GMAT is a wonderful exam that tests your critical reading, writing, and reasoning skills acquired to date. Critical skills are a crystal clear thought process regarding the concepts and their application. For the majority of the candidates who have been brilliant academic performers or in fact, valedictorian’s, GMAT proves to be an eye-opener with the only emphasis on critical skills being tested throughout the test. Many are not able to digest the fact considering their vivid past as to why they performed so badly on the test. The reason can be attributed to the way the academics or in fact many standardized tests ascertain your skills.

To understand this deeply, we need to go to the way the brain works. Our brain can be divided into two halves or hemispheres: left brain, and right brain. Both sides of the brain look very much alike, but there’s a huge contrast in how they process information. The left brain is more verbal, analytical, and orderly than the right brain. It’s sometimes called the digital brain. It’s better at things like reading, writing, and computations. The right brain is more visual and intuitive. It’s sometimes referred to as the analog brain. It has a more creative and less organized way of thinking. Our education system has been designed to test the left side of the brain much more than the right side. People who use the left brain more are excellent at following a procedure, or specific set of rules and this is the reason you have been a great academic performer. However, when it comes to the GMAT, you might be able to solve the majority of GMAT questions using standard techniques, but that simply takes too much time, and you simply can’t compromise on the GMAT. In fact, most questions on the GMAT have much shorter insight-based solutions. This is where GMAT requires you to use your right brain equally effectively. The GMAT draws on both sides of the brain to be an exceptional performer.

The majority of the standardized tests ask straightforward questions wherein you can apply a formula and get to the answer. Similarly, in Verbal and Data Insights sections, the GMAT focuses a lot on your logical reasoning and comprehension skills. If you know the meaning of the word, you can answer the question straight away otherwise the amount of time does not make a difference. Also, the top performers efficiently perform the two-pass strategy on various standardized tests to get a great score by attempting the easy or your strength area questions first and keeping the harder ones that target your weak areas towards the end. This approach lets you maximize your score as you attempt all the questions that are your strengths and leave the rest of the questions to be attempted later on. This approach goes for a toss with GMAT being a computer-adaptive test. So, you will not have the option to skip any question, return to any previously attempted question, and edit any answer. This makes GMAT, a hard pill to swallow for many test takers. The proprietary GMAC algorithm starts each of these sections with a mean-level question (552 is considered a mean score in GMAT). As you keep on answering the questions correctly, the next question the algorithm throws at you is of a bit higher level. This process of chronological increase in difficulty of questions keeps on going till the point, you answer a question wrong. Once a question is answered incorrectly, the algorithm throws a question of lesser difficulty. The GMAT test adapts itself in real-time to your actual ability level, hence the name computer adaptive. The GMAT score obtained helps business schools assess your potential with a higher degree of precision, as the GMAT score is trusted widely across the globe.

Contrary to the popular notion of playing on strengths, scoring well on the GMAT specifically requires a thorough analysis of identifying your weak areas and converting them into your strengths. This is the single most important factor that marks the difference among the candidates who see a great jump in their scores on the final GMAT exam. To identify your weakness you should work with a great GMAT tutor who has years of experience behind his back teaching students of varying aptitude levels. Your tutor can use his or her expertise and prove to be a great sailor in helping you pass the GMAT with flying colors.

GMAT punishes people whose Quant strategy relies heavily on the use of formulas. Though necessary to know the concept or the formula, the GMAT actually tests you on the application of the same. GMAT never asks even a single straightforward question. For example, you might be very good at knowing the meaning of tough English words in isolation, but if you are not able to use them in sentences (real-life communication), it will land you nowhere on the GMAT.

If you are determined to perform better on the GMAT, you need to be honest with yourself (easier said than done) about the level you currently stand and your weak areas. You need to gauge yourself and then prepare on three indispensable segments of the GMAT prep: Content Knowledge, Test Strategy, and Time Management. All these three are mandatorily required in equal proportions to improve your score on the GMAT. However, test strategies and time management come into play once you have sound content knowledge. Later, both the other strategies can be honed and applied to exceed your expectations on the GMAT.

GMAT is an exam in which no one strategy fits all. The strategy to rise up the ladder for every individual is unique. Acing the GMAT can be compared to “Enlightenment”. One might have all the necessary ingredients (Content Knowledge, Test Strategy, and Time Management) in place but still, the end result (great GMAT score) is not achievable. What is actually required is to fine-tune all three ingredients to the correct frequency simultaneously. It may sound impossible but can be accomplished under the guidance of an expert GMAT tutor.

We at GMAT30 have been pioneers in providing world-class online as well as one-on-one classes for the GMAT exam. It gives us great contentment to see our students realize their aspirations and potential through our guidance. We have catered to almost all parts of the globe as far as our students are concerned. Our students have been admitted to the most prestigious schools a child aspires to study. We have years of experience behind our backs, which only increases our drive and confidence with each passing year to provide the best education for the GMAT exam. We have always believed that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Since every person is unique, we at GMAT30 also believe that every person has the potential though it just needs to be identified, nurtured, and polished. Each individual has unique strengths and weaknesses. The most important thing for a tutor or guide is to identify the gaps a candidate has and to work on them slowly and steadily because both the gaps and the grasping power of each child are different, which cannot be identified in group classes. This is by far the most important thing required for a GMAT prep and that’s the reason we don’t do group classes, as we want to be sincere in our profession and one approach does not fit all. For us, money is not the only criterion, but imparting and imbibing valuable education to each person is our prime focus.

Our point of view – GMAT can be aced, but that surely requires the guidance of top GMAT instructors, which can effectively make a difference in your GMAT prep. Please note that the remainder of this post pertains primarily to the scoring and format of the legacy GMAT test. For GMAT Focus insights, please refer to our blog on GMAT Focus De-Brief.

How to manage my time better on GMAT test day?

Effective and Efficient management of time on the test day can really be the most significant contributing factor whether your score is better or worse than the average score obtained in your mock tests during your GMAT prep phase. You cannot vary your content knowledge on the test day as that’s a fixed parameter. The only thing that is variable is time management. So, that’s the only thing which will be creating a difference between your mock scores and actual test score. No matter how hard one tries to stimulate the real test environment while giving his mocks or practice tests, the scenario while actually writing the GMAT can’t be fully replicated. The anxiety levels experienced on the test day is very different when compared to the mocks you give.

This article specifically focuses on the strategies that can be followed on the test day to better manage your time. One thing that needs to be remembered is that you are not expected to answer 100 percent of the questions correctly. The scores in the range of 760-800 all fall in the 99th percentile. Some candidates hit the panic button as soon as they are not confident of answering a particular question. Also, many students consume far more time on a difficult question leaving you scarce of time for relatively easier questions. This crunch of time induces pressure, and takes a hit on your accuracy even for the easy and medium level questions. Remember, leaving questions unanswered at the end of any section hurts the score more than even answering them incorrectly. Each unanswered question drops your score by 3 percentile. Hence, leaving questions unanswered is the worst thing you can do on the GMAT exam.

“Floor is more important than the ceiling” is a famous quote in the GMAT world. It means missing easy questions hurts much more than answering a tough question correctly. A pressurized time environment leads one to commit silly mistakes, answering the wrong question, and not fully solving the problem.  Sometimes a question asks for the parameter and we calculate the area. Similarly, sometimes the diameter is asked and radius is marked as the answer. So, give a diligent thought process and pay special attention to what is really asked? The GMAC questions are designed in such a way that an eye for detail is a must or you end up spending valuable time on a question and answer it wrongly. Answering around 75-80% of the questions correctly for all the questions is far better than answering 85% of questions correctly and leaving the 15% unanswered or answered using a wild guess.

Creating a benchmark for every section on the test is the key to better managing your time on the GMAT. Many students keep on looking at the timer after each question to know if they are on the right pace. This leads to time waste and shift in your focus on a regular basis leading to the loss of rhythm and concentration during the test. Moreover, some questions actually need more time to solve than others. Breaking each section into 10 questions is a good idea. This will give you a fair idea whether you are rightly paced during the test or not. This takes into account all variety of questions, some you might be able to answer in less than a minute and some might take more than 2 minutes. Creating benchmarks kind of calculates the average to help you know whether you are rightly pacing the test.

Effectively time management is a skill that is acquired over a period of time and not a great difference can be made on the test day. 

At GMAT30, we have been pioneers in providing world-class online as well as one-on-one classes for the GMAT exam. It gives us great contentment to see our students realize their aspirations and potential through our guidance. We have catered to almost all parts of the globe as far as our students are concerned. Our students have got admitted to the most prestigious schools a child aspires to study. We have years of experience behind our back, which only increases our drive and confidence with each passing year to provide the best education for the GMAT exam. We have always believed that success is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Since every person is unique, we also believe that every person has the potential though it just needs to be identified, nurtured, and polished. Each individual has unique strengths and weaknesses. The most important thing for a tutor or guide is to identify the gaps a candidate has and to work upon them slowly and steadily because both the gaps and the grasping power of each child is different, which cannot be identified in group classes. This is by far the most important thing required for a GMAT prep and that’s the reason we don’t do group classes, as we want to be sincere to our profession and one approach does not fit all. For us, money is not the only criterion, but imparting and imbibing valuable education to each person is our prime focus.

Our point of view – GMAT can be aced, but that surely requires the guidance of top GMAT instructors, which can effectively make a difference in your GMAT prep.

How to improve timing on the GMAT? I am really struggling with it.

Time management is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your time between specific activities. Failing to manage the time optimally destroys your effectiveness and induces stress, finally leading to much lower scores one had targeted. Pacing on the GMAT is tricky for everyone and that’s the major factor what actually makes GMAT one of the best standardized tests available in addition to being computer adaptive. The GMAT ensures the test experience is universal, giving no unfair advantage to any candidate. The indispensable parts of the GMAT prep include Content Knowledge, Test Strategy, and Time Management. In spite of a sound content knowledge, it is very common for students to run out of time during their GMAT day. Not adhering to effective time management on the test day almost eliminates your chances to obtain your target score. This article discusses in detail about Time Management techniques that can be applied and steadily learnt during your GMAT prep phase, which can be finally applied on the GMAT exam.

The GMAT is a 203-minute-long marathon, including two optional breaks of 8 minutes each. Since GMAT is a computer-adaptive test, you cannot return back to any question again. Therefore, you cannot use the two-pass strategy which most of us have been accustomed to and have been using as a weapon for time management in most of our academic exams and any other tests attempted so far. As a thumb rule, one should not get stuck on a particular question for more than three minutes during the entire duration of the test. These types of questions are intentionally put to the test to break your momentum and identify your decision-making capability whether you get stuck on solving that question or move on. Instead, one should make a strategic guess in these type of situations and move on.

Leaving questions unanswered at the end of any section hurts the score more than even answering them incorrectly. Each unanswered question drops your score by 3 percentile. Hence, leaving questions unanswered is the worst thing you can do on the GMAT exam.

The first and foremost thing to improve on the timing is to understand the goal of the GMAT test. The GMAT tests your understanding of analyzing a situation and determining the information needed to solve it. Understanding how to approach and solve problems is the key. The emphasis should not be on the final solution but rather your approach should be to critically think as to what GMAT expects out of that question. You need to think from the perspective of the examiner as to why the particular question appeared on the GMAT. With guided practice, the same can be accomplished. The moment you start thinking and understanding the examiners’ point of view, the dreaded GMAT will unveil its beauty and you will really start to enjoy your GMAT prep phase with a dramatic decrease in the time spent answering most of the questions.

Though GMAT allows the flexibility of choosing the order of sections to be attempted, we opine that the IR and AWA sections should be attempted last. This is due to the fact that by the time you have finished two sections on the GMAT (Quant and Verbal or vice versa) your brain will have already been grilled for more than two hours and your brain won’t be as efficient as it was during the beginning of the test. Though IR & AWA are important, the composite score of the Verbal and Quant section is what is most accountable when it comes to the admission process.

“Floor is more important than the ceiling” is a famous quote in the GMAT world. It means that missing easy questions hurts much more than answering a hard question correctly. A pressurized time environment leads one to commit silly mistakes, answer the wrong question, and not fully solve the problem.  Sometimes a question asks for the parameter and we calculate the area. Similarly, sometimes the diameter is asked and the radius is marked as the answer. So, give a diligent thought process and pay special attention to what is really asked. The GMAT questions are designed in such a way that an eye for detail is a must or you end up spending valuable time on a question and answer it wrongly.

Also, one should create a benchmark for every section on the test. Many students keep on looking at the timer after each question to know if they are on the right pace. This leads to a time waste and a shift in your focus on a regular basis. Moreover, some questions actually need more time to solve than others. Breaking each section into 10 questions is a good idea. This will give you a fair idea of whether you are rightly paced during the test or not. This takes into account a variety of questions, some you might be able to answer in less than a minute and some might take more than 2 minutes. Creating benchmarks kind of calculates the average to help you know whether you are correctly pacing the test.

Many candidates don’t attempt the IR and AWA sections during their practice tests. Make sure you start giving your practice test as if it was a real GMAT test. This helps to build your mental strength which is actually very helpful during your actual exam day.

Below are the section-specific strategies you can apply to improve your pacing on the GMAT.

Quantitative Section:

The GMAT is not a test of calculations. Calculators have been made specifically for that. The GMAT tests your understanding of basic mathematical concepts and their application in this section. The following strategies might prove fruitful with regard to saving time on the Quant section

• Data Sufficiency Questions:

As the name implies, the main objective of Data Sufficiency questions is to determine whether the given information is sufficient to answer a given set of problems. Many candidates make the mistake of treating this section as a problem-solving section and hence consume a lot more time than what is actually required. For example, suppose we are given a question where we are provided with three sets of equations. However, the number of variables provided in the statement is only two. So, instead of solving the equations, we should be pretty clear that the given set of information is insufficient to answer the question. Also, test takers make a lot of silly mistakes in these questions by skimming through the question stem and not having an eye for detail which is very important for each and every question that appears on the GMAT.

If you understand the fundamental strategy to approach the Data Sufficiency questions, you will end up saving a significant time which is the most important resource on the GMAT exam.

• Problem Solving:

If there was no time limit on the GMAT exam, the majority of the candidates would have been able to perform much better. However, consistent accuracy under strict time constraints is what GMAT tests.

It is a good practice to glance at the options before actually solving the question. If the options are widely spread, you can make approximations on the calculation front, which will help you save a lot of time. Also, many candidates straight away jump into problem-solving right after reading the question. Instead, take a pause for about 5-10 seconds after reading the question and try creating a mental roadmap as to how the question should be answered. With practice, this strategy works wonders in reducing the time answering many of the questions.

Verbal Section:

In the verbal section, no one strategy fits all. One should develop their own strategy during the prep phase. Mostly the strategy adopted is saving time on the SC section and utilizing the time saved on the RC section of the GMAT.

• Critical Reasoning:

One technique that is quite effective for this section is focussing on frameworks and identifying the logical flaws. After going through the argument and the question stem try coming out with your answer before looking at the options. This is what pre-thinking is all about. In case your answer matches or aligns with any of the answer options, you can be pretty sure that the answer you select will be right.

• Sentence Correction:

One of the most commonly committed mistakes in this section is going through all the answer options. When we follow this process, by the time we read the last option our brain is fatigued from reading the same information again and again and we get confused in making a decision. Instead, one should learn the technique of vertical scanning wherein you can eliminate at least 3 of the 5 given options. This leaves you with at most two options to evaluate. This helps in saving time and increasing the accuracy of the SC section of the GMAT.

• Reading Comprehension:

This section plays a major role in distinguishing between a good verbal score and an average score. Many people advocate skimming the passage to complete it quickly. We advocate reading the passage slowly, comprehending the maximum information possible, and one should take small notes of important things mentioned in the passage. Make sure that the need to re-read the whole passage should never arise, which might prove disastrous considering the time limit of the section.

 What’s the ideal time frame to prepare for the GMAT?

This is probably the first question which every candidate wants to know as to how much preparation time is required for the GMAT. Well the answer to this question cannot be generalized as every candidate’s level of critical (reading, writing, and reasoning) skills are different.  However, we have made a rough approximation through our years of experience that for every point improvement on the GMAT, one hour of effective GMAT preparation and not mundane preparation is required. It means someone willing to improve his score from 500 to 600 will at least require 100 hours of effective GMAT prep including self-study under the guidance of an expert GMAT tutor.

The following factors will help you gauge the time frame required for an individual to prepare for the GMAT exam:

• Baseline score VS Target score

The baseline score is the score obtained by giving a sample mock test on the official GMAC site without even an hour of preparation. This will let you know where you stand currently. The next thing is to determine the target score you want to achieve by going through the cut-offs in the various colleges you seek admission to. As stated earlier the difference between the target score and the baseline score will roughly indicate the amount of hours that need to be put in for the GMAT preparation phase including the self-study under the guidance of an expert GMAT tutor.

• Grasping Power and its Implementation:

As the grasping power of each individual is unique, better-grasping power significantly reduces the time required for GMAT preparation. However, along with the grasping power, the application of the same is equally important for the GMAT prep. It means you might be aware of the concept but are unable to decipher where to apply it when a question based on a concept actually appears. This is where your GMAT tutor experience counts as he will be able to identify where you actually lack (concepts or application of concepts).

• Dedicated time for GMAT Prep:

Another factor that is really important for identifying the ideal time frame for the GMAT is what are your occupancies along with the GMAT prep. Some candidates take a sabbatical from their workplace to prepare for the GMAT, whereas others take it along with their jobs or business in parallel. Since a human mind can only be productive and efficient for a certain time limit during the day. It greatly matters whether you are focusing your energy only on the GMAT prep or have some other engagements. Your current physical health and mental status also play a vital role in determining the hours required for the GMAT prep phase.

• Consistent Studying:

If you are disciplined and stick to a particular routine during your GMAT prep, that will result in faster learning thereby reducing the hours invested for the preparation. However, some candidates due to their organizational and family commitments take multiple breaks during their GMAT prep which increases the number of hours required for their GMAT prep as you have to brush up on what has already been learned so far.

• Ability to adapt:

GMAT is the test of your critical skills (reading, writing, and reasoning) which you have learned and have been developing throughout your life. So, GMAT prep time is greatly dependent on your ability to adapt to the paradigm shift required in your thought process to attempt the GMAT questions with the right approach.

You need to think from the perspective of the examiner as to why the particular question appeared on the GMAT. Some candidates take more time as compared to others for a paradigm shift in their approach.

• English as first language:

If English is your first language, you definitely gain an upper hand as far as the verbal prep time is concerned. However, if that’s not the case, you will have to spend a lot of extra time and effort as learning the fundamentals and rules of a new language can be a cumbersome and slow task. If you are a voracious reader, that will certainly help on the overall verbal section on the GMAT whether that be critical reasoning, sentence correction, and especially the Reading comprehension section. You might not have to worry about the “Idioms” as you can get it right just by looking at the same with the critical reading concepts developed over time with the reading habit. However, a person who is not a voracious reader will have to spend a lot of time going through the idioms and their usage as there are no specific rules for the same. One has to increase his reading and assimilation speed as that’s the key for acing the RC section on the GMAT.

Our point of view – GMAT can be aced, but that surely requires the guidance of top GMAT instructors, which can effectively make a difference in your GMAT prep.

Everything about the GMAT Exam

Overview

This article comprehensively covers all aspects that a candidate, or in fact anyone interested, needs to know about GMAT exam. Graduate Management Admission Test which is popularly known as GMAT is owned and administered by Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which is a non-profit organization of business schools across the globe. The GMAT is offered in 114 countries, and the GMAT score is accepted by more than 2300 graduate business schools offering more than 7000 programs. The GMAT is a multiple choice, computer-based, computer-adaptive standardized exam. The main objective of the exam is to measure your readiness for the business schools by measuring skills mandatory to the study of management with emphasis on critical thinking and reasoning in a time-pressured environment. The performance on the GMAT is an essential part of the business school application process along with your academic record, work experience, and other supporting materials. So, a high score on the GMAT definitely gives you an edge on your business school application.

GMAT Sections and Scoring

The GMAT is a 203 minutes long marathon with two optional 8 minutes breaks included. The GMAT comprises four separate timed sections. Your critical thinking and reasoning skills will be required throughout the four sections of the test, as these are essentially required throughout your business school or MBA. The following are the four sections on the GMAT:

1. Quantitative Aptitude
2. Verbal
3. Integrated Reasoning
4. Analytical Writing Assessment.

GMAT gives you the flexibility of choosing the order in which the exam can be attempted. The three orders in which the exam can be attempted are as follows

1. Quantitative, Verbal, Integrated Reasoning (IR), Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA).
2. Verbal, Quantitative, Integrated Reasoning (IR), Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA).
3. Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA), Integrated Reasoning (IR), Quantitative, Verbal.

The Quant and Verbal Sections each have a scaled score from 0-60. These scores are then combined to generate a composite score on a 200-800 scale with 10 point increments, which is the score generally popular with students. GMAT assumes that any candidate who has cleared his undergraduate must have some aptitude. Therefore, the composite score is on a range of 200-800 and not 0-800.

The Integrated Reasoning (IR) section is scored separately on a 1-8 scale, with one-point increments.

The Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section is also scored separately on a 0-6 scale with half-point increments.

Both the sections (Quant and Verbal) are computer-adaptive.  So, you will not have the option to skip any question, return to any previously attempted question, and edit any answer. This makes GMAT, a hard pill to swallow for many test takers. The proprietary GMAC algorithm starts each of these sections with a mean level question (552 is considered a mean score in GMAT). As you keep on answering the questions correctly, the next question the algorithm throws at you is of a bit higher level. This process of chronological increase in difficulty of questions keeps on going till the point, you answer a question wrong. Once a question is answered incorrectly, the algorithm throws a question of lesser difficulty. The GMAT test adapts itself in real-time to your actual ability level, hence the name computer adaptive. The GMAT score obtained helps the business schools assess your potential with a higher degree of precision, as the GMAT score is trusted widely across the globe.

The sections, AWA and IR are not computer adaptive. The AWA section is scored by both a human grader and electronic scoring system. Both evaluate your essay based on a variety of parameters for writing.  The IR is scored electronically based on the number of questions attempted correctly.

On a final note for scoring, every GMAT exam has experimental questions (which are not scored) mixed with the actual test questions. These questions can appear in any of the four sections. However, there is no way to identify these questions. So, best effort should be made for every question attempted.

Quantitative Reasoning

The Quant section on the GMAT tests your reasoning, content, and analytical knowledge of basic math concepts. The questions asked cover topics from Arithmetic, Algebra, Number Properties, Geometry, and Modern Math (Statistics, Permutations and Combinations, Probability).

Problem solving questions are standardized questions you have been practicing so far in your school and college. However, Data Sufficiency questions are an uphill task for students, as it is a new learning curve for most new test takers. Since, most of the candidates writing the exam are accustomed to problem solving, they find Data Sufficiency questions difficult to handle. Instead as the name suggests, the basic purpose of Data Sufficiency questions is to determine whether the given set of Data is sufficient enough to answer or not, rather than solving the question altogether.

Verbal

The Verbal Section tests your ability to read critically, skills in analyzing arguments, and command of standard written English. Broadly, the questions in the Verbal section can be divided into three categories: Critical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, and Sentence Correction.

1. Critical Reasoning:

Critical reasoning is all about arguments: their construction, analysis and evaluation. You are presented with a short argument or a series of statements, and you are expected to answer a question on the basis of the same. Solving critical reasoning questions requires you to understand the structure of the argument thoroughly. One should have an eye for detail between the evidence provided and the conclusion drawn or inferred.

2. Reading Comprehension:

These questions present the candidate with a reading passage on topics related to social science, business, physical science, biological science etc. and 3-4 questions are asked based on the passage. These questions test your critical reading skills. It can be anything from making inferences based on the information in the passage, deduce the author’s tone, summarize the main idea, analyze the logical structure of the passage, and differentiate between the ideas stated explicitly in the passage to those implied by the author

3. Sentence Correction:

These questions test your critical reasoning skills about written English. What might sound right might not be actually correct. Here, you will encounter long and involved sentences. A part or the entire given sentence will be underlined. You are supposed to find the best version of the underlined section out of choices available in reference to written English. One needs to have an excellent command on grammar for solving these types of questions efficiently on the GMAT.

Integrated Reasoning (IR)

This section measures your Data Interpretation skills i.e. the ability to comprehend and assimilate data in written and visual forms such as graphs, charts, and tables. Also, you must be skillful in choosing the right information and discarding the unnecessary information. Some questions test both your Quant and Verbal skills in parallel. The IR section is scored separately from the 200-800 score you obtain for Verbal and Quant.

Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)

The AWA section presents you with a brief argument, something similar to critical reasoning questions in the verbal section. This section is meant to assess your ability, to think critically and communicate your interpretation in writing. The main purpose is to be a critique of the argument presented and analyze the reasoning behind the given argument. The AWA section is scored by both a human grader and electronic scoring system. Both evaluate your essay based on a variety of parameters for writing.

PREPARING FOR THE GMAT EXAM

GMAT is a wonderful exam that basically tests your critical reading, writing, and reasoning skills. We call it wonderful, as it tests almost every skill you have developed over time. Secondly, any amount of cramming won’t work on the GMAT. However, the beauty of GMAT lies in the preparation phase, which when pursued in an effective manner changes your mindset altogether,  not only for the GMAT but also your overall approach towards life as you start to take responsibility for every decision you make (no matter how small or big). This can be attributed to the clear thought process you develop when the GMAT prep is pursued in an efficient manner.

The term critical thinking involves the ability to actively and skillfully conceptualize, analyze, question and evaluate ideas and beliefs. Critical reasoning is the opposite of dogma. Dogma is unquestioned information — information that is embraced without the intervention of active thought or criticism. To reason critically is to question the ideas and beliefs of others and oneself and to challenge dogma and authority. The terms “critical reasoning”, “critical thinking” and “clear thinking” all mean the same. Critical reasoning is about arguments: their construction, analysis and evaluation.

The preparation for GMAT is very different as compared to preparation for any other standardized test. The reason is that GMAT never asks you even a single straight forward question. Each and every question on the GMAT requires you to apply the concepts learned till date in a strategic way. We have seen candidates, who are not able to improve their scores even after 5-6 attempts on the GMAT. We attribute this to the beauty of the GMAT exam. Until and unless, there is a paradigm shift in your thought process, the way you approach the questions, the way you critically think, there will be hardly any or marginal improvement in your scores at best.

WHAT IS A GOOD GMAT SCORE?

A good GMAT score is a relative term depending on your existing score and the colleges you aim to target. However, generally speaking any score above 710 out of 800 puts you in the 90th percentile, which is considered good if not excellent.

The mean score of the GMAT exam is somewhere around 552 which means if you score a 552, 50% of students are ahead of your score and the rest 50% are behind. Regarding the individual sections, the mean score of the Quant section is approximately 40, whereas the mean score of Verbal section is roughly 26.

However, to know what a good GMAT score is for a specific individual, it is always advisable to look at the average GMAT score (mean) of the applicants admitted to the MBA programs you are considering.

WHEN IS THE GMAT OFFERED?

GMAT like the GRE can be taken at any time you feel ready for the test. However, it can be given a total of 8 times in one’s lifespan. Furthermore, you can give at most 5 attempts in a 365 day period with a gap of at least 16 days between the subsequent attempts. The GMAC advises to give the GMAT at least 21 days prior to your application deadline. Generally, the weekend dates tend to fill up more quickly. So, in case you plan to give your GMAT on a weekend, you must book a date well in advance.

HOW MUCH DOES THE GMAT EXAM COST?

The exam fee of GMAT is $250. GMAT allows you the flexibility to reschedule your test date. However, it charges additional $50 in case you reschedule the exam one week before the test date.  Otherwise the whole $250 will be deducted. Also, $80 is deducted in case you cancel your exam.

How are the online GMAT Immersive classes going to be different from traditional classroom instructions?

The biggest difference is that Immersive Classes can be attended by the students from the comfort of their place of choice, as long as there is decent internet connectivity, location of the student doesn’t matter. You no longer have to miss the class just because you’re travelling. Convenience is what the Immersive Classes offer over the traditional classroom instruction.

How is the Immersive module designed to make it a comprehensive preparation tool for the students? Are there any exclusive algorithms, subject-specific online tools, Immersive interactive sessions for Quant, Verbal and IR modules?

YES! There’s a very structured and a well laid out algorithm that the Immersive module will follow. There are Tools that are not just subject specific but also area specific, chapter specific, and sub-topic specific and are aimed to:

Facilitate highly targeted and efficient preparation.

Guide the students with planning and tracking their preparation.

Accessibility (anytime and anywhere)

Access to the following: 1. Set of recorded Concept Videos covering all the concepts tested on GMAT. 2. Learn Module Practice: Ensures that a student gets comfortable with a newly learned concept. 3. Modular Practice: To prepare yourself for the various challenges that GMAT can throw at you. 4. Basic foundation webinars, advanced webinars and strategy webinars to give an extra boost to their preparation.

How is it designed to make it personalised in order to pace it according to each student’s individual requirements?

The GMAT Immersive offers the following:

Live interactive classes

Set of concept videos that a student can watch anytime, anywhere. For instance, a student attended the percentage class but felt he probably needs a bit more clarity with the basics, all s/he needs to do is to go through the concept videos on percentage at their time of convenience and comfort, watch the video on loop if need be.

Access to the recording of the Live Classes is also available for the student in case a few concepts discussed in the class require a revisit.

Revision of the class notes couldn’t be simpler than fast forwarding the class itself.

The concept videos + library of recorded live sessions + Live Classes + topic wise and area wise tracked practice offer a student a truly personalised prep.

The idea of this hybrid program is to make all that is required for that particular student to prepare for GMAT available at any time anywhere.

How thorough will be the Immersive Instructions?

Very! Each live class will start from building an understanding of the concepts pertaining to that particular topic, and once understood, applying those concepts in the GMAT like problems. No concept or skill that’s tested on GMAT would be skipped. Also provided alongside the live classes are the tools to brush up the basics, like concept videos and foundation webinars, and master the 750+ problems, through harder practice problems, advanced webinars and strategy sessions.

Why should one enroll in this course?

One should enroll in this course to ensure that their GMAT Prep is well rounded, comprehensive, and customisable as per the requirements at various stages of preparation. Also this course is a rare combination of learning driven by 99%ile GMAT scorers with over 10 years of experience and the convenience of self-paced learning.

Is there any particular platform that the Immersive Classes will be delivered through?

Yes there is. The Live Classes would be delivered through an online platform like Zoom, Skype, AdobeConnect, all of which are available for free. It’s advisable that students download the free online application for best experience.

Is GMAT Immersive designed as per certain standard needs of students, for instance a working professional will have different needs than a fresher who is planning to pursue an MiM?

As per the preparation part is concerned, the content to master is the same for either a working professional or a college student as the test itself isn’t different for these two categories of test takers. That being said, the needs of the working professionals may be different from the one targeting an MiM.

The timings of the GMAT Immersive classes have been decided keeping in mind the needs of the working professionals. Since a traditional classroom batch may not be a feasible option for those who’re working, GMAT Immersive is the option they should ideally choose for their preparation.

When do we expect to see the launch of GMAT Immersive?

The product is ready. It’s going through the testing phase right now, we’re providing it the final touches even as we speak. Expect the GMAT Immersive launch very soon. Stay TUNED!