able to communicate your ideas effectively.

Questions: 1 Essay

Time: 30 minutes

Integrated Reasoning

The Integrated Reasoning section tests your ability to assess and evaluate your ability to make sense of information presented in various formats including graphics interpretation, two part analysis, multi-source reasoning and table analysis.

Questions: 12

Time: 30 minutes

Quantitative Section

The Quantitative section comprises two segments- data sufficiency and problem solving. Data Sufficiency is unique to the GMAT where two statements are provided and one needs to figure out whether the data given is sufficient to solve the question definitively. The second section comprises Problem Solving questions which too tests the reasoning skills and data analysing abilities of candidates.

Questions: 37

Time: 75 minutes

Verbal Section

The Verbal section comprises questions designed to test reading comprehension, critical reasoning and sentence correction to evaluate your command over the English Language. It tests your understanding of written material and be able to assess arguments as well as make corrections to written material.

Questions: 41

Time: 75 minutes

The GMAT is conducted over a time duration of 3.5 hours.

It costs $250 to take the GMAT.

It is quite simple to schedule a GMAT test for yourself.

Simply visit http://www.mba.com/global/the-gmat-exam/register.aspx

You would be required to create a GMAC Account.

You can now proceed to book, cancel or reschedule a GMAT exam.

The GMAT is conducted year round but requires you to book a test window which suits you in order for you to take the GMAT exam.

Check for deadlines for MBA courses offered in colleges globally of your interest well in advance to give yourself ample time for preparation and register for the GMAT well in time before deadlines.

Yes, it is easy to select your own time slot for the GMAT. For those who are not early risers, can select an afternoon slot and vice versa. This sort of flexibility is what makes the GMAT so popular.

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In order to get into a successful management program, over 5000 graduate programmes and schools across the globe consider the GMAT score. It is a standardized test which is conducted in English.The GMAT follows a computer adaptive format in the quantitative and verbal section.

This allows the system to ask questions according to your previous answer. After each question is answered the test is updated. If the updated score is higher than the previous score, the next question is usually of higher difficulty, otherwise it is easier.

The computer adaptive nature of the test makes it self-corrective and making it more dependable accurate to find out the candidates true ability. This makes the GMAT valid and fair and no candidate has any kind of advantage over the other.

Career Launcher has been a market leader for almost 15 years and has helped over 10 thousand students crack exams and are renowned for their high success rate in the industry. It helps students in many ways including how to frame essay exams according to the requirement of various colleges globally.

T.I.M.E. helps you cover 100 hours of coaching when it comes to the GMAT to help you crack the exam with good practice on time management. The tests include practice on various sections of the exam as well as full length exams to help you prep for the GMAT.

Manya Abroad is in partnership with The Princeton Review to help Indian students crack the GMAT since 2002 giving them a good footing in the market. It helps students through the process of International Admissions and help train and build their skills required to successfully score high for international exams.

Jamboree offers a 66 hour course where classes are held twice a week for three hours each. It covers all major aspects of the GMAT exam. Incase you do not have too much time to spend and want a quick brush up of concepts, you can join their fast track course of five weeks and a half which helps you be thoroughly prepared before the big exam.

IMS offers not just GMAT coaching but also helps provide personalised counselling to help you pave way into the top universities globally. Be it coaching you with relevant tips and tricks or be it understanding how to frame arguments, you get thorough preparation before facing the GMAT.

Understand the GMAT Scoring

In order to tackle the GMAT, it is important to first understand how the scoring works and how much time you have at hand. With 41 questions in Verbal and 37 questions in Quant, you have around 2 minutes per question but you must leave some buffer for harder questions which raises the need to come up with a strategy. This is why you must make sure you have time to solve harder questions rather than skipping them which will hurt your score even more.

Know your Average Solving Time

In order to reach a desirable speed to solve GMAT questions on time, develop an average speed time to complete various segments and questions on the GMAT. Figure out which topics consume more time and which topics require less to be able to divide and distribute time to various segments. Spend enough time on questions to avoid silly mistakes but know your minimum and maximum range and figure out your best solving speed.

Answer Choices are Key

In order to solve questions faster, make use of the answer choices given to you. With the right logic you’ll be able to eliminate a few answer choices and hence making your job easier to solve questions. A few questions might not even require calculation as you can figure out the answer just by looking at the answer options given to you.

Read the Comprehension Passage First

In order to quickly crack the Reading Comprehension segment, it is advisable to read the passage first which helps you locate answers faster rather than reading the questions first and then trying to figure out its answer in the passage. Look for a change in tone and how the passage is structured as these variations will help you figure out answers better.

Develop a Sense of Time

When giving practice tests, develop a sense of time to know how much time may have passed and how long you require to solve certain question sets. This will save you the bother of having to look at the watch every few seconds which will not only waste time but will get you worked up and pressurise you to get quick results.

Read all the Information

In most cases, candidates sometimes tend to ignore or quickly glance through heavy text given in quant questions. While the data might seem irrelevant, usually some text tends to alter the meaning of the question. This is the reason why you should read the entire information and check for units as well.

Work your way Backwards

If all else fails and you just cannot understand how to start solving a question, look for clues and hints in the answer which help get better insight into the question. With practice you can learn to eliminate unnecessary options and simplify your question with limited answers. This will help you narrow down the correct answer without much calculations.

Practice all you can

This one might sound basic but practice is surely the key that will help you crack the GMAT Quant. With practice, try understanding the technique that goes behind solving a question rather than blindly following tips and tricks.

Focus on Simpler Topics

While most people pay attention to trickier topics such as Permutations, Combinations, Alligations and other trickier topics while the exam tends to ask tricky questions from simpler topics such as ratios, profit and loss and compound interest. During practice be sure to give focus to these questions as much as you give time to tougher segments of the exam.

Understand Concepts

It is important to understand concepts when it comes to Quant as it helps you solve almost any question no matter how difficult. Memorising tricks might be helpful but they won’t be as useful as if you actually understand the reasoning and concept behind a given topic.

Keep a Vocabulary Book Handy

A good grammar and vocabulary book (Word Power Made Easy) can go a great length in helping you polish up basic grammar rules. This helps you easily solve questions especially those pertaining to verb agreement.

Develop a Reading Habit

It is important to become an ardent reader as this helps develop a smooth thought process which in turn will help you better understand words, vocabulary and also help you in the AWA segment of the exam. Read current business journals and magazines that help you stay aware and make better arguments for your essay as well. This will surely help you better attempt the verbal segment.

Read the Comprehension Passage Entirely

In order to crack the comprehension passage, it is important you read the passage entirely and then move on to the questions. Most candidates go in for the questions first or skim read the passage hence missing important data. Once you’re thorough with the passage, answering questions will appear simpler.

Understand the Argument

It is important to understand the argument given in a critical reasoning question as this helps you understand the precise meaning of the sentence. It would be highly fatal to make assumptions in the critical reasoning segment. If a question intends to give you a piece of information, it will- do not assume its presence. The answers too are designed to trick you which is why it is necessary to understand exactly what argument the statement is making.

Use Quality Material

In order to crack the GMAT Verbal, it is critical you give yourself access to quality level books be it dictionaries or journals. Do not waste time on subpar material as this will consume your energy and hardly teach you anything worthwhile. It is preferable to go in for the best GMAT books rather than GMAT dummy books. The difficulty level might seem daunting but it’ll give you good practice.

Understanding relation between Variables

In order to crack this segment, it is necessary to understand how variables are related to each other. Whether the data is in the form of charts, graphs or a tabular form, you will have better luck cracking questions when you understand the role direct and indirect variables play in the question.

See the Bigger Picture

Most questions are spread over various screens and the answer you are looking for might be in a different graph or screen altogether. See the bigger picture and try figure out which piece of the puzzle will help you solve a given answer. Most people lose out on this segment as they end up using the wrong information to solve questions.

Units Matter

It is always important to check what units have been given in the question and what is the unit being asked in the answer. Most of the times this little detail is skipped which causes you to unnecessarily make careless errors.

Try to see what the Data is trying to tell you

End of the day, it is important to see the message between the lines and figure out what is the data trying to tell you. Do not make your own assumptions. Follow the data trail to see if the points contradict or corroborate your answer. Everything is given in the question itself. Do no use your own points.

There is no Partial Marking

If a question has three sub questions, it is critical to get all the answers right to get credit for the overall question. There is no partial marking when it comes to Integrated Reasoning which means you must put yourself in the habit of treating every question with equal importance and managing time accordingly.

Divide your Time

It is crucial for you to first spend a good five minutes to frame and structure your argument in your mind and then spend 30 minutes listing your ideas coherently. If you jump straight to writing the essay, your thought process might appear jumbled and confused. First form your argument and then put it across.

Be Crisp

It is important to be to the point and concise when writing your argument. Beating around the bush and being vague will give the examiner that you are still unsure about what you want to put across. The segment is to test your argumentative ability and it is best to be straight forward and keep your points specific.

Focus on Grammar

Grammar plays a key role which is why you need to make sure you are not making grammatically incorrect statements as this will surely reflect your essay in a poor light. Be sure to have your verb agreement in place and watch out for tenses. Brush up basic grammar rules to help you avoid silly mistakes.

Use Coherent Vocabulary

What matters in this segment is how clearly and easily you’re able to put across your argument to the reader. Using big words will not help if they end up diluting the message or confusing the reader. While it’s always good to have a firm grasp of the English Language, refrain from using fancy words that will end up ruining your essay than highlighting it.

Clear Transition of Ideas

Make sure when you’re adding a new angle to your essay or bringing in a new point, there is a clear transition of ideas. Make sure the essay is well connected and structured and doesn’t look like you’ve just thrown around your ideas. Each point should connect to the next neatly and the examiner should be able to make a crisp transition from one point to the other.

Give it a Rest

It is important to give your body and brain the rest it deserves before the big day. Do not try attempting new questions and refrain from giving another practice paper a day before the final exam. This will only cause further stress and anxiety. You cannot magically learn more things a day before the exam which is why it is important to stay away from study books and material.

Back to Basics

While the GMAT score might turn out to be a life changer for you, it is crucial you take good care of yourself while you prepare for the GMAT and take care of basic biological needs as well. Do not cut down on nutrition and sleep especially not a day before the exam.

Right Perspective

Although the GMAT seems like an intimidating exam, it is important for you to not blow it out of proportion. Examine the best and worst case scenario and put the proper perspective on the GMAT- that if the result is not up to the mark you can always take it again!

Dress for Success

Choose a good and well-fitting outfit that makes you feel confident about yourself. The way you feel about yourself will surely help you bring out your A game when you’re sitting for the test. While going in a pair of tees and yoga pants too seems popular among many test takers, being properly dressed for the test will surely give you the right psychological boost. The better you put yourself into a mental mind set this is game time, the more it’ll help trigger focus and attention.

Plan ahead of Time

Be thorough with what documents and details you’re required to carry to the test centre and be sure to know where your test centre is and how long it takes to reach the centre. Plan in a way to reach at least 30 minutes before the exam begins. If you leave all this for the last day and end up running behind time, you will surely go into a panic attack. It’s better to have everything prepared an evening in advance.

All Questions Count

It is important to remember that the GMAT is a computer adaptive test- the computer will adapt to your intellectual ability. Most students end up consuming too much time on the first 10 questions hoping to get them right. This will in no way affect your score positively. If you end up spending too much time on the initial questions, you will be left with lesser time to attempt the remaining questions which will surely reflect in your score.

Spending too much time on a Particular Question

Sometimes you end up spending too much time on a question which again has no sure shot guarantee that you’ll get the right answer. In such a situation it’s better to make your best guess and move on. Ponder over the question for 15 seconds and if you feel it’s a question that is too difficult for you, make a guess and move on.

Not understanding how the Scoring Works

Test takers don’t realise that the scoring has been specially designed to test your true ability. Most test takers feel getting tough questions correct will improve their chances which in fact is a myth. In fact, goofing up and getting an easy question wrong will ruin your score more. Understand how the scoring works and how the computer adapts to your test taking ability and give it your best without using any kind of tricks to cheat the system.

Skipping Basics

Test takers, especially for the quant section start focusing on high end trigonometry and calculus without realising that the GMAT is designed to test your basic understanding of algebra, geometry and mathematical skills. Try polishing up basic skills than wasting time on high end questions.

Fixating only on the GMAT score

Most test takers are aiming for a 700+ score and think it’s a sufficient criteria to get admission into the best B-schools. A high GMAT score is of course a desirable goal but it is not the only determining factor when taking admissions. It cannot make up for lack of work experience or a low GPA. All these factors play a role which is why fixating only on the GMAT score is quite a blunder.

Speeding through the Test

Every candidate has his own set of weaknesses and strengths. Most candidates skip through the tougher sections of the exam to attempt the segments they’re good at. This too will be reflected in the score as the test is designed to take into account the amount of time you spend on questions and accordingly setting the pace for the test. Examiners review your scores in all the segments hence it makes no point to score high in one segment and low in another.

Retaking the test Over and Over

While getting a disappoint score might push you into taking the GMAT exam again, it has been observed that the test score increases an average of 33 marks. In fact, most students end up scoring lower in their second attempt. If your performance is really not something you’re happy with, take the test, but it is important to be realistic and not hope for a drastic change in your score unless you thoroughly prepare for the second attempt.

Trying to mug up Americanised English

While having a good grasp on the English Language is a must, the GMAT is not testing how well versed you are with the American culture. Avoid mugging idioms or phrases which are not used in day to day lives. Keep your basics clear and write the way you would without trying to impress how much knowledge you might have on the American way of life.

5 years but it is best to keep the score as recent as possible (maximum 2 years).

It costs US$250 to schedule and appear for a GMAT exam. You can pay by Credit Card and Debit Card.

A reschedule of the exam costs US$50.

Although the GMAT per se does not have a fixed criteria for eligibility, various Business Schools have their own criteria which is something you need to research and look into before applying.

The GMAT can be taken up to 5 times in a 12 month window.

If you are unhappy with your score, you can retake the test after a gap of 16 days.

For a score of 700+ most test takers prepare around 120-150 hours for the GMAT. This is subjective but you need to be thoroughly prepared giving yourself ample time for practice.

In a time span of 20 days, your GMAT score is dispatched to 5 business schools or programs of your choice. However, you must make the selection wisely as this list cannot change.

You can log in to your GMAC account and pay a fee of $50 to reinstate your cancelled score.

Any GMAT exam taken after January 1, 2014 can be reinstated for a period of 4 years and 11 months from the date of the exam taken.

It is possible to send reinstated scores to B-schools. However, they will be sent to the B-schools you selected before your GMAT exam and cannot be changed.

When you request a score card, it contains the GMAT scores of all the previous GMAT tests you’ve appeared for in the last 5 years. Only the scores you’ve accepted will be sent to the B-schools.

If the candidate is currently studying, it is advisable to take the GMAT now rather than to start working immediately. If the candidate is used to a studius environment, it will be easier to study and sit for the GMAT.

As the score is valid for 5 years, one can easily take the GMAT and start working to gain work experience. It'll be harder to sit for the GMAT if you're already a working individual and have to take time off work.

No, the candidates do not get the same questions as the GMAT is a computer adaptive test. This means that the level of difficulty changes with your answers and attempts.

The Quant and Verbal segments of the GMAT adapts to your answers and as you give correct answers, the difficulty of the GMAT increases. If your answer is wrong, the difficulty level drops. Hence the question set for every individual is different.

The GMAT is not testing advanced knowledge of English or Math. It tests a candidate's ability to write, read, comprehend as well as his ability to think logically and make sense of the given data.

For the English segment, one must be well versed with the proper rules of Grammar and sentence formation including verb agreement. The essay tests how coherently a candidate's thought process is.

As for Quant, basic understanding of mathematical concepts is needed rather than an advanced knowledge of high end topics. One needs to understand concepts of algebra, geometry, speed and distance over trickier topics such as permutations and combinations. As a calculator is not allowed, one must be adept at quick, error free calculations.

This entirely depends on a candidate's ability and skillset and how comfortable he or she is with the given topics at hand. Depending on your strengths and weaknesses, devise a plan to give yourself sufficient practice time before sitting for the GMAT.

In order to know your level, take a mock GMAT test and understand what sections require more time and effort and start buidling a study plan accordingly.

No. The GMAT tests potential and various skills that are required in the field of business but it does not require you to have a prior understanding of business.

Students from various walks of life including Arts, Econonomics and Science take the GMAT and hence a prior knowledge of business is not needed.

No. There is no minimum passing score. The GMAT score ranges from 200 to 800.

While a high score comes in handy and is always desirable, it is important to remember that business schools take into account a variety of other factors during admission- your performance during under graduation and graduation, work experience and recommendations. Sometimes people with a higher GMAT score fail to get admission into the likes of Harvard whereas there have been cases where candidates with a 550 score cracked Harvard.

Make sure you meet the various criterion set by the b-schools you're aiming to take admission in.