Are you planning to take the GMAT exam? If yes, then this article will cover everything you need to know about the GMAT exam — from the exam structure to the GMAT score chart. So keep on reading!
GMAT Exam
GMAT is a computer adaptive test that is 3 hours and 23 minutes long. This test is divided into four parts — analytical writing assessment, integrated reasoning, quantitative and verbal reasoning sections. While the AWA and IR sections are of 30 minutes each, the quantitative reasoning and verbal reasoning sections are 62 minutes and 65 minutes each, respectively. These sections are discussed further in detail below:
Analytical Writing Assessment
The analytical writing assessment requires you to critique an argument that is provided to you. You must be able to articulate your thoughts clearly and cohesively. The AWA section is scored on a scale of 0-6 with a half-point increment.
Integrated Reasoning
The integrated reasoning section gauges your ability to analyse and interpret visual data. The data can be provided to you in the form of charts, graphs or tables. The IR section of the GMAT has four types of questions; they are as follows:
- Multi-sourcing reasoning
- Graphics interpretation
- Table analysis
- Two-part analysis
The integrated reasoning section is scored on a scale of 1 – 8 on a one-point increment basis.
Also Read: Top programming language to learn for future
Quantitative Reasoning
The quantitative reasoning section is the section that evaluates your mathematical skills. Although this is a section that gauges your math skills, you are not expected to be an expert in mathematics. The GMAT quant section tests your logical reasoning skills here and not your expertise in the math subject. However, to solve certain problems, you are expected to be familiar with the basics of mathematics topics such as arithmetic, geometry and algebra. There are two types of quantitative reasoning questions that you will encounter:
- Data sufficiency
- Problem-solving
As mentioned earlier, the quant section is 62 minutes long and you are required to solve a total of 31 questions. Hence, you can only afford to spend 2 minutes on each question.
Verbal Reasoning
The verbal reasoning section in the GMAT is designed to test your proficiency in the English language. With 36 questions and 65 minutes in total, the exam allows you to only spare 1.5 minutes per question. The verbal section comprises three types of questions, they are as follows:
- Sentence correction
- Reading comprehension
- Critical reasoning
Both the quant and verbal reasoning sections are scored on a scale of 6 – 51 with a one-point increment.
In the next section of this article will discuss the GMAT score chart.
GMAT Score Chart
When it comes to scoring in the GMAT, although the IR and AWA sections are important, they do not have a direct impact on your raw score. The AWA and IR scores are reported separately. On the other hand, the quant and verbal reasoning sections are what impact your raw scores and ultimately the percentile rank you achieve. Hence it is essential to practice and score well in both the quant and verbal reasoning sections.
We’ve compiled a table below to help you understand how the GMAT scoring metric works.
| Quant Score | Quant Percentile | Verbal Score | Verbal Percentile | Final Score |
| 46 | 58% | 40 | 90% | 700 |
| 47 | 61% | 41 | 93% | 720 |
| 48 | 67% | 42 | 96% | 730 |
| 49 | 74% | 43 | 96% | 740 |
| 50 | 85% | 44 | 98% | 760 |
| 51 | 96% | 48 | 99% | 800 |
Now that you know what is the GMAT exam structure and how you are scored, you’re better positioned to plan your GMAT preparation. Good luck!
