The GMAT is the most widely accepted standardized test used for admission to MBA programs worldwide. It measures the fundamental skills needed to be successful in an MBA program and is meant to be predictive of graduate school success. It isn’t a business knowledge test but a reasoning exam similar to but more difficult than the SAT.
The test has three sections — GMAT Math, Verbal reasoning, and Data Insights — and all three count toward your total score, the one that matters for MBA admissions. There is no essay.
The GMAT is a computer adaptive test. The algorithm selects questions based on past responses. So if you get something correct you will likely see a more difficult question. Get something wrong and you’ll see something easier. Your GMAT score isn’t only based on the % of questions you get right but also the over all difficulty of the pool of questions you answered correctly. For some, this part of the GMAT format is anxiety inducing. However, there are ways to practice the GMAT format so it becomes at least familiar if not easy breezy.
GMAT scoring is a little complicated. Here’s the quick summary. Each of the three sections gets its own score from 60 to 90. Those three section scores are put through an algorithm and combined into a total score from 205 to 805, in 10 point increments (805 is the best). The total score is what schools look at first, although your individual quant score may also carry a bit of weight.
The exam is offered 365 days a year worldwide although in some test centers availability is more limited. The GMAT can be re-taken every 16 days to a maximum of 5 exams per twelve month period. There is no lifetime limit.
Here’s an interactive GMAT tutorial by GMAC showing the format of the exam. It’s the same one that will pop on the screen before you begin the test.
GMAT format chart with links to each of the section pages providing more in depth analysis.
| GMAT Format | ||
|---|---|---|
| Quant | 21 questions/45 minutes. Scored from 60-90. Part of your total score. | Problem Solving |
| Verbal | 23 questions/45 minutes. Scored from 60-90. Part of your total score. | Critical Reasoning Reading Comprehension |
| Data Insights | 20 questions/45 minutes. Scored from 60-90. Part of your total score. | Data Sufficiency Multi-Source Reasoning Table Analysis Graphics Interpretation Two-Part Analysis |
| Format | Computer Adaptive Test. | The CAT algorithm selects questions based on your responses and calculates your score based on the average difficulty level of questions you get right. |
| Scoring | Total score (the one that counts for admissions) built from all three section scores. 205-805. | Percentile Score compares you to the last three years of GMAT test takers. This can change over the years. |
GMAT Format FAQ
How long is the GMAT?
The exam portion of the GMAT is 2 hours and 15 minutes long: three sections of 45 minutes each. You can decide your section order, so start with whichever section you feel best about.
You get one optional 10 minute break, and there is time allotted at the beginning of each section for instructions. That said, it’s expected that you get to your GMAT appointment 30 minutes early so your GMAT exam experience will run well past the two and a quarter hours of testing, not including the travel time to the test center.
Can you use a calculator on the GMAT?
No on the GMAT Quant. Yes on Data Insights, which has an on-screen calculator.