GMAT structure

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    We continue the series of publications about the GMAT test - recall that in the previous article we gave a general description of the exam and talked about the grading system. Today we will talk about the structure of the GMAT - we will talk in detail about each of the sections of the GMAT and indicate its features.

    As always, we are waiting for your comments, questions and suggestions!


    The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) consists of four main sections, namely (in the order they are passed):
    • GMAT AWA (Analytical Writing Assessment);
    • GMAT IR (Integrated Reasoning);
    • GMAT Math (Quantitative);
    • GMAT Verbal section.

    Each of the sections of the assessment will be examined in detail below.

    GMAT Verbal
    One of the main components of the GMAT test is the Verbal Section - a unit that evaluates the candidate's verbal skills, including:
    • level of language proficiency;
    • understanding of the text;
    • presentation logic;
    • search for the main and secondary, general and particular, cause and effect;
    • knowledge of general grammar rules.

    The section consists of three main sections:
    • understanding of the text ( Reading Comprehension ). This part tests the ability to work with text. You will need to read 2-4 small passages, and then answer the questions posed by choosing the right option out of five possible. Texts can be on various topics: business, management, marketing, economics, etc.
    • critical justification ( Critical Reasoning ). This section primarily assesses the candidate’s analytical skills. You will be offered several passages, and then several questions will be given to them that test logical skills. You may be offered to refute or confirm the argument, make an assumption, choose the most logical ending of the text, or draw a conclusion.
    • correction of mistakes made in the sentence ( Sentence Correction ). In this part, you need to show a sense of language and perfect knowledge of grammar. You need to choose the right answer not only in terms of grammar, idioms and sentence structure, but also the best of 2 correct ones

    In total, the section consists of 41 tasks. Work on the verbal section takes exactly 75 minutes.

    AWA Section AWA

    (Analytical Writing Assessment) is another critical component of the GMAT. You will need to write an essay in 30 allotted minutes: analyze the argument, express your point of view, backing it up with facts and examples. The statement should be logical and consistent with the canons of the organization of the written text.

    Work is evaluated on a six-point scale.

    The essay is checked by both a computer and a person. The Intellimetric computer program analyzes syntax, grammar, and vocabulary. When checking, people pay more attention to the general style of work than to grammar and spelling.

    After checking, the estimates are added up and the arithmetic mean is displayed. The average score for an AWA section is 4 out of 6.

    How to prepare for the GMAT?

    The main score of the GMAT test consists of the verbal and mathematical sections. To pass the test well, you need to pay attention to both components. Therefore, we recommend that you take training as seriously as possible and devote at least a few hours a day to your classes.

    Use proven textbooks (for example, the GMAT Official Guide ) and perform typical tasks, such as which are sure to be found in the verbal section. In addition, you must regularly train in writing an essay.

    GMAT Math

    Tasks at GMAT Math It is divided into two types according to the format of tasks:
    • problem solving
    • data sufficiency.

    Despite the fact that many GMAT students are most afraid of the mathematical section of the exam, most of the tasks are not difficult. As a rule, many of them do not exceed the level of the last classes of the school.

    In the mathematical section, candidates must demonstrate the ability not only to solve standard problems, but also to analyze numerical information. In total, the section consists of thirty-seven tasks, which must be completed in 75 minutes. The adaptive test format determines the level of preparedness of the candidate and, depending on this, lowers or raises the level of difficulty of the questions after passing the first few questions of the middle level.

    As in other sections of the GMAT test, the key factor is precisely the knowledge of the answers to various types of questions.

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    Data Sufficiency Format Issues

    Many examiners mistakenly believe that the mathematical part of the GMAT test consists only of tasks, however, in the Data Sufficiency section, first of all, the ability of students to not only analyze the question, but also to divide it into several separate components is checked to find the right solution.

    This section also tests the ability to understand algebraic, arithmetic and geometric concepts, as well as use logical techniques that are necessary in solving various mathematical problems.

    Tasks, the main purpose of which is to analyze the sufficiency of data, are presented in the same structural form: one question and two statements. Applicants must choose one of the five options that are relevant, which relate to the sufficiency of the submitted statements to answer the main question.

    In all tasks of the section, the options do not change, therefore, we recommend that you remember them so as not to spend a lot of time reading.

    Task Example:
    In a sequence of numbers in which every term after term 1 is 1 more than two times the preceding term, so what is term 5?

    (1) Term 1 = 1.
    (2) The term 6 - term 5 = 32.

    Answer options:
    1. Statement (1) is sufficient, but only statement (2) is not enough.
    2. Statement (2) is sufficient, but statement (1) is not.
    3. The two statements together are sufficient, but none of them are sufficient individually.
    4. The first and second statements are sufficient separately.
    5. Both statements together cannot provide enough data to solve the problem.

    Questions of the Problem Solving format The

    tasks of this GMAT format are more traditional: the dealer must answer the proposed question by choosing one of five answer options.

    Problem Solving tasks mainly test the candidate’s ability to solve algebraic and arithmetic problems, as well as the ability not only to understand, but also to interpret the presented graphic data.

    The difficulty level of the proposed tasks can be compared with the mathematics of high school, but if you have not practiced solving problems for a long time, you need to carry out additional training. And in order to understand how intense and thorough it should be, test your knowledge by solving the task examples for the GMAT test.

    In preparing for the mathematical section of GMAT, special attention must be paid to special terms, because if you do not know how to translate a particular word, it will be extremely difficult to correctly answer the question.

    There is group of sheep at a farm, of course some of the sheep are males / rams, others are females / ewes. Rams to ewes rate 4 to 5. There are three pens there with the same number of sheep.

    The ratio of rams to ewes in the first pen is 4 to 11,
    The ratio of males to females in group 3 is alike to the ratio of males to females in group 2.
    Find the ratio of males to females in group 3?

    A) 8 to 7
    B) 2 to 3
    C) 1 to 2
    D) 3 to 12
    E) 1 to 6

    Translation and solution
    4 to 5 is the ratio of sheep and sheep in general on the farm. Animals are divided into three groups with an equal number of individuals in them. The task is to find out what is the ratio of sheep and sheep in the third group, if in the first group the ratio is 4 to 11, and the ratio in the second group and in the third is the same?

    Algebraic solution method.

    Let x be the number of sheep shares, and y the number of sheep shares in each of the two groups (second and third). Then x + y = 15; therefore, x = 15 - y. From which it follows:

    x + y = 15, therefore, x = 15-y. From which it follows:
    (4 + x + x) / (11 + y + y) = 4/5
    (4 + 2x) * 5 = 4 * (11 + 2y)
    (4 + 2 * (15-y)) = 4 * (11 + 2y)
    20 + 150-10y = 44 + 8y
    126 = 18y
    63 = 9y
    y = 7, and x = 8.

    The correct answer is A.

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    INTEGRATED REASONING

    In 2012, a new section was introduced in the GMAT exam called Integrated Reasoning.

    Section Information
    • Integrated Reasoning lasts 30 minutes .
    • The number of questions in the new section is 12 .
    • Scale from 1 to 8
    • The points obtained in this section do not affect the overall exam result. The overall result consists of an assessment for the mathematical and verbal parts.

    What is the Integrated Reasoning section for?

    The conditions of modern business require a number of new key skills from MBA graduates, which are reflected in the new section. The Integrated Reasoning includes analysis of information of various kinds and origins, in whole setting resemble small business cases.

    GMAT Integrated Reasoning Examples

    The new half-hour Integrated Reasoning section contains 12 tasks that are divided into four types:
    • In the first type, it is necessary to describe a graph (Graphics Interpretation) : questions that test the ability of candidates to correctly perceive graphical information. The task has a graph or graphic image and two statements. Candidates must choose the answer that makes each statement true.
    • In the second type, Two-Part Analysis is performed : the initial task contains information about 2 interconnected things (for example, two mathematical quantities or an assumption and the conclusion that follows from it). Among the proposed answers, the candidate must choose two answers agreed upon with each other to both questions posed to him.
    • In the third type of tasks, the candidate will have to analyze the table (Table Analysis) : as a result of the analysis, the candidate should give an answer three times agreeing or not agreeing with the three proposed statements.
    • In the fourth type of tasks, it is necessary to analyze information provided from several sources (Multi-Source Reasoning) : the candidate must answer a number of questions by analyzing information from two or three sources.

    The next publication will focus on preparations for the GMAT.

    The author of the article is Vyacheslav Davidenko, founder of MBA Consult

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