Deans from nine different schools met with the Educational Testing Service in 1953 to create a national test for students pursuing a business graduate degree. The first test was administered in 1954 to 1,300 students. It was called the Admission Test for Graduate Study in Business. The name of the exam changed to the Graduate Management Admission Test in 1976. In 2007, more than 219,000 students took the GMAT compared to just more than 4,000 students the first year it was administered.
Three sections make up the GMAT: analytical writing assessment, quantitative and verbal. Two 30 minutes essays make up the analytical writing assessment section. This section determines an applicant's ability to analyze an issue or argument. You have 75 minutes to complete the quantitative section. This section consists of 37 questions that test arithmetic, algebra and geometry abilities. You also have 75 minutes to complete the verbal section which is made up of 41 questions. This section tests an applicant's reading, grammar and analytical reasoning abilities.
You will receive four scores after taking your GMAT: an overall score which will range from 200 to 800, a math score with a range of zero to 60, a verbal score ranging from zero to 60 and a writing score which will range from zero to six. The median overall score in 2010 was 540. Your score report will also show your percentile rank in each section compared to other GMAT takers. The verbal and math sections are multiple choice and scored by a computer. Your two essays are scored by a human grader and a computer.
You should begin preparing to take the GMAT at least four weeks in advance. Begin by researching the format of the GMAT so you know what to expect. Next, find a copy of sample GMAT questions. These are available on a number of websites or in test preparation books. Refresh on basic math and grammar rules. Review the list of topics for essays, which you can find at MBA.com. There is also free software you can download or practice tests you can purchase for extra practice.
The computer portion of the GMAT is a computer adaptive test. This means that the computer evaluates your performance as you answer questions. The difficulty of your next question is based on your previous answer. If you answered the previous question correctly, your next question is more difficult. If you answered incorrectly, your next question is easier. Therefore, your score is calculated based on correct and incorrect answers as well as the difficulty level. Because of this computer adapted test, you should answer every question even if you don't know the answer.