GMAT exam pattern has four sections with a different time limit. The syllabus of GMAT includes 4 different areas namely verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, integrateted reasoning, and analytical writing assessment. GMAT AWA is an optional section and it contains a descriptive question. The rest of the 3 sections comes with MCQs: 

• GMAT verbal – 36 questions – 65 minutes
• GMAT quant – 31 questions – 62 minutes 
• GMAT IR – 12 questions – 30 minutes
• GMAT AWA – 1 topic – 30 minutes

GMAT Online is developed during COVID-19 to help the candidates to take the test from their homes. While preparing for the GMAT exam syllabus, applicants do not know the right time to appear for GMAT. Taking this exam is completely dependent on the application deadline of the business schools. The GMAT syllabus assesses the verbal, quant, analytical writing, and integrated reasoning skills of the candidates.

Check  CAT vs GMAT

Is GMAT Tougher than CAT?

If we consider the CAT and GMAT syllabus difference it can be stated that the GMAT verbal syllabus, as well as quant, is balanced along with well-defined question types. This makes the preparation process easier than that of CAT. A candidate can score well if they dedicate around 90 – 120 hours of proper studying. This makes the CAT exam harder than GMAT.

Is Calculator Allowed in GMAT?

The candidates are not allowed to take calculators as the test centers provide the same. The calculator is only provided for the integrated reasoning section and not for the quant section. During the quant section, they will provide note boards and markers for use. 

Is GMAT Very Tough?

The GMAT exam is taken by over 200,000 candidates every year and hardly around 6% of candidates receive a 720 score and above. Therefore, the GMAT exam needs extra hard work to score around 700. To score high in the GMAT exam follow the below preparation section.

Can an Average Student Crack GMAT?

With the scoring trend available for the last 3-4 years, 650 is the average score for the GMAT test-takers. There is no defined meaning of average student, if a test taker pushes to an aimed score then scoring 700 could be easier with a few preparation tips. 

Is CAT and GMAT Syllabus same?

While discussing the GMAT syllabus and eligibility, the CAT and GMAT syllabus difference is not much. Both CAT and GMAT have similar exam patterns, where the concentration is on both verbal and quant skills. The only difference is, the CAT focuses on quantitative skills more whereas GMAT focuses more on logical reasoning.

GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment

In this Analytical Writing Assessment section, the test-taker analyzes reasoning given around an argument and writes a critique of the given argument. In this section, examiners measure the critical thinking ability of the candidate and how well the ideas are communicated through writing skills.

Note: GMAT online exam has included AWA section at home edition as well.

GMAT AWA Score

This section is evaluated on the basis of two scores given by two independent raters. Analytical Writing Assessment section scores on the basis of

• An electronic system evaluates the linguistic structure of essays like syntactic variety, the flow of ideas, and topic wise analysis
• Human evaluators assess the complete quality of the essay including writing style, development of ideas, analyzing an argument, relevant examples to substantiate logical reasoning.

While writing this section, test takers should remember a few basic things

• If a candidate retakes a particular exam for a better score, then only one request for rescoring is acceptable
• Rescoring can result in increasing or decreasing of original AWA score
• Candidates will receive revised results online and the scores will also be sent to all those programs designated as recipients of score within 20 days
• If a rescoring request has already been processed then there will be no refund

GMAT Integrated Reasoning Section

In this section of the GMAT syllabus 2023 GMAT IR, test takers are asked to integrate given data and find out solutions to complex problems. In the top business schools, test takers are examined on basis of how well data have been evaluated to make decisions. In this section, test takers gather information given through graphical representation and find out relevant information around it. In this section, test takers are also asked to find out relations to the interrelated problems.

In this section total of four kinds of questions have been asked

1. Multi-source reasoning
2. Table Analysis
3. Graphics Interpretation
4. Two-part Analysis

GMAT IR Score

GMAT IR score lies in a range of 1-8. This section is introduced in GMAT as a different data point for all those top business schools to consider the application form of the candidates. Scoring in this section will not bring any change to the other sections of GMAT- Quantitative, AWA, Verbal, and Total. A score of IR will be given to the test taker as unofficial score reports immediately after completing the exam. In the official score reports, test takers get a percentile of Integrated Reasoning score.

Read More GMAT IR Practice Paper

GMAT Quantitative Reasoning

In this section of the GMAT Quant syllabus, the quantitative and mathematical aptitude of the test takers is being measured. In this section, test takers get 31 MCQ to attempt within 62 minutes. Two types of questions asked in this section of the GMAT maths syllabus are:

• Problem Solving: In this section, the test taker has to use analytical reasoning to solve out quantitative problems
• Data Sufficiency: In this section, test takers analyze relevant data and find out data points to solve the required problem

GMAT Quant Score

Firstly test takers have to understand that this section is computer adaptive therefore GMAT quant score is based on a few factors

• Number of questions one attempted
• Number of questions one answers correctly
• Other parameters around the questions

It has been noticed that the test taker who has answered a higher number of questions correctly mostly qualifies for this exam with a high GMAT score.

Read More GMAT Quant Practice Papers

GMAT Verbal Reasoning

In the GMAT Verbal Reasoning section, how well the test taker articulates arguments through writing skills are being measured. In this section, test takers have to express logical ideas along with coherence in simple language. One needs to attempt 36 MCQ in 65 minutes. Three types of questions asked in the Verbal Reasoning section are as follows

Reading Comprehension: It measures how well the test taker understands logical statements present along within the passage and to write it in their own style. Logical structure, writing style, and the supporting ideas of the test taker has been measured in this section

Critical Reasoning: This section measures how well the test taker evaluates an argument through coherent writing and finds out the solution of it. For this section, questions are being asked out of a short passage of 100-word length.

Sentence Correction: In this section language proficiency of the test taker is measured. In this section grammatical usage and structure of the language used by the candidate are measured. The test taker has to construct the sentences properly in this section.

GMAT Verbal Score

GMAT verbal score varies in the range of 0-60 with one point increment with each correct answer. Along with the scaled score, candidates also get percentile ranking.

Read More GMAT Verbal Practice Papers

GMAT 2023: Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT)

GMAC uses computers for making the exam pattern more reliable to test takers. In the GMAT syllabus for MBA, responses given by the test taker will be the deciding point of what types of questions will be asked next. Through this adaptive nature of the computer, GMAC shares a more secured and reliable exam pattern as required by the top business schools. One must know the logic and the advantages behind this CAT exam pattern.

CAT is a kind of tailored testing. As it is administered by the computer therefore the next set of questions will completely be dependent on answers given by the test takers. Suppose the test taker gives the first answer correctly then the very next question will have a higher difficulty level whereas if the test taker gives the first answer incorrectly then the very next question will have a lesser difficulty level. Computer administers the difficulty level of GMAT as per responses given.

Percentile Ability                                                             

Suppose 10 questions are given in this section among which only 8 questions have been answered correctly by the 60% of the total test-takers. Therefore it says that 80% accuracy level is equivalent to 50 percentile. Similarly if those same 10 questions among which only 8 questions have been answered correctly by 3% of the total test-takers then the percentile would have become 97 percentile.

In this above-mentioned picture, it is explained clearly that if the first answer is given correctly then the difficulty level will be higher on the very next question whereas if the first answer is given incorrectly then the very next question will be comparatively easier. Questions will be asked from the Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning sections.

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