GMAT, termed General Management Admission Test, is designed by Graduate Management Admission Council. The exam is based on the principles and execution of management practices systematically and efficiently. Millions of candidates from all over the world appear for this exam every year.
If you are a GMAT aspirant, you must prep hard to clear this exam. However, the first stage of preparation for the GMAT is finding complete information about the paper pattern and syllabus of GMAT. You need to understand about different sections of this exam to plan the perfect strategy.
Different Sections of the GMAT Exam
The GMAT exam pattern and syllabus include four sections: the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), Integrated Reasoning (IR), Quantitative section, and Verbal section. Out of 80 questions, you will face in the actual exam. The time duration is given to each of these four sections. You’ll have around 3 hours to complete this exam.
As said earlier, Analytical Writing Assessment evaluates your critical analytical abilities while IR evaluates your maths-based reasoning skills. Likewise, a standalone Quantitative section tests your quantitative skills and verbal ability with the correct use of words. Finally, the Verbal section will help you with your proficiency in English as there will be a set of questions that can be answered using words.
Syllabus of Each Section of GMAT Exam
You will observe the syllabus of each section in the below table. The GMAT is an adaptive exam in which you can change questions based on your performance. The GMAT exam fee in India in rupees is Rs 7,700 ($104). Therefore, you may have to work harder in certain sections if you are not performing well than average. The AWA and IR are not scored directly but are used as part of your overall GMAT score.
- Analytical Writing Assessment
This section is generally straightforward for most candidates. AWA section contains one question only, which Is an argument. Now, candidates have to analyze this argument and then write a critique about it. The time allotted for this section is 30 minutes which is enough if you have practiced well for AWA.
- Integrated Reasoning
The Integrated Reasoning segment of GMAT contains multiple types of questions related to reasoning in business analytics. These questions contain information in multiple formats, and students must analyze the data to find the answer. Therefore, you need to have both strong verbal and quantitative skills to solve Integrated Reasoning Questions. Following are some common types of questions that are generally seen in the IR section:
- Quantitative Section
The quantitative section of the GMAT is one of the toughest sections. As the name suggests, this section tests your knowledge of concepts of different topics of mathematics. It includes multiple tasks such as
- Word Problems
- Data Sufficiency with Questions
- Algebra
- Geometry
The timing limit for the Quantitative section is 40 minutes which is not enough if you go through this section in detail.
- Verbal Section
This segment includes questions related to grammar usage and sentence completion. Verbal reasoning is mostly based on comprehension and reading abilities to understand and reach arguments for different questions. You have to complete 36 Verbal Reasoning questions in a time limit of 62 minutes, leaving you with less than two minutes for each question. It includes solving questions based on reading comprehension, sentence correction, and critical reasoning.
It is not an easy task to ace your GMAT, but with hard work and consistency, you always achieve a decent score. Many GMAT coaching classes offer offline and online classes from top educators.
How to Prepare for GMAT Exam?
Before you go ahead with your preparation, make sure to know the different sections of the GMAT. Understand the syllabus of each section and then start preparing for the exam. Be consistent with your preparation and work hard for it since it will give you a shot at many career opportunities. You can find many good books that suit your skill level to take this exam which will be beneficial in getting a better score on GMAT and getting accepted to all your preferred programs. If you want to learn about GMAT exam fees, click here.
GMAT is a very useful exam if you wish to get into a good business school and start your career in management. However, the standard of business schools accepting GMAT scores differs for all universities. Top-ranked universities are more selective and check other factors before admitting candidates.