GMAT Coaching Overview

The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is a standardized computer adaptive test (CAT), required as part of the application process to many MBA programs around the world. The GMAT takes almost 4 hours to complete.

Officially, the GMAT measures skills in the fields of English, Mathematics, and analytical writing. Actually, the GMAT tests some basic English and math skills, but what it mostly tests is how well you use specific techniques and strategies for best performance on the GMAT.

Sections of the GMAT:

• AWA Essay – 30 minutes
• Integrated Reasoning – 30 minutes
• Quantitative Section -62 Minutes, 31 Questions
• Verbal Section – 65 Minutes, 36 Questions

How the GMAT is scored:

• For the Verbal and Quantitative sections you receive a score on a scale of 0-60. The Verbal and Quantitative scores are combined into a total score on a scale of 200-800.
• In addition, for the AWA Analysis of an Argument essay, you will get a score on a scale of 0-6.
• For the Integrated Reasoning Section, You will get a score from 1-8 in full point increments. This section, like the AWA, is scored separately and is NOT adaptive, NOR is it part of the 200-800 score.
• Altogether, you’ll get 5 different scores: AWA score (0-6), Integrated Reasoning score (1-8), Quantitative score (0-60), Verbal score (0-60) and a total score (200-800 for the Verbal and Quant).

Quantitative Section Overview

The Quantitative section is the third section of the GMAT. It follows the AWA essay and Integrated Reasoning Section. Here’s what the Quantitative section has in store.

• QUESTIONS & TIMING

You will be required to answer 31 questions in 62 minutes – an average of two minutes per question. Each question is a multiple choice question with 5 answer choices. Once you answer a question you cannot go back to review it or change your answer.

• ADAPTIVITY

This section is adaptive – based on your answer on each question, the Computer Adaptive Test chooses a harder or easier question for your next question.

• SCORING

The Scaled Score of this section ranges from 0 to 60, although a score below 7 or above 51 is rare. (This is also true for the Verbal section)

• ENVIRONMENT

In this section (as in all sections of the GMAT) you cannot use a calculator, but scratch paper is provided in the form of an erasable noteboard (5 legal-sized pages laminated in clear plastic) and a thin-tipped erasable marker pen.

Verbal Section Overview

The Verbal Section is the fourth and last section of the GMAT. It comes after the Analytical Writing Assessment Section, the Integrated Reasoning Section, and the Quantitative Section.

Here’s what the Verbal section has in store:

• QUESTIONS & TIMING

You will be required to answer 36 questions in 65 minutes – a little less than two minutes per question on average, although some question types (Reading Comprehension) usually take longer than others (Sentence Correction). Each question is a multiple-choice question with 5 answer choices. Once you answer a question you cannot go back to review it or change your answer.

• ADAPTIVITY

This section is adaptive – based on your answer to each question, the Computer Adaptive Test chooses a harder or easier question for your next question.

• SCORING

The Scaled Score of this section ranges from 0 to 60, although a score below 7 or above 51 is rare (as in the Quantitative section).

For the vast majority of test-takers, the verbal score will be significantly lower than the quantitative score. Verbal scores of over 40 are already in the 90th percentile of the population – the equivalent of a 49-50 quantitative score.

• ENVIRONMENT

In this section, you cannot use a dictionary or any other aid, digital or otherwise. Scratch paper is provided in the form of an erasable note board (5 legal-sized pages laminated in clear plastic) and a thin-tipped erasable marker pen.

The 36 questions in the Verbal Section are comprised of three question types:

• 14-17 Sentence Correction questions, where you are asked to choose the correct version of a sentence out of five options.
• 13-15 Reading Comprehension questions (4 reading passages, 3-4 questions on each passage), where you are required to read a passage and answer various questions about its content and structure. When you get Reading Comprehension questions, the screen splits into an area for the passage and an area for the question and answer choices.
• 10-12 Critical Reasoning questions, where you are required to analyze an argument and find the logical solution to the question stem, such as point the main logical flaw in the argument, choose a sentence that weakens/strengthens the argument, etc.