The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT (/dimt/ (JEE-mat))) is

a computer adaptive test (CAT) intended to assess certain analytical, writing,

quantitative, verbal, and reading skills in written English for use in admission to a
graduate management program, such as an MBA.[3] It requires knowledge of certain
grammar and knowledge of certain algebra, geometry, and arithmetic. The GMAT
does not measure business knowledge or skill, nor does it measure intelligence.
[4]

According to the test owning company, theGraduate Management Admission

Council (GMAC), the GMAT assesses analytical writing and problem-solving abilities,
while also addressing data sufficiency, logic, and critical reasoning skills that it
believes to be vital to real-world business and management success.[5] It can be
taken up to five times a year. Each attempt must be at least 16 days apart.[6]
GMAT is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission Council.
More than 5,900 programs offered by more than 2,100 universities and institutions
use the GMAT exam as part of the selection criteria for their programs. Business
schools use the test as a criterion for admission into a wide range of
graduate management programs, includingMBA, Master of Accountancy, and Master
of Finance programs. The GMAT exam is administered in standardized test centers in
112 countries around the world.[5] According to a survey conducted by Kaplan Test
Prep, the GMAT is still the number one choice for MBA aspirants despite the
increasing acceptability of GRE scores.[7] According to GMAC, it has continually
performed validity studies to statistically verify that the exam predicts success in
business school programs.[8]
Contents
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1History

2Predictive validity

3Format and timing

3.1Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)

3.2Integrated reasoning

3.3Quantitative section

3.4Verbal section

3.5Scoring
4Preparation

5Criticism

6See also

7References

8External links

History[edit]
In 1953, the organization now called the Graduate Management Admission
Council (GMAC) began as an association of nine business schools, whose goal was to
develop a standardized test to help business schools select qualified applicants. In
the first year it was offered, the assessment (now known as the Graduate
Management Admission Test), was taken just over 2,000 times; in recent years, it has
been taken more than 230,000 times annually.[9] Initially used in admissions by 54
schools, the test is now used by more than 2,100 schools and 5,900 programs
worldwide.[9] On June 5, 2012, GMAC introduced an integrated reasoning section to
the exam that aims to measure a test takers ability to evaluate information
presented in multiple formats from multiple sources.[10]

Predictive validity[edit]
The intended purpose of the GMAT is to predict student success in graduate business
programs. According to GMAC, there is a .459 correlation (21% variance) between
total GMAT scores and mid-program student grades based on data it collected
between 1997 and 2004.[11] Independent research has shown significantly different
results. Independent research has shown that the GMAT can explain only 4.4% of the
variance in final MBA GPA while undergraduate GPA can explain 17.4% of the
variance in final MBA GPA.[12] Additionally, more recent independent research has
shown that the GMAT does not add predictive validity after undergraduate GPA and
work experience have been considered and that even undergraduate GPA alone can
be used in lieu of the GMAT.[13]