The GMAT, or Graduate Management Admissions Test, is generally required for admission to advanced programs in business and management in the U. S. and Canada. The test is a method of providing a standardized assessment of candidates and is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC).
The GMAT is divided into three sections, (1) Analytical Writing Assessment, (2) Quantitative, and (3) Verbal. Each is designed to evaluate the candidate’s probable success in graduate business school, and each requires general knowledge and methods of reasoning rather than specific business training. The Quantitative and Verbal sections, which are both multiple choice, employ a unique system of delivering and scoring questions. In these two sections, the difficulty of each question given to the candidate is based on the correctness of the previous answer. Therefore, each question must be answered carefully and in sequence, and the scores are determined not only by the number answered but by the number correct and the level of difficulty. There are several random pretest questions that are not scored.
Each verbal and quantitative section is scored from 0 to 60. The total score for GMAT can range from 200 to 800. Score reports are then ranked as a percentile for each section, and the reports show all GMAT tests taken in the last five years.
Individuals can make an appointment to take the GMAT online or by phone, mail or FAX. The appointment is for a 4 hour time period including breaks. The cost is $250 worldwide; additional taxes may be added in some countries. Numerous test centers, primarily universities, are available in the U. S., Canada, and to a lesser extent worldwide.