GMAT

GMAT
Jchaugmac · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Graduate Management Admission Test
Type	Standardized test
Administered by	Graduate Management Admission Council
Purpose	Admissions to graduate management programs
Skills tested	Analytical writing, quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, integrated reasoning
Score range	200–800
Duration	Variable

GMAT

The Graduate Management Admission Test serves as an admissions assessment used by business schools such as Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Wharton School, INSEAD, and London Business School. Many applicants to programs at institutions like Columbia Business School, MIT Sloan School of Management, Booth School of Business, Kellogg School of Management, and Sloan Kettering?—seek competitive results for entry into programs associated with universities including University of Chicago, Yale School of Management, University of Pennsylvania, and University of California, Berkeley.

Overview

The test is produced and maintained by the Graduate Management Admission Council and used by programs at organizations such as Rotman School of Management, HEC Paris, IE Business School, SDA Bocconi School of Management, and IMD. Admissions committees at schools like Tuck School of Business, Ross School of Business, Fuqua School of Business, Darden School of Business, and Anderson School of Management incorporate GMAT results alongside candidates' backgrounds at institutions such as McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, Goldman Sachs, and JPMorgan Chase.

Test Structure and Content

Sections map to skills in formats used by programs at Princeton University, Cornell University, Duke University, Northwestern University, and University of Michigan. The Analytical Writing Assessment resembles tasks associated with publications like The Wall Street Journal and Financial Times in testing argument analysis. The Integrated Reasoning section aligns with problem types referenced by firms such as Deloitte, PwC, and EY. Quantitative items echo quantitative reasoning expected by departments at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, California Institute of Technology, and University of Oxford. Verbal items have affinities with reading demands found at Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, and The Economist.

Scoring and Score Usage

Scores are reported on a scale comparable to reporting practices at organizations like Educational Testing Service, American College Testing Program, and College Board. Admissions benchmarks vary among schools including Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Yale School of Management, INSEAD, and London Business School. Employers such as McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley sometimes consider GMAT outcomes alongside academic records from institutions like University of Pennsylvania, Columbia University, New York University, Northwestern University, and University of Chicago.

Preparation and Resources

Test preparation providers include commercial organizations such as Kaplan, Inc., Princeton Review, Manhattan Prep, Magoosh, and Target Test Prep, while curricula draw on materials from publishers like McGraw-Hill Education, Pearson Education, and Wiley. Prospective test-takers often consult graduate program pages at Harvard Business School, Stanford Graduate School of Business, Wharton School, INSEAD, and London Business School as well as forums hosted by communities connected to Reddit, Beat The GMAT, GMAT Club, LinkedIn, and Quora. Corporate tuition support may be provided by employers such as McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group, Bain & Company, Google, and Amazon (company).

History and Development

The test’s development involved entities like the Graduate Management Admission Council and testing practices influenced by organizations such as Educational Testing Service and College Board. Major shifts in design and delivery have parallels with transitions at institutions like Pearson VUE, Prometric, ETS, Harvard Business School, and Stanford Graduate School of Business. Policy changes and technological updates echo broader trends observed at Coursera, edX, Udacity, Khan Academy, and LinkedIn Learning.

Administration and Registration

Administration is coordinated through test centers and sometimes remote-proctoring services provided by companies such as Pearson VUE, Prometric, ProctorU, ETS, and GMAC offices worldwide in cities including New York City, London, Singapore, Mumbai, and Hong Kong. Registration and scheduling practices reflect policies similar to those at Educational Testing Service, College Board, Association of American Medical Colleges, Law School Admission Council, and TOEFL administrations.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques of the test cite concerns raised by commentators from outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Bloomberg, and The Economist. Debates involve equity and access issues noted by organizations like United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, World Bank, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Carnegie Foundation; and scholarly analyses by researchers affiliated with Harvard University, Stanford University, MIT, Oxford University, and Cambridge University.

Category:Standardized tests