Skip to main content
Your World, Our Guidance. Limitless Possibilities.
Start your journey

Test preparation

GMAT

The Graduate Management Admission Test — the admission test designed for MBA and business master's programmes, now in its shorter Focus format.

Overview

The GMAT is the admission test built specifically for graduate business education. It is used by business schools around the world for MBA programmes and for specialised master's degrees in management, finance, business analytics, marketing and related fields.

The current test was introduced as the GMAT Focus Edition and has since replaced the older format entirely. It is shorter, drops the essay and sentence correction, and adds a Data Insights section that tests how you interpret and combine information from tables, graphs and multiple sources — the kind of reasoning business programmes use every day. Scores from the older format are reported on a different scale, so schools look at the two separately.

The GMAT is taken on a computer at a test centre or online, and is run by the Graduate Management Admission Council. Many business schools also accept the GRE, but the GMAT remains the test they were designed around, and some programmes still state a preference for it. Check what each school on your list asks for before you choose.

Exam format

The GMAT has three sections of equal length. You choose the order in which you take them.

  • Quantitative Reasoning — problem solving in arithmetic and algebra, without a calculator. Geometry is no longer tested.
  • Verbal Reasoning — reading comprehension and critical reasoning, testing how well you understand, evaluate and strengthen or weaken an argument.
  • Data Insights — data sufficiency, multi-source reasoning, table analysis, graphics interpretation and two-part analysis. An on-screen calculator is available in this section only.

The test is adaptive at the question level: each answer influences the difficulty of the next question. Within each section you can bookmark questions, review them and change a limited number of answers before the section ends. Check the current rules on the official GMAT site before test day.

Scoring

The GMAT reports a total score from 205 to 805, in ten-point steps ending in five.

  • Each of the three sections — Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights — receives its own score on a scale of 60 to 90, and all three contribute equally to the total.
  • Percentile ranks are reported alongside the scores. Because the scale is different from the older format, schools compare percentiles rather than raw totals across the two versions.
  • An official score report includes a performance breakdown by section and question type, which is useful when planning a retake.
  • Scores are generally valid for five years.

There is no pass mark. Business schools publish the typical range of their admitted students, and that range — along with your work experience and profile — is what your target should be based on.

Preparation tips

  • Take an official practice exam first to see which section needs the most attention.
  • Revise arithmetic and algebra until they are quick and reliable without a calculator. Speed with numbers matters in Quantitative Reasoning.
  • Learn the structure of arguments — premise, conclusion and assumption — before practising critical reasoning questions.
  • Give Data Insights proper time. It is new to many students and it counts equally towards the total.
  • Practise with the section order you plan to use on test day, and decide in advance where to take the optional break.
  • Use the bookmark and review feature in practice so you know how much time you can afford to spend going back.
  • Work towards the score range published by the schools on your list, not a number picked in the abstract.

Frequently asked questions

Should I take the GMAT or the GRE for an MBA?

Many business schools accept both. If you are applying only to business programmes, the GMAT is the test they were designed around and some schools still prefer it.

If you are also considering non-business master's programmes, the GRE may cover more of your list. Check each school's stated preference first.

What is the difference between the GMAT Focus Edition and the old GMAT?

The Focus format is shorter, has three sections instead of four, drops the essay, sentence correction and geometry, and adds Data Insights. It also uses a different score scale.

The older format has been retired, and schools compare scores from the two versions using percentiles rather than the raw totals.

Can I take the GMAT online?

Yes. The GMAT can be taken at a test centre or online from home, with remote proctoring.

The online version has its own equipment, room and identification rules, so read them carefully before choosing it.

Do I need work experience before taking the GMAT?

No. There is no work experience requirement to sit the test, and scores are generally valid for five years, so some students take it while still at university.

Work experience matters for admission to many MBA programmes, however, so plan the test around when you actually intend to apply.

How many times can I take the GMAT?

Retakes are allowed, with limits on how many attempts can be made within a rolling year and over your lifetime, and a waiting period between attempts.

Check the current policy on the official GMAT site before planning more than one attempt.