GMAT Prep 2024/2025 For Dummies (GMAT Focus Edition): Book + 3 Practice Tests + 100 Flashcards Online E-Book
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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Bildung
- Sprache: Englisch
Get on the road to business school with comprehensive review and 3 practice tests
GMAT Prep 2024/2025 For Dummies is a must-have to scoring your highest on the GMAT and earning your MBA. Updated for the new GMAT Focus Edition, this trusted guide will walk you through the basics of what’s on the test and give you test-taking strategies that will help you make the most of the available time. You’ll get a comprehensive review of all the GMAT content—data insights, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning. Then it’s time to practice, with flashcards and 3 full-length practice tests. Detailed study plans help you prep wisely, no matter how much time you have before test day. Grab this Dummies guide to master the GMAT!
- Create a targeted study plan with a diagnostic pre-assessment
- Take full-length practice GMAT tests so you’ll be ready for the real thing
- Maximize your chances of getting into the business school of your choice
GMAT Prep 2024/2025 For Dummies will help you land a higher score on this important exam.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023
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GMAT® Prep 2024/2025 For Dummies® with Online Practice
Published by: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774, www.wiley.com
Copyright © 2023 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
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GMAT® Prep 2024/2025 For Dummies® with Online Practice
To view this book's Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and search for “GMAT Prep 2024 For Dummies with Online Practice Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Introduction
About This Book
Foolish Assumptions
Icons Used in This Book
Beyond the Book: The Online Practice
Where to Go from Here
Part 1: Getting Started with the GMAT
Chapter 1: The Lowdown on the GMAT
Knowing Why the GMAT Is Important
Planning It Perfectly: When and How to Take the GMAT
Forming First Impressions: The Format of the GMAT
Knowing Where You Stand: Scoring Considerations
Repeating the Process: Retaking the GMAT
Chapter 2: Maximizing Your Score on the GMAT
Discovering Strategies for Boosting Your Score
Winning the Race against the Clock
Getting Rid of Wrong Answers
Playing It Smart: A Few Things You Shouldn’t Do When Taking the Test
Tackling a Case of Nerves with Relaxation Techniques
Chapter 3: Mastering Business School Admissions
Choosing a Business School
Lining Up Your Ducks — Applying to Business Schools
Crafting Effective Business School Essays
Part 2: Creating a GMAT Study Plan
Chapter 4: Planning Your Approach
Using the Pre-assessment: The How-To
Devising a Plan of Attack
Chapter 5: GMAT Practice Assessment
Section 1: Quantitative
Section 2: Verbal
Section 3: Data Insights
Chapter 6: Scoring and Interpreting the Practice Assessment
Section 1: Quantitative Reasoning
Section 2: Verbal
Section 3: Data Insights
Answers at a Glance
Part 3: Vanquishing the Verbal Section
Chapter 7: Not as Enticing as a Bestseller: Reading Comprehension
Judging by Appearances: What Reading Comprehension Questions Look Like
Approaching Reading Passages
Sticking to the Subject: Types of Passages
Approaching Reading Comprehension Questions
Reading Comprehension Practice Questions with Answer Explanations
Chapter 8: Thinking This Through Logically: Critical Reasoning
Focusing on “Critical” Concepts: An Overview
Making a Case: Essentials of Informal Logic
Thinking Inside the Box: Question Types
Stalking Your Prey: How to Approach Each Question Type
Critical Reasoning Practice Questions and Answer Explanations
Answer Explanations
Chapter 9: Bringing It Together: A Mini Practice Verbal Section
Working Through Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions
Understanding What’s Right with Answer Explanations
Part 4: Conquering the Quantitative Section
Chapter 10: Getting Back to Basics: Numbers and Operations
Just Your Type: Kinds of Numbers
It’s Not Brain Surgery: Basic Operations
Using Little Numbers for Big Values: Bases and Exponents
Checking Out the Ancestry: Roots
Order of Operations: Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally
Splitting Up: Fractions, Decimals, and Percents
Dealing with decimals
Making Comparisons: Ratios and Proportions
Playing the Numbers: Scientific Notation
Chapter 11: Considering All the Variables: Algebra
Defining the Elements: Algebraic Terminology
Maintaining an Orderly Fashion: Algebraic Operations
Extracting Information: Factoring Polynomials
Minding Your Ps and Qs: Functions
Putting On Your Thinking Cap: Problem Solving
Seeing Is Believing: The Coordinate Plane
Slip-Sliding Away: Slope and Linear Equations
Chapter 12: Manipulating Numbers: Statistics and Sets
Joining a Clique: Groups
Setting Up Sets
Making Arrangements: Permutations and Combinations
Meeting in the Middle: Mean, Median, and Mode
Straying from Home: Range and Standard Deviation
Predicting the Future: Probability
Chapter 13: Houston, We Have a Problem: Problem Solving Questions
Be Prepared: A Practice Problem Solving Plan
Trying Out Some Problem Solving Practice Problems
Chapter 14: Prove Your Prowess: A Mini Practice Quantitative Section
Tackling Problem Solving Practice Questions
Checking Out the Answer Explanations
Part 5: Excelling on the Data Insights Section
Chapter 15: Four Types of Distinctive Data Insights Questions
Understanding What the IR Questions Are All About
Approaching Each Question Type
Chapter 16: Deciphering Data in Graphics
Mastering Graphics-Focused Questions with Five Simple Steps
Translating Information in Tables
Making Comparisons with Bar Graphs
Honing in on Histograms
Looking at Line Graphs
Perusing Stem-and-Leaf Plots
Clarifying Circle Graphs (Also Known as Pie Charts)
Venturing into Venn Diagrams
Chapter 17: Enough’s Enough: Data Sufficiency Questions
You Don’t Need the Solution to Find the Answer
Steps to Approaching Data Sufficiency Questions
Taking on Data Sufficiency Practice Problems
Part 6: Practice Makes Perfect
Chapter 18: GMAT Practice Test
Answer Sheet
Section 1: Data Insights
Section 2: Quantitative
Section 3: Verbal
Chapter 19: Practice Test Answers and Explanations
Section 1: Data Insights
Section 2: Quantitative
Section 3: Verbal
Answers at a Glance
Part 7: The Part of Tens
Chapter 20: Ten Question Types You’ve Got a Good Shot At
Main-Idea Reading Questions
Specific Information Reading Questions
Exception Questions for Reading Passages
Critical Reasoning Questions about Strengthening or Weakening Arguments
Critical Reasoning Questions Involving Statistical Arguments
Data Sufficiency Questions
Math Problem Solving Questions Involving Graphics
Math Problem Solving Questions Involving Basic Operations
Substitution Math Problem Solving Questions
Table Analysis Questions
Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Increase Your Chances of Getting into Business School
Accumulate a Little Work Experience
Ace the Interview
Apply Early
Apply While You’re Upwardly Mobile
Capitalize on What Makes You Unique
Demonstrate Interest
Focus on Fit
Get the Right Recommendations
Study for the GMAT
Write a Memorable Admissions Essay
Index
About the Authors
Advertisement Page
Connect with Dummies
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 4
TABLE 4-1 Following a GMAT Preparation Schedule
Chapter 10
TABLE 10-1 Rules for Multiplying and Dividing with Exponents
Chapter 11
TABLE 11-1 Defining Terms for Functions
TABLE 11-2 Mathematical Symbols for Equality and Inequality
TABLE 11-3 Common Words and Their Math Equivalents
Chapter 12
TABLE 12-1 Finding the Probability of the Occurrence of Multiple Events
List of Illustrations
Chapter 10
FIGURE 10-1: Fraction of a pie.
Chapter 11
FIGURE 11-1: Points in the coordinate plane.
FIGURE 11-2: The graph of .
Chapter 12
FIGURE 12-1: Venn diagrams showing relationships between two sets.
Chapter 15
FIGURE 15-1: The GMAT calculator.
FIGURE 15-2: Sample table analysis format.
FIGURE 15-3: Sample multi-source reasoning format, Background Information tab.
FIGURE 15-4: Sample multi-source reasoning format, Contract tab.
FIGURE 15-5: Sample multi-source reasoning format, Guest List tab.
Chapter 16
FIGURE 16-1: Table similar to one you’re likely to encounter in a data insights...
FIGURE 16-2: Simple bar graph.
FIGURE 16-3: Simple bar graph showing ranges of values.
FIGURE 16-4: Bar graph with multiple categories.
FIGURE 16-5: Segmented bar graph with subcategories.
FIGURE 16-6: Histogram.
FIGURE 16-7: Line graph.
FIGURE 16-8: Scatter plot.
FIGURE 16-9: Scatter plot with trend line.
FIGURE 16-10: Scatter plot with multiple variables.
FIGURE 16-11: Stem-and-leaf plot.
FIGURE 16-12: Circle graph or pie chart.
FIGURE 16-13: Venn diagram of 100 cat and dog owners.
FIGURE 16-14: Venn diagram of 100 pet owners.
Chapter 17
FIGURE 17-1: Data sufficiency answer elimination chart.
Guide
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
Index
About the Authors
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Introduction
You’re merrily skimming through the admissions requirements for your favorite MBA programs when all of a sudden, you’re dealt a shocking blow. Your absolute top choice program — you’ll die if you don’t get in — requires that you take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). And you thought your days of speed-reading passages and solving for x were over.
Many MBA programs include the GMAT as an admissions requirement, so you’ll be in good company. But how do you prepare for such a comprehensive test? What are you going to do? Get out your spiral notebooks from undergraduate courses and sift through years’ worth of doodles? Many years may have gone by since you encountered an algebra problem, and we bet your reading proficiency has gotten a little rusty since English 101.
Clearly, you need a readable, concisely structured resource. Well, you’ve come to the right place. GMAT Prep 2024/2025 For Dummies, with Online Practice, puts at your fingertips everything you need to know to conquer the GMAT. We offer beneficial quantitative and verbal reviews that will assist you in pinpointing areas for improvement. In addition, we provide insights into how to avoid the pitfalls that the GMAT creators want you to fall into. We also try to make this book as enjoyable as a book that devotes itself to setting up equations and critiquing arguments can be.
About This Book
We suspect that you aren’t eagerly anticipating sitting through the GMAT, and you’re probably not looking forward to studying for it, either. Therefore, we’ve attempted to make the study process as painless as possible by giving you clearly written advice in a casual tone. We realize you have a heap of things you’d rather be doing, so we’ve broken down the information into easily digested bites. If you have an extra hour before work or Pilates class, you can devour a chapter or even a particular section within a chapter. (If these eating metaphors are making you hungry, feel free to take a snack break.)
In this book, you can find
Plenty of sample questions so you can see just how the GMAT tests a particular concept. Our sample questions read like the actual test questions, so you can get comfortable with the way the GMAT phrases questions and expresses answer choices.
A handy pre-assessment to help you define your areas of strength and weakness and tips for tackling a study plan based on your timeframe.
Detailed explanations of the strategies for mastering all three sections of the GMAT. Enjoy an in-depth reading review for the verbal reasoning section, an extensive math lesson to help you with the quantitative reasoning section, and a how-to on reading and interpreting all kinds of graphs for the data insights section.
Three practice tests. Two sections of one practice test appear in this book in
Chapter 18
. You can find the complete Practice Test from
Chapter 18
, including the interactive data insights section, and two other complete practice tests online.
Time-tested techniques for improving your score. We show you how to quickly eliminate incorrect answer choices and make educated guesses.
Tips on how to manage your time wisely.
Suggestions for creating a relaxation routine to employ if you start to panic during the test.
We’ve included all kinds of information to help you do your best on the GMAT.
You should find this book easily accessible, but a few things may require explanation. A few of the chapters may contain sidebars (a paragraph or two in a shaded box) with quirky bits of information that we think may interest you but aren’t essential to your performance on the GMAT. If you’re trying to save time, you can skip the sidebars.
Foolish Assumptions
Although we guess it’s possible that you picked up this book just because you have an insatiable love for math, reading, and argument analysis, we’re betting it’s more likely that you’re examining this book particularly because you’ve been told you need to take the GMAT. (We have been praised for our startling ability to recognize the obvious!) And because we’re pretty astute, we’ve figured that this means that you intend to apply to MBA programs and probably are considering working toward a Master of Business Administration.
Generally, MBA programs are pretty selective, so we’re thinking that you’re really motivated to get into the program of your choice. Some of you are fresh out of college and may have more recent experience with math and verbal skills. Others of you probably haven’t stepped into a classroom in over a decade but possess work and life experience that will help you maximize your GMAT score despite the time that’s passed since college.
If math and verbal skills are fresh in your mind and you just need to know what to expect when you arrive at the test site, this book has that information for you. If you’ve been out of school for a while, this book provides you with all the basics as well as advanced concepts to give you everything you need to know to conquer the GMAT with flying colors.
Icons Used in This Book
One exciting feature of this book is the icons that highlight especially significant portions of the text. These little pictures in the margins alert you to areas where you should pay particularly close attention.
This icon highlights really important information that you should remember even after you close the book.
Throughout the book, we give you insights into how you can enhance your performance on the GMAT. The tips give you juicy timesavers and point out especially relevant concepts to keep in mind for the test.
Your world won’t fall apart if you ignore our warnings, but your score may suffer. Heed these cautionary pointers to avoid making careless mistakes that can cost you points.
Whenever you see this icon in the text, you know you’re going to get to practice the particular area of instruction covered in that section with a question like one you may see on the test. Our examples include detailed explanations of how to most efficiently answer GMAT questions and avoid common pitfalls.
Beyond the Book: The Online Practice
In addition to what you’re reading right now, this book comes with a free access-anywhere Cheat Sheet that includes tips to help you prepare for the GMAT. To get this Cheat Sheet, simply go to www.dummies.com and type “GMAT For Dummies Cheat Sheet” in the Search box.
You also get access to three full-length online practice tests and approximately 100 flashcards. To gain access to the online practice, all you have to do is register. Just follow these simple steps:
Register your book or ebook at Dummies.com to get your PIN by going to
www.dummies.com/go/getaccess
.
Select your product from the drop-down list on that page.
Follow the prompts to validate your product and then check your email for a confirmation message that includes your PIN and instructions for logging in.
If you don’t receive this email within two hours, please check your spam folder before contacting us through our Technical Support website at http://support.wiley.com or by phone at 877-762-2974.
Now you’re ready to go! You can come back to the practice material as often as you want — simply log on with the username and password you created during your initial login. No need to enter the access code a second time.
Your registration is good for one year from the day you activate your PIN.
Where to Go from Here
We know that everyone who uses this book has different strengths and weaknesses, so this book is designed for you to read in the way that best suits you. If you’re a math whiz and need to brush up only on your verbal skills, you can skim Part 4 and focus on Parts 1 and 3. If you’ve been writing proposals every day for the last ten years, you can probably scan Part 3 and focus your attention on the math review in Part 4. Because the data insights section differs so significantly from other standardized test questions, you’ll benefit from delving into Part 5 regardless of your math prowess or verbal genius. The pre-assessment in Part 2 can help you figure out where to focus if you aren’t sure.
We suggest that you take a more thorough approach, however. Familiarize yourself with the general test-taking process in the first two chapters, take the pre-assessment, and then go through the complete GMAT review, starting with the verbal section and working your way through the math and data insights sections. You can skim through information that you know more about by just reading the Tips and Warnings and working through the examples in those sections. When you’ve finished pouring through the entirety of Parts 1 through 5, you can take practice tests from Part 6 and the online content. As you complete your practice tests, compare your scores. This way, you can see just how much you improve with practice. And whatever you do, don’t go skipping over the oh-so-helpful advice tucked away in Part 7.
This book provides you with a bunch of practice tests and lots of online practice, but you can never get enough. So, if after taking all the practice tests provided at dummies.com, you still crave more, visit the official GMAT website at www.mba.com and download the free GMATPrep software from there. This software mimics the computerized format of the test and gives you practice on the types of mouse-clicking and eye-straining skills you need to succeed on the exam. That way, you can experience using the same software you’ll see on the exam. Plus, you can purchase the current editions of GMAT Official Guide, GMAT Official Guide Quantitative Review, GMAT Official Guide Verbal Review, and GMAT Official Guide Data Insights Review, all published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., for thousands of additional official practice questions.
We’re confident that if you devote a few hours a week for at least six weeks to practicing the skills and tips we provide for you in this book, you’ll be thoroughly ready to excel when you sit in front of that computer on GMAT test day. We wish you the greatest success on your ultimate GMAT score!
The GMAT, developed in 1953, was originally designed to forecast the performance of MBA candidates in business and management courses. Over time, the test has undergone various transformations to align with the evolving requirements of business schools and the business community. Notably, in 2023, the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), responsible for managing the GMAT, introduced the GMAT Focus Edition. This edition introduces a comprehensive revision to the test's format and content, aiming to bolster its pertinence and address the dynamic demands of business schools and employers. This publication is written to adhere to the specifications of the GMAT Focus Edition, herein and hereafter referred to as simply the GMAT. Delve into Chapter 1 to acquire a complete understanding of the new GMAT, as it provides a thorough breakdown of everything you need to know.
Part 1
Getting Started with the GMAT
IN THIS PART …
Familiarize yourself with the test structure.
Find out how to maximize your score by organizing your time and streamlining your approach.
Discover what you can and should do to gain admission to the business school of your choice.
Chapter 1
The Lowdown on the GMAT
IN THIS CHAPTER
Finding out how MBA programs use your GMAT score
Deciding when and how to take the GMAT and having the right supplies
Examining the structure of the GMAT
Understanding how the GMAT is scored
Considering whether you should retake the GMAT
Congratulations on deciding to take a significant step in your business career! More than 100 countries offer the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), and according to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), more than 7,700 programs at 2,400 universities and organizations in 110 countries use the GMAT to make admissions decisions. That said, you’re probably not taking the GMAT because you want to. In fact, you may not be looking forward to the experience at all! But the GMAT need not be a daunting ordeal. A little knowledge can help calm your nerves, so this chapter shows you how admissions programs use your test score and addresses the concerns you may have about the GMAT’s format and testing and scoring procedures.
Knowing Why the GMAT Is Important
If you’re reading this book, you’re probably thinking about applying to an MBA program. And if you’re applying to an MBA program, you probably need to take the GMAT. Many MBA programs require that you submit a GMAT score for the admissions process. (Some may require other tests or no test at all, so make sure you check each program’s admissions checklist.) Even if your program doesn’t require a GMAT score through a test-optional or test-flexible policy, a strong GMAT score can significantly support your application.
Your GMAT score gives the admissions committee another tool to use to assess your skills and compare you with other applicants. But if you’re seeking a career in business, you’re probably resigned to being continually assessed and compared. The GMAT doesn’t attempt to evaluate any particular subject area that you may have studied, but instead it gives admissions officers a standardized idea of how you’ll likely perform in the classes that make up a graduate business curriculum. Although the GMAT doesn’t rate your experience or motivation, it does provide an estimate of your academic preparation for graduate business studies.
Not every MBA applicant has the same undergraduate experience, but most applicants take a standardized test. Other admissions factors, like college grades, work experience, the admissions essay or essays, and a personal interview, are important, but the GMAT is a tool that admissions committees can use to directly compare you with other applicants and confirm your academic qualifications.
The most selective schools primarily admit candidates with solid GMAT scores, and good scores will certainly strengthen your application to any program, but you shouldn’t feel discouraged if your practice tests don’t put you in the 90th percentile. Very few students achieve anything near a perfect score on the GMAT. Even if you don’t score as high as you want to, you undoubtedly have other strengths in your admissions profile, such as work experience, leadership ability, good college grades, motivation, and people skills. You may want to contact the admissions offices of the schools you’re interested in to see how much they emphasize the GMAT. While the weight of the GMAT in the admissions process varies by institution, it can often be a significant factor. Therefore, you should take all necessary measures to ensure you perform your best!
Planning It Perfectly: When and How to Take the GMAT
Which MBA programs to apply to isn’t the only decision you have to make. After you’ve figured out where you want to go, you have to make plans for the GMAT. You need to choose which format works best for you, determine the ideal time to take the test, and know what to have with you when you do. The following sections can help you out.
Choosing between taking the GMAT online or at a test center
You have two options of delivery method of the GMAT: online at home or at a designated testing center, the choice is yours. Regardless of where you take it, the GMAT e-content and interface are the same. Which method is best for you depends on several considerations. For many, the advantage of testing in a familiar environment outweighs the challenges of creating a secure testing environment. Others prefer the stability of taking the computerized exam at a testing center.
The GMAT online exam
You may choose to take the GMAT online exam in the comfort of your home on your own computer. Before you take the exam, you download the special secure software and set up your test space. A human proctor virtually oversees the online exam throughout the testing experience, and you’re responsible for meeting the stringent specifications for setting up the testing environment. Here are the advantages of taking the online exam:
The online format is available even more often than the options provided at testing centers.
You can take the online GMAT 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and you can register 24 hours before an open slot.
The testing environment is familiar.
As long as you set up the testing environment along the required guidelines, you can test from any location.
You don’t have to worry about traffic or other commuting issues.
It’s hard to get lost when you’re commuting from your bedroom to your home office.
The GMAT at a testing center
You can also opt to take the GMAT at a testing center. Although testing at home may seem more desirable, you may choose the testing center for the following reasons:
The testing center provides all supplies.
You don’t have to worry about a reliable Internet connection or purchasing your own whiteboard for notes.
You aren’t responsible for securing your environment.
To maintain the integrity of the home testing experience, you must follow stringent guidelines. Testing at a center guarantees that you won’t be penalized for an interruption by a family member or fail to pass a room scan.
When to register for and take the GMAT
When is the best time to take the GMAT? With the computerized and online testing procedures, this question has become more interesting than it was in the days of paper-based tests. When the exam was a paper-and-pencil format with a test booklet and an answer sheet full of bubbles, you had a limited choice of possible test dates — about one every two months. Now you’ve got much more flexibility when choosing the date and time for taking the test. You can pick just about any time to sit down and click answer choices with your mouse.
Registering when you’re ready
The first step in the GMAT registration process is scheduling an appointment, but don’t put off making this appointment the way you’d put off calling the dentist (even though you’d probably like to avoid both!). Depending on the time of year, appointment times can go quickly. You may have to wait at least a month for an open time. To determine what’s available, you can go to the official GMAT website at www.mba.com. From there, you can choose an online test appointment or testing location and find out what dates and times are available. When you find a date and time you like, you can register online or over the phone.
The best time to take the GMAT is after you’ve had at least six to eight weeks of quality study time and during a period when you don’t have a lot of other things going on to distract you. Of course, if your MBA program application is due in four weeks, put this book down and schedule an appointment right away! Be sure to come right back, though. You need to start studying — and now! If you have more flexibility, you should still plan to take the GMAT as soon as you think you’ve studied sufficiently. All the following circumstances warrant taking the GMAT as soon as you can:
You want to start your MBA program right away.
If you’re confident that you want to begin business school within the next few semesters, you should consider taking the GMAT in the near future. After you know your score, you’ll be better able to narrow down the business schools you want to apply to. Then you can focus on the other parts of your application, and you won’t have to worry about having an application due in four weeks and no GMAT score.
You’re considering attending business school.
Maybe you don’t know whether you want to pursue an MBA. Even so, now’s a good time to take the GMAT. Your GMAT score may help you decide that you have the skills to succeed academically in graduate business school. You may think that you don’t have what it takes, but your performance on the GMAT may surprise you! If you do decide to apply to an MBA program, you’ll already have one key component of the application under wraps.
You’re about to earn (or have just earned) your bachelor’s degree. If you’re nearing graduation or have just graduated from college and you think you may want to get an MBA, it’s better to take the GMAT now than wait until later. You’re used to studying. You’re used to tests. And your math and verbal analytical abilities are probably as fresh as they’ll ever be.
You don’t have to start an MBA program right away. Your GMAT scores are valid for up to five years, so you can take the test now and take advantage of your current skills as a student to get you into a great graduate program later.
Giving yourself about six to eight weeks to study provides you with enough time to master the GMAT concepts but not so much time that you forget what you’ve studied by the time you sit for the test.
Scheduling for success
Whenever you register, you want to consider your own schedule when picking a test date and time. Take advantage of the flexibility allowed by the computer format. The GMAT is no longer just an 8 a.m. Saturday morning option. You can take the test any day of the week except Sunday, and, depending on the test center, you may be able to start at a variety of times. Many centers offer 8 a.m. testing times, but some have other options, even 6:30 at night — great for those night owls who consider 8 a.m. a good bedtime rather than a good exam time. Your options for the online test may be even more abundant. You have a little bit of control over making the test fit into your life instead of having to make your life fit the test!
If you’re not a morning person, don’t schedule an early test if you can help it. If you’re better able to handle a nonstop, two-and-a-quarter-hour barrage of questions after the sun hits its highest point in the sky, schedule your test for the afternoon or evening. By choosing the time that works for you, you’ll be able to comfortably approach the test instead of worrying whether you set your alarm. We’re guessing that you have enough to worry about in life as it is without the added stress of an inconvenient test time.
Check the GMAT website for the available testing times at the test centers near you or at home. Then study for the test at the different available times of the day to see when you’re at your best. Schedule your test session for that time. Even if you have to take a few hours away from work or classes, being able to take the test at a time that’s best for you is worth it. And you may end up picking a test center based on its available times rather than its proximity to you.
While you’re thinking about the time that’s best for the test, you should think about days of the week, as well. For some people, Saturday may be a good day for a test. For others, the weekend is the wrong time for that type of concentrated academic activity. If you’re used to taking the weekends off, scheduling the test during the week may make more sense for you.
Choosing the time and day to take the GMAT is primarily up to you. Be honest with yourself about your habits, preferences, and schedule, and pick a time and day when you’ll excel.
Things to take to the GMAT testing center (or to have at home)
The most important thing you can bring to the GMAT is a positive attitude and a willingness to succeed. However, if you don’t have your admission voucher or your photo ID, you won’t get the chance to apply those qualities! It’s also important to bring a list of up to five schools where you want your Official Score Report to be sent. Sending your official report to these schools for free is possible at the test center or from home, and you’ll be able to see your GMAT scores before you make any selections.
Additionally, you have the option to send your score report for free from your GMAT online account within 48 hours of completing your exam. You can, of course, list fewer than five schools, but if you decide to send your report to additional schools later, you’ll have to pay. Therefore, if you have five schools in mind and feel confident about your abilities, it’s best to send your official report for free. Finally, it’s worth noting that the schools you select will receive only your scores from the exam you just completed, not all the scores you’ve received in the last five years, as was previously the case.
Because you can take one optional ten-minute break, we recommend you have access to a quick snack, like a protein bar, and a bottle of water. You can’t have food or drink in the testing area, but at the centers you’re provided a secure locker that you can access during a break. For the online test, you can leave the room during the break to use the restroom or eat a quick snack, but you need to leave your camera on while you’re gone.
That’s really all you need to bring to the testing center. You can’t use a hand-held calculator, and the test center provides a booklet of five erasable noteboards and a special black marker (but no eraser), which you’re required to use instead of pencil and paper. You can ask for another booklet if you fill yours up.
If you test at home, you’ll likely want to purchase your own whiteboard to use for notes during the test. The software provides you with an online whiteboard, but you can’t use a stylus, so the online version is awkward to use. The erasable whiteboard can be no bigger than 12 by 20 inches. You can have up to two erasable markers and one whiteboard eraser.
Forming First Impressions: The Format of the GMAT
The GMAT is a standardized test, and by now in your academic career, you’re probably familiar with what that means: lots of questions to answer in a short period of time, no way to cram for them or memorize answers, and very little chance of scoring 100 percent. The skills tested on the GMAT are those that leading business schools have decided are important for MBA students: data insights, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning.
The GMAT “Select Section Order” option allows you to complete the three sections in any order you choose:
data insights→quantitative→verbal
data insights→verbal→quantitative
quantitative→verbal→data insights
quantitative→data insights→verbal
verbal→data insights→quantitative
verbal→quantitative→data insights
Pick the order that’s most comfortable for you. You may want to lead with your strength or get the section you like least out of the way in the beginning.
Examining the structure of the GMAT
The following table presents a summary of the structure of the GMAT by Sections:
Section
Data Insights
Quantitative
Verbal
Time
45 min.
45 min.
45 min.
Number of questions
20
21
23
Question type(s)
Data Sufficiency
Table Analysis
Two-Part Analysis
Graphics Interpretation
Multi-Source Reasoning
Basic Arithmetic
Algebra
Data Interpretation
Probability and Statistics
Not applicable
Avg. time/question
2 min. 15 sec.
2 min. 9 sec.
1 min. 57 sec.
Getting familiar with what the GMAT tests
Standardized tests are supposed to test your academic potential, not your knowledge of specific subjects. The GMAT focuses on the areas that admissions committees have found to be relevant to MBA programs. The sections that follow are an introduction to the three GMAT sections. We devote the majority of the rest of this book to telling you exactly how to approach each one.
Leveraging your data literacy skills
The GMAT data insights section has 20 questions consisting of two question types: data sufficiency questions and integrated reasoning questions.
Data sufficiency questions present you with two statements and ask you to decide whether the problem can be solved by using the information provided by the first statement only, the second statement only, both statements, or neither statement. We show you exactly how to tackle these unusual math questions in Chapter 17.
Integrated reasoning (IR) questions test your ability to read and evaluate charts, graphs, and other forms of presented data. You’ll examine a variety of data representation and answer questions based on the information. Turn to Chapters 15 and 16 to get prepared to respond to these questions with confidence.
The IR questions are of four basic question types: table analysis, two-part analysis, graphics interpretation, and multi-source reasoning. Table analysis and graphics interpretation questions are self-explanatory: You analyze tables and interpret graphs — simple enough, right? The two-part analysis questions present a problem and related data, provided in two columns. You choose a piece of information from each column to solve the problem. Multi-source reasoning questions provide you with a bunch of information from which you have to decide what piece or pieces of data actually give you what you need to know to solve the problem.
Quizzing your quantitative skills
The GMAT quantitative section consists of 21 questions and assesses your proficiency in arithmetic, algebra, data interpretation, and probability and statistics. This section is comparable to other standardized math assessments in terms of its format and question type. To succeed on this section, you will need to employ your problem solving skills to answer multiple-choice questions, choosing the best response from five possible options.
Validating your verbal skills
The GMAT verbal section consists of 23 multiple-choice questions of two general types: the ubiquitous reading comprehension questions and critical reasoning questions. Reading comprehension requires you to answer questions about written passages on a number of different subjects. Critical reasoning questions require you to analyze logical arguments and understand how to strengthen or weaken those arguments. For all questions in this section, you must choose the best response from five possible options.
Understanding the computerized format
All three sections of the computerized GMAT are available only in computer-adaptive test (CAT) format. The first question of each section is of medium difficulty. The CAT adjusts to your skill level by presenting you with questions of various difficulty, based on your responses to previous questions. If you consistently answer questions correctly, the computer will challenge you with more difficult questions to gauge the limits of your impressive intellect. Conversely, if you’re having a tough day and many of your answers are wrong, the computer presents you with easier questions to determine the appropriate level of difficulty for you.
With the CAT format, your score isn’t based solely on how many questions you answer correctly or incorrectly, but also on the average difficulty level of the questions you answer correctly. Theoretically, you could miss several questions and still get a very high score, so long as the questions you missed were among the most challenging in the question bank.
At the conclusion of each section, you are assigned a level of ability, which is used to score your performance. This method of evaluation is designed to ensure that test takers are assessed based on their individual capabilities.
Answering in an orderly fashion
With the CAT format, the first question in a section is preselected for you, and the order of subsequent questions depends on how well you’ve answered this question. So if you do well on the first question, Question 2 will reflect your success by being more challenging. If you do poorly on the initial questions, you’ll get an easier Question 2. The computer program continues to take all previous questions into account as it feeds you question after question.
The CAT format is distinctive in several ways, but — because each question is based on your answers to previous questions — you can’t skip questions, and you must answer each question as it appears. Additionally, neither can you return to a previous question to revise your answer, although there is a chance to review and edit your responses after you have completed the section. This review and edit feature permits you to change up to three answers in a section, but only if time allows (see the next chapter for a full discussion of the review and edit feature). If you realize several questions later that you made a mistake, try not to worry about it. If time permits, you might be able to revisit the question after you complete the section. Even if you don’t have the chance to take advantage of that opportunity, it’s reassuring to know your score isn’t solely determined by the number of correct or incorrect answers, but also takes in account the difficulty level of the questions.
Observing time limits
The time limit for each section is 45 minutes. This time limit has important implications for your test strategy. As we discuss later in this chapter, your GMAT score depends on the number of questions you’re able to answer. If you run out of the allotted time and leave questions unanswered at the end of a section, you’ll essentially reduce your score by the number of questions you don’t answer. In addition, you won’t have time to revisit questions you may have struggled with. In Chapter 2, we present you with an efficient, workable strategy for managing your time and maximizing your score.
Honing your computer skills for the GMAT
Technically challenged, take heart! You need to have only minimal computer skills to take the computerized GMAT. In fact, the skills you need for the test are far fewer in number than those you’ll need while pursuing an MBA. All that is required is that you know how to select answers by using either the mouse or the keyboard.
Knowing Where You Stand: Scoring Considerations
Okay, you know the GMAT’s format and how many questions it has and so on. But what about what’s really important to you, the crucial final score? Probably very few people take standardized tests for fun, so we give you the lowdown on scoring in the following sections.
How the GMAT testers figure your score
The GMAT is divided into three sections: Data insights, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning. Each section of the GMAT is scored on a scale from 60 to 90, in 1-point increments, and contributes equally to the GMAT total score. The GMAT total score is on a scale of 205 to 805, in 10-point increments. So, the maximum total score you can earn on the GMAT is 805.
However, it is important to note that the GMAT is a computer-adaptive test, meaning that your section scores are determined by more than just the number of questions you get right. In fact, the scores you earn take into account three factors:
The difficulty of the questions you answer:
The questions become more difficult as you continue to answer correctly, so getting tough questions means you’re doing well on the test.
The number of questions you answer:
If you don’t get to all the questions in a section, your score is reduced by the proportion of questions you didn’t answer. So, if you failed to answer 5 of the 21 quantitative questions, for example, your raw score would be reduced by about 24 percent: After converting the raw score to the scaled measure, this loss could significantly decrease your percentile rank.
The number of questions you answer correctly:
In addition to scoring based on how difficult the questions are, the GMAT score also reflects your ability to answer those questions correctly.
How the GMAT testers report your score
When you’re finished with the test — or when your time is up — the computer immediately calculates your unofficial scores for the data insights, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning sections, as well as your total score and displays them on-screen to you in an unofficial score report.
You will receive an email notification when your Official Score Report is available in your online GMAT account, usually within 7 business days (but it could take up to 20 business days in some cases). The report will include your individual section scores, total score, and percentile rank. It will also provide detailed graphical data that can offer a more comprehensive understanding of your performance.
Official scores, including the data insights, quantitative reasoning, and verbal reasoning scores, and total score a re sent to the schools that you’ve requested to receive them, free of charge. If you wish to send your score report to additional schools, you can do so for a fee, up to five years after the test.
What about canceling your GMAT scores?
Thanks to the GMAT’s policy of letting you preview your scores before you decide which schools will receive your Official Score Report, you’ll never have to worry about canceling your scores. By selecting the schools you wish to receive your official report, you have full control over the process. Any schools you do not designate will not have access to your report. It will remain confidential and secure in your online GMAT account.
Be aware that once you send your Official Score Report to a program, GMAC cannot cancel that action or disable the school’s ability to view your report.
Repeating the Process: Retaking the GMAT
If you’re not satisfied with your GMAT score, retaking the test may be advantageous, especially as most selective MBA programs prioritize high scores. Fortunately, the GMAT administrators let you take the test quite a few times if you want (that’s pretty big of them, considering you have to pay for it every time). Having multiple opportunities to take the test increases your chances of improving your score, thereby enhancing your prospect of getting accepted into your desired program.
Each time you attempt the GMAT, it counts toward your five attempts during a 12-month period and eight total lifetime attempts.
Chapter 2
Maximizing Your Score on the GMAT
IN THIS CHAPTER
Checking out guessing strategies
Managing your time like a pro
Knowing how to recognize a wrong answer
Avoiding worthless activities that minimize your score
Quieting your nerves with reliable relaxation techniques
You enter the test center and stare down the computer. For the next two hours and fifteen minutes, that machine is your adversary. The GMAT loaded on it is your nemesis. All you have to aid you in this showdown is a booklet of noteboards or a whiteboard and your intellect. The questions come quickly, and your reward for answering a question correctly is another, usually more difficult question! Why did you give up your precious free time for this torture?
By the time you actually take the GMAT, you’ll have already given up hours and hours of your free time studying for the test, researching business schools, and planning for the future. That two hours and fifteen minutes alone with a computer represents a rite of passage that you complete to accomplish the goals you’ve set for yourself. And because you’ve invested so much of yourself, you may as well get the highest score you’re capable of achieving!
This chapter contains techniques you need to apply to pull together a winning strategy for the GMAT. You already have the brains. In this chapter, we share with you the other tools you need to maximize your score.
Discovering Strategies for Boosting Your Score
It may seem counterintuitive that we start this discussion by acknowledging that guessing plays a significant role in achieving a high score on the GMAT. Your ideal GMAT test-day scenario probably involves knowing the answers to most of the questions right away rather than randomly guessing! The reality is that even the most prepared test-takers will encounter questions that stump them. Think back: Did you have to guess at any questions on the ACT or SAT? We bet you did!
In the upcoming sections, you will find valuable suggestions to enhance your GMAT score, including reliable strategies for guessing, which can improve your chances of answering questions correctly, even if you otherwise have no clue of the right answer.
Forcing yourself to guess so you can move on
Remember that standardized tests aren’t like tests in your undergraduate college courses. If you studied hard in college, you may not have had to do much guessing on your midterms and finals. On the GMAT, however, the software won’t allow you to skip questions. So, if you stumble upon some really difficult questions that you’re not sure how to answer, you have to guess and move on.
If a question is taking too much time, you can use the bookmark feature to flag the question for review and edit after you complete the section (provided you have time remaining).
Don’t fall into thinking that you must know the correct answer for each question to do well on the GMAT. The GMAT is designed to test the potential of a wide range of future MBA students, so some of the questions have to be ridiculously difficult to challenge that one-in-a-million Einstein who takes the GMAT. Almost everyone incorrectly answers a few questions in each section, and almost everyone has to guess on those really difficult questions. Don’t worry if you have to guess; just figure out how to guess effectively!
With the computer-adaptive test (CAT) format, developing a strategy for successful guessing is actually more important than ever. As you answer questions correctly, the level of difficulty continues to increase. so be sure to apply the guessing strategies we discuss in this chapter to all three sections (verbal, quantitative, and data insights) of the test. Even if you do really, really well on the test, you’ll probably find yourself guessing on some questions. On the GMAT, almost everyone guesses!
Taking advantage of the review and edit feature
The GMAT allows you to review and edit answers for up to three questions in each section before the section time runs out. Also, while you’re working through a section, you can use the bookmark feature to flag as many questions as you like, giving you the freedom to move on to other questions and return to flagged ones to review — provided you’ve submitted an answer for every question in the section (including those you’ve flagged) and have time remaining.
After you confirm your answer for the final question in a section, a “Question Review & Edit” screen will pop up (this screen will not appear if your time has run out). On that screen, you’ll see a numbered list of the questions in the section, and you’ll also see a bookmark icon in the list on any question you flagged. You click on a question number to return to that question to review and, possibly, change your answer. Knowing that you can change answers to at most three questions, you must be strategic in deciding which questions are the most promising candidates to consider.
Don’t change an answer unless you have a good reason to do so! You should change an answer only if you are confident that your initial answer was incorrect and you have a good reason to believe that your new answer is correct. Generally, it is better to trust your instincts and stick with your initial choice unless, for example, you made a wild guess on a question or you realize that you misread the question or made a careless mistake.
Understanding the importance of completing each section
To get the optimum score for the questions you answer correctly, you must respond to all the questions in each section. If you don’t have time to complete the questions at the end of each section, your score is reduced in proportion to the number of questions you didn’t answer. Therefore, it’s important to move at a pace that allows you to get to all the questions.
One of the ways you can get into real trouble with the CAT format is by spending too much time early on trying to correctly answer questions that are more difficult. If you’re reluctant to guess and, therefore, spend more than a minute or two on several difficult questions, you may not have time to answer the relatively easy questions at the end.
