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The GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) consists of two multiple - choice sections (quantitative and verbal) and an essay section called the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA). |
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Quantitative section |
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37
questions - 75 minutes |
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Problem solving (approx. 24 questions) |
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Data sufficiency (approx. 13 questions) |
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Verbal sections |
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41
questions -75 minutes |
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Reading comprehension
(approx. 14 questions)
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Sentence
correction
(approx. 13 questions)
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Critical reasoning
(approx. 14 questions) |
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Essay topics ( Analytical writing assessment) |
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The GMAT CAT begins with the two AWA prompts. For each of these topics, you have thirty minutes to type an essay into the computer using a simple word-processing program. |
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A peep into adaptive testing |
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One
question at a time: In adaptive test,
only one question is presented at a time. Since
the adaptive algorithm requires that an answer
to a question is confirmed and scored, in order
to determine the type and weightage of the question
to be presented next.
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You
can't skip a question: If you hit a hard
question, you can’t skip it and move over
to the next; you have to probably make a guess
and choose an option. Unless you confirm an answer
to the question presented, you do not get to see
the next question. |
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You
can’t go back to a previous question
to double check your answer. This means that if
you have not paced properly through the section,
you would end up having excess time, which cannot
be used later, or time allotted for the section
has been consumed before completion of the test. |
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You have
to complete the test to avoid double penalty.
At the end of the allotted time, if more
questions are left to be answered, you have to
hurry and make sure that every question is answered
or face a severe penalty for unfinished section.
In the adaptive test the penalty for unfinished
sections is more than getting a question wrong.

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The test begins with a tutorial to make you familiar with the test taking process. This is followed by two separately timed essay topics for 30 min each, whose responses you key into the computer. |
The writing section is followed by either the quantitative or the verbal section to be completed in 75 min each. In the quantitative section, the problem solving and data sufficiency questions are intermingled. The sentence correction, reading comprehension and the critical reasoning questions are shuffled in the verbal section.

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All questions are not scored |
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About
1/3 of the questions on the GMAT are experimental
and will be randomly mixed in with scored questions.
These questions are being field -tested for future
use.(the weight-ages to questions in the |
adaptive test are statistically determined by such trials on earlier test takers; GMAT is thus standardized); this means that throughout math and verbal sections, the difficulty level of questions can drop or increase despite your performance level.

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In the beginning, every test taker is presented with an average difficulty question. The computer uses the next question based on your correctness or wrongness of the first answer. Questions have varying difficulty levels |
and hence varying weight-ages.
Your total score is determined by the test edition, accuracy of questions answered and total number of questions answered in each section.
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You'll receive four GMAT scores:
Quantitative
scaled sub score, ranging from 0 to approximately
51.
Verbal scaled
sub score, ranging from 0 to approximately 50.
Overall scaled
score, ranging from 200 to 800.
Analytical writing
grade, ranging from 0 to 6.
Score validity
: Your GMAT score is valid up
to 5 years

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The GMAT is available year-round, but you should try to schedule a month in advance (weekends are usually booked far in advance).
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U.S. Students:1-800-717-GMAT
(4628)
Click on GMAT
registration for more details. |
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