Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized assessment used by business schools to evaluate applicants for graduate management programs, such as MBA, MFin, and MAc degrees. Originally introduced in 1954 as the Admission Test for Graduate Study in Business, the GMAT has evolved over the years to become a key component in the admissions process, alongside other criteria. The test consists of multiple sections, including quantitative and verbal skills assessments, an analytic writing assessment (AWA), and more recently, an integrated reasoning (IR) section.
The GMAT is a partially computerized adaptive test, meaning that the difficulty of questions adjusts based on the test taker's performance. Test takers have a total of three hours and thirty minutes to complete the exam, which is available in numerous locations worldwide. Scores from the quantitative and verbal sections contribute to an overall score, while the AWA and IR sections are scored separately and do not impact the overall score. The weight of the GMAT score in the admissions decision varies by institution and can influence financial aid eligibility. Each test taker is allowed to take the exam once every thirty-one days, underscoring its significance in the competitive landscape of business school admissions.
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Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
The results of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) are one of several criteria used by business schools to assess an applicant’s qualifications for admission to a graduate management program. The GMAT is a fee-based, objective, partially computerized adaptive test (CAT) intended to predict the relative success of the test taker’s first year in graduate business school. Numerous business schools worldwide use the test to determine placement into various master’s degree programs, including master of accountancy (MAc), master of finance (MFin), and master of business administration (MBA) programs.
Overview
The GMAT, originally called the Admission Test for Graduate Study in Business (ATGSB), was first administered in 1954 and took two hours and twenty-five minutes to complete. At the time, only eight business schools required ATGSB scores as part of their application process. The verbal and quantitative portions of the test were added in 1955. The name was changed to the Graduate Management Admission Test in 1976.
The GMAT is one of several criteria by which admissions offices evaluate an applicant’s appropriateness for graduate business programs. The weight carried by the GMAT score varies from school to school, and it is sometimes used to determine whether a student will receive financial aid.
In addition to the sections that test applicants’ quantitative and verbal skills, there is an analytic writing assessment (AWA) section, and in June of 2012, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) added an integrated reasoning (IR) section. Participants are allowed three hours and thirty minutes to complete the test.
Since the late 1990s, the GMAT has administered the multiple-choice quantitative and verbal sections in a computer-adaptive format, which presents questions one at a time, increasing or decreasing the difficulty level depending on whether the previous question was answered correctly. Each section is seventy-five minutes in length, and test takers are heavily penalized for leaving questions unanswered. This part of the test is administered on paper in areas of the world with limited computer access. Scores from the quantitative and verbal sections are combined to provide an overall score, which is what business schools tend to focus on.
In the AWA section, applicants have thirty minutes to write an essay analyzing a given argument. The essay is graded first by a computer and then by an independent member of the GMAC. Should the scores vary greatly, a second GMAC representative rates the essay to determine a final score. The IR section is also thirty minutes long and is designed to test the applicant’s ability to assess varied data from multiple sources. Questions are true or false, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank and involve graph analysis, table interpretation, and reasoning based on information from different sources. Both the AWA and the IR sections of the test are scored independently of the verbal and quantitative sections, and neither contributes to the overall score of the exam.
The GMAT is administered in hundreds of locations worldwide, often six days a week throughout the year. A test taker must first register for the exam and may only take the exam once every thirty-one days.
Bibliography
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