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The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized, computer-based assessment. More than 5,400 programs offered by more than 1,500 universities and institutions in 83 countries use the GMAT exam as part of the selection criteria for their programs site. Business schools use the test as a criterion for admission into a wide range of graduate management programs, including MBA, Master of Accountancy, and Master of Finance programs. The GMAT exam is administered in secure, standardized test centers in more than 110 countries around the world. On June 5, 2012, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) introduced an integrated reasoning section to the exam that is designed to measure a test taker's ability to evaluate data presented in new formats and multiple sources. GMAC continues to perform validity studies to statistically verify that the exam predicts success in business school programs. According to a survey conducted by Kaplan Test Prep, the GMAT is still the number one choice for MBA aspirants despite the increasing acceptability of GRE scores.
The GMAT exam consists of four main parts—the Quantitative section, the verbal section, the integrated reasoning section, and the analytical writing assessment Total testing time is three and a half hours, but test takers should plan for a total time of approximately four hours, with breaks. The quantitative and verbal sections of the GMAT exam, both multiple-choice, are administered in the computer-adaptive format, adjusting to a test taker's level. This both shortens the time it takes to complete the exam and establishes a higher level of accuracy than a fixed test. At the start of each multiple-choice section of the exam, test takers are presented with a question of medium difficulty. As they answer each question, the computer scores their answer and uses it—as well as their responses to any preceding questions—to determine which question to present next. Correct responses typically prompt questions of increased difficulty. Incorrect responses generally result in questions of lesser difficulty. This process continues until test takers complete the section, at which point the computer will have an accurate assessment of their ability level in that subject area.
The total score ranges from 200 to 800 and measures performance on the quantitative and verbal sections (performance on the AWA and IR sections do not count toward the total score. The score distribution resembles a bell curve.