Graduate Management Admission Test

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The Graduate Management Admission Test , better known under the abbreviation GMAT , is a globally standardized test to measure the suitability for postgraduate master’s courses in business administration faculties (English " Graduate School of Business "). The test result is used by more than 1500 public and private universities and colleges , especially in the USA and Great Britain, as an important entry criterion for further studies (English "graduate") z. B. for a Master of Business Administration(MBA). The GMAT was designed by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) - an association of numerous leading business universities - and is carried out on its behalf in authorized test centers in numerous countries for a fee (currently 250 US dollars + VAT). The GMAT is taken by over 100,000 participants every year. Palm vein recognition is used in the GMAT to verify identity .

GMAT test procedure

The test is intended to test the ability of the test participants for further business studies (as opposed to a "knowledge level test"). In its current form, it consists of an essay, a question section on the interpretation of data sources ("Integrated Reasoning Section") and two multiple-choice questionnaires ("Quant Section" and "Verbal Section"). You have 30 minutes to complete the essay ("Analytical Writing Assessment Section"). During this time, a given topic must be worked on analytically. In the "Integrated Reasoning Section" 12 questions about different data sources (tables, diagrams) are asked in 30 minutes. The last two questionnaires (Quant and Verbal Section) must each be completed in 75 minutes. The first questionnaire ("Quantitative Section") tests mathematical, logical and quantitative skills and knowledge. The second questionnaire (“Verbal Section”) tests linguistic and analytical skills, English grammar and reading comprehension. The test will be held entirely in English. He is in contrast z. For example, the TOEFL ( Test of English as a Foreign Language ) is not a pure language test, but rather measures the analytical and logical skills of the person to be tested.

For some years now, in most countries, the GMAT can only be taken as a CAT (Computer Adaptive Test) using a computer . This means that the computer selects the questions from a predefined pool and automatically adjusts the level of difficulty (and thus the end result) to the user with each question, depending on whether the previous question was answered correctly or incorrectly. In each section, the test participant is initially presented with a question that is considered to be difficult on average. If he answers the question incorrectly, the next one is a little easier and the test result drops; if he answers it correctly, the next one is a little more difficult and the test result rises. The test program tries to find out which level the participant still fulfills and at what level of difficulty he fails. Over time, this should make the GMAT difficult for every participant, but this is desirable from the point of view of results.

Because of the test procedure used and the high time pressure, the graduate management admission test is considered difficult and unusual for most European students, despite the rather limited checked content, and therefore requires thorough preparation. Since the test was previously based on Western (American) cultural standards, it is to be revised by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) and adapted to regional cultural standards.

GMAT Score: Determination and Importance

The method described above determines the test participant's result or level, the so-called “score”. The two essays are evaluated directly by the computer and by one or, in the case of discrepancies, by two human examiners and together form the so-called “Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) Score”, which is given on a scale from 0 to 6 in half points. Although this result is shown on the results report, it does not currently contribute to the overall result (Total Score).

The overall result consists of the result of the mathematical (quantitative) and the linguistic (verbal) part and is shown on a uniform scale from 200 to 800 points ("Total Scaled Score") and often in percentages from 1 to 99 ("Total Percentile") ) specified. The preliminary result will be displayed to the participant immediately after the end of the test, the official report sheet with the results obtained in all sections will be sent about two weeks later. The test institute then sends the score to the universities to which a test participant has applied on request.

Average results: The average GMAT participant achieved a value of around 500 to 550 points (around 40 to 60% percentile) in recent years. However, the students at many of the most famous and leading universities have average GMAT point values ​​of over 650, and in some even over 700 points. This means that 77% and 89% of the participants in the past three years did worse. Most universities show this average value of their students as an orientation value (also for marketing purposes), but do not specify a minimum number of points. This is also recommended by the creators of the GMAT, among other things because the test shows a statistical deviation from the “actual” ability of a participant (“True Score”) of just under 30 points. B. due to the daily form of the participant and the choice of questions by the computer. A - almost - perfect result of 98% or more than 740 points occurs every now and then, but is not really necessary for any university, as other criteria are also used for the admission procedure (grades in the first degree, curriculum vitae and professional experience, letters of recommendation, Letter of application, application interview, etc.)

Test repetition: If a participant is not satisfied with his result, the test can be repeated several times, 16 days after the last attempt at the earliest. Theoretically, the test can be repeated five times a year, but it should be remembered that the test is chargeable each time and the last points achieved are also sent to the respective university within 5 years so that it can see immediately whether a positive development can be identified is. Likewise, frequent repetitions are interpreted negatively by many universities (generally a maximum of three repetitions are recommended). Once a point value has been achieved, it is currently stored for around 20 years, but most universities do not accept test results that are more than five years ago.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Graduate Management Admission Council : To improve security, the GMAT exam is the only test procedure that has been approved by the French authorities to record biometric data
  2. ↑ Graduate Management Admission Council "What Your Percentile Ranking Means"
  3. ↑ GMAT news in 2016 - GMAT-Test.de . In: GMAT-Test.de . ( gmat-test.de [accessed on October 18, 2016]).