What is the GMAT?

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What is the GMAT?

by whiteglowconsulting » Sun Jun 21, 2015 2:11 am
The Graduate Management Admission Test or GMAT, as it is commonly referred to as, is a standardized Computer - Adaptive and Computer - Based Test. It primarily intends to aid graduate schools of business access the potential of candidates for advanced study in business and management. The GMAT is currently created and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS®) on behalf of the Graduate Management Admission Council®. Admission committees use GMAT® scores as a useful guide in comparing the credentials of candidates from widely varying backgrounds. Of the several thousand graduate management programs worldwide, nearly 1,700 use the GMAT® and more than 1,000 require it. In addition to that, there are several institutions within India, which consider the GMAT® scores for entry like Indian School of Business- Hyderabad (ISB), Great Lakes Institute of Management-Chennai, SP Jain- Mumbai & Dubai, NMIMS-Mumbai, MICA-Ahmedabad etc.

The GMAT® exam measures basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills that a candidate has developed over a period of time in his education and work.
The GMAT® exam consists of three main parts,
1. The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA, graded between 0 - 6; two parts a). An analysis of an Issue b).An analysis of an Argument, half an hour is accorded to each task)
2. The Quantitative Section - 37 multiple-choice Questions on Data Sufficiency and Problem Solving. Time - 75 minutes
3. The Verbal Section - 41 multiple - choice questions on Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning and Sentence Correction. Time - 75 minutes

In India, the Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT®) is only administered as a multiple choice (except the AWA section) Computer Adaptive Test. For each multiple-choice section of the GMAT® exam, there is a large pool of potential questions ranging from a low to high level of difficulty. The Verbal and Quantitative Sections both start with a moderately difficult question - if the candidate answers the question correctly, the next question will be of a higher difficulty level and so on. Conversely, if the candidate answers the question incorrectly, the next question posed will be of a lower difficulty level. This continues for the first five - six questions in both sections. Hence, the first few questions carry more weightage than the last few. At the end of the test, the computer will have an accurate assessment of the candidates ability level in that subject area.
In a computer-adaptive test, only one question at a time is presented. Because the computer scores each question before selecting the next one, the candidate may not skip, return to, or change his responses to previous questions.
The score for the GMAT is determined on the following parameters:
"¢ the number of questions an candidate answers,
"¢ whether the candidate answers the questions correctly or incorrectly, and
"¢ the level of difficulty and other statistical characteristics of each question.
The questions in an adaptive test are weighted according to their difficulty and other statistical properties, not according to their position in the test.
A candidate needs only minimal computer skills to complete the GMAT® exam. These include:
"¢ using a mouse
"¢ entering responses
"¢ moving on to the next question
"¢ using the word processor
"¢ accessing the Help function
GMAT® scores have two important characteristics:
"¢ They are accurate indicators of a candidate's prior developed management skills in his education and employment. They are also a valuable aid as they reasonably predict the candidate's academic prowess in his first year of graduate study.
"¢ Unlike undergraduate grade point averages (or assessments) and curricula, which vary in their meaning across institutions, GMAT® scores provide school professionals with a consistent, standardized evaluation tool for all candidates.

The Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT®) is an excellent tool for predicting how well a candidate will do in a graduate business or management program, but it does not measure all the characteristics related to success in graduate school. Admissions officers usually use GMAT® scores as one of several sources of information about a candidate like application essays, letters of recommendation, application and interviews. The AWA Section is used as a comparative with the candidate's Statement of Purpose, University Essays and Letters of Recommendation.

There is a lot of speculation in the Education Industry as to how the new Committee - Pearson, will be administering the GMAT from January, 2006. However, one thing remains unchanged - the GMAT has emerged as a viable option for several students globally. An MBA is fast becoming an important component in an individual's holistic development. The GMAT is here to stay, and how!!!
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