• Admin
• 09 Dec 24

GMAC conducts the GMAT exam for admission to various MBA or executive MBA programs in India and abroad. Many B-schools accept GMAT scores for their Masters in Management (MiM) programs. GMAT exam assesses skills most relevant to the success in the management program. It is a computer adaptive test. This means that the difficulty level of the next question depends upon whether you answer the current question correctly or not. If you answer the question on your screen correctly, then the next question will be difficult. And if you answer the question on your screen incorrectly, then the next question will be an easier one. The candidates will get a score ranging from 200 to 800. The duration of the GMAT exam is 3 hours and 7 minutes. Moreover, you can schedule your GMAT exam as per your convenience by checking the test venue and slots available near you. You can take this exam five times. If a candidate is not happy with his or her performance, he or she can retake the exam as per their convenience and preparation level. Each attempt will cost you approximately eighteen to twenty thousand rupees (250 USD). One interesting thing about the GMAT exam is that its score is valid for up to five years. 

GMAT Eligibility

There are no particular eligibility criteria laid down by the GMAT exam. However, the candidate should be at least 18 years old. Candidates should check the eligibility criteria of the course and B-school they wish to apply. Usually, the eligibility criteria are that the candidate must have completed the graduation of a minimum of 3 years from any stream. The candidate should have secured at least 50% marks in his/her graduation. 

GMAT Exam Pattern

GMAT is a computer-based adaptive test. This means that the difficulty level of your next question will depend upon your response in the previous question. You can’t skip any question. The candidates will get 3 hours and 7 minutes for the GMAT exam. There will be following four sections in GMAT exam- 

• Verbal Ability
• Quantitative Aptitude
• Integrated Reasoning
• Analytical Writing Assessment

Candidates can select the order of sections as per their convenience. A good score is considered to be more than 700. Usually, for shortlisting candidates at the initial stage, many B-schools consider Quants and Verbal scores. The score of Integrated Reasoning and Analytical Writing Assessment is taken into account in the later stage. 

GMAT Syllabus

Following is the GMAT syllabus- 

Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) - Candidates will be given an argument. They need to analyze it and write an essay about it. 

Integrated Reasoning- Generic questions related to Data Interpretation. 

Quantitative Aptitude- Algebra, Trigonometry, Arithmetic, Number Systems, Simple Interest/ Compound Interest, Profit & Loss, Probability, Permutations and Combinations, and basic aptitude maths. 

Verbal Ability- Questions related to Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning and Sentence Correction (grammar). 

Now that you are acquainted with the exam pattern and syllabus, let us now talk about How to prepare for GMAT exam. 

How to prepare for GMAT exam?

Following are the GMAT preparation strategies and tips which you can follow to get your target score in GMAT exam- 

1. Brush up your grammar skills

The verbal portion of GMAT is quite on the tougher side. It checks the nuances of English grammar. Usually, the non-native English speakers find the verbal section to be difficult because they are not completely aware of the complex grammatical rules of English. Therefore, it becomes essential for you to brush up your English grammar skills.

2. Try to take educated or strategic guesses

In GMAT, you cannot move on to the next question unless you have answered the previous one. Therefore, it becomes necessary for you to answer each and every question. It is advised to complete the entire exam in time and does not leave any questions at the end. This is because leaving the questions at the end can result in heavy penalties. So, always try to make educated or strategic guesses for the questions about which you are not sure. If you are stuck at a question or confused about it, do not spend much time on it. Take a guess, mark it, and move on to the next one. There is no point in being stuck on a question and waste time. 

3. Take Mocks

Mocks help in understanding the format and type of questions asked in the exam. And especially for practicing for an exam like GMAT, in which the level of next question depends upon your response to the previous one, mocks are an absolute necessity. It would be good if you practice with computer adaptive mocks. This way you will get to know the exact exam like environment. Moreover, do go through the mock analysis part. Analyzing your strengths and weaknesses and accordingly working on them help in improving your performance. Also, GMAT has a section called Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), in which you need to analyze an argument and write about it in the form of an essay. Usually, people are not comfortable in typing the essay on a computer within a time constraint of 30 minutes. You can practice this section while taking mocks. 

4. Do not leave any question

As mentioned earlier, if you leave any question in the end, you will end up losing a lot of marks. Therefore, try to improve your speed and answer all the questions well in time. Do not get stuck at any question and waste your precious time. While taking the exam, keep an eye on the timer as well. 

The GMAT exam seems to be a bit difficult. However, if prepared properly, it can be cracked easily. If you are looking for good and reliable mocks, you can check StudyBuzz’s GMAT mocks series. It is a comprehensive test series specifically designed for GMAT. Practice with these GMAT mocks to get your desired score. Visit our website to know more about it - https://www.studybuzz.co.in/