In order to join and pursue an MBA at a reputed business school, your grades, transcript, essays, and interview are also taken into account for admission apart from the score you attain. Therefore, needless to say, that a good score to go with a good impression in the other four is necessary for admission. This is a three-and-a-half-hour test, with the candidates allowed two optional eight-minute breaks, and the four sections are analytical writing assessment, integrated reasoning (12 questions), quantitative reasoning (37 questions), and verbal reasoning (41 questions). The analytical writing assessment involves analyzing an argument and the time duration is 30 minutes. 30 minutes is also the duration for integrated reasoning, while 75 minutes is the allotment for the other two sections. The overall Graduate Management Admission Test GMAT score is in the range of 200 to 800. Candidates are allowed to retake this test up to five times during a period of 12 months, leaving 16 days in between each attempt.
GMAT Preparation Tips and Guides
Preparation holds the key, particularly given how scoring works in this exam and the consequent need to get as many answers right as possible. The ideal platform to succeed by preparing well is provided by the coaching centers in Mumbai. As an aspirant, your training program will comprise of the following:
- 60+ hours of classroom coaching (with equal time allotted for mastering the quant and verbal sections)
- One-to-one teaching and learning
- 20 to 30 hours of customized training
- Doubt clarification and group discussion sessions
- Free access to the latest GMAT preparation tips with a big list of questions
Training programs
For starters, it’s recommended that you start preparing for this exam at least 12 months in advance, so that you complete the syllabus, get attuned to the exam pattern and be in the best frame of mind. And, training institutes in Mumbai primary provide three training programs from which you can choose one: weekday batch, weekend batch and crash course batch. Each of those is self-explanatory. As part of a weekday batch, you will be attending classes every day and probably writing a few tests a week too, once the pre-planned syllabus for those five days (Monday to Friday) has been completed. This is an intensive type of training that will help you become completely thorough with the concepts, get into the practice of writing exams and thereby be well-prepared by the time the exam comes around. If you’re a professional and have work commitments, then you can opt for weekend classes, which take place on Saturdays and Sundays, with the duration of the individual class being bigger than their weekday counterpart. This batch also follows pretty much the same curriculum as the weekday batch, with the difference being the classes taking place over the weekend. The crash course is one of a short, crisp duration during which the focus is mostly on writing tests and becoming more attuned to the exam, instead of skimming the syllabus, clarifying doubts, etc. The duration of a crash course is typically one to two months. All of these training programs focus on helping you, the candidate, attain as big a score as possible. You will receive one-to-one assistance from expert trainers, a large question bank to prepare for the slightly tricky questions that you may encounter and these programs are well-organized.
GMAT Coaching Institute in Mumbai
For a regular, weekday program, the typical coaching fees are in the range of Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000. This fee is excluding GST, though it includes study material, a question bank, etc. Weekend batch students may be charged around the same fee (between Rs 20,000 and Rs 30,000) as their weekday, regular program student counterparts, excluding the tax rate. The crash course costs the cheapest, typically around Rs 10,000 excluding tax.
What is the Format of GMAT?
GMAT is an examination to measure reading, writing, critical thinking, and quantitative abilities and skills. The format of the test is divided into four sections:
- Analytical Writing Assessment: 1 question for 30 minutes
- Integrated Reasoning: 12 questions for 30 minutes
- Quantitative Reasoning: 31 questions for 62 minutes
- Verbal Reasoning: 36 questions for 65 minutes
Candidates can choose their preferred order of exam sections. The entire test should be completed within 3.5 hours, including two optional breaks for eight minutes. As GMAT is a computer adaptive examination, the difficulty level is adjusted according to the performance of an individual. The first few questions are of medium difficulty. As candidates answer questions correctly, the difficulty level increases. When answered incorrectly, the difficulty level is reduced. The process continues throughout this assessment, thus giving a scope of a more accurate score. GMAT registration costs $250 (approximately INR 17,700).
Why do they say that GMAT is difficult?
On average, candidates must score 561 out of 800 to qualify GMAT. Only 27 percent of candidates appearing for the test score above 650, whereas 12 percent score 700 or higher. The difficulty level of the test depends on the score you are aiming for and how you are preparing for it. There are some parts of GMAT that most candidates find challenging. Here’s a quick look:
- You need the stamina to sit through the test for 3.5 hours without losing your concentration
- You would have to maintain the pace to answer all the questions within the given time
- Questions left unanswered can have a significant impact on the score
- Many students consider the multi-part question to be stressful
- Some GMAT questions may appear in uncommon formats
- Non-native English speakers find the writing and verbal sections to be challenging
- Vocabulary and grammar can be increasingly tough
However, the best way to beat stress is to practice and take mock tests.
GMAT scores for Top 10 Business Schools
4.8/5
