How To Pass GMAT Test Format, Practice Questions & Success Tips

If you’re seeking to get admission into business schools across the country, you need to take this ‘how to pass GMAT test’  write-up seriously as I’ll be intimating you on GMAT and giving you tips and tricks, study strategy and how best you can be prepared for GMAT test day.

Quick Switch: I have previously written on How to pass Dragnet tests, Kenexa assessment test success tips, how to pass TalentQ, how to pass SHL style tests, Robert Bosch test pattern, Saville assessment test format, how to pass Workforce ability tests and loads of other aptitude test formats.

About GMAT

GMAT is a short-form for Graduate Management Admission Test, from the full meaning you can already tell that it’s a standardized test that is used by a lot of business schools across the country and it is very critical to admission process into business schools. It’s easy to assume that the test will be full of math-related questions but this is not true.

The test also includes written communication, sentence correction, critical reasoning and verbal reasoning; these two, all these together with your awesome numerical skills, are very important in the business world.   GMAT is designed to test how candidates interpret, extract and break down complex data and make useful deductions for solving business-related problems and making business decisions.

Download our GMAT Practice Test Past Questions and Answers PDF.

GMAT Test Format

Similar to GRE and SAT, the GMAT assesses your proficiency in mathematics, verbal and writing. Candidates are given 3 and a half long hours for this test.  for the analytical writing part, you’ll be required to write two essays(one is an analysis of an argument and the second is the analysis of an issue). For the math, you’ll be given 37 problem solving and data sufficiency questions with .multiple-choice answers.  Time allocated for this part is 75 minutes. The last section contains 41 questions that center on sentence correction, reading comprehension, and verbal reasoning; you have 75 minutes to answer questions in this section. GMAT is different from GRE and SAT in the sense that scoring is cumulative and not split section by section. The analytical writing section does not factor into the final score, which is on a 200-to-800 point scale. I have previously written an article on how to pass verbal reasoning tests, there’s also an article on 8 important tips on how to ace numerical reasoning tests. You should check this out too, surefire hint to pass your next logical reasoning exam. 

You need to understand that what determines whether you passed or failed your GMAT test is the cut-off point for the school you applied to. So if for school A, the cutoff is 500 and you scored 600, you passed but if for school B, cut off is 700 and you scored 600, you failed. You get? Good, so let’s go to tips and tricks.

Tips And Tricks On How To Score High In GMAT Test

1. Know GMAT Test Format

This is the least favour you can do yourself. I mean, you wouldn’t want to take this kind of exam and not have any idea of what you’re going to see there. Also, understand that you might have been a great math student and still perform poorly in GMAT quantitative. GMAT exams can come in ways you might not be used to.

2. Practise GMAT Questions

Just like many other aptitude tests, preparation is key to have good performance. Practice helps you get familiar with the format of the question and the possible challenges you might encounter during the exam. GMAT is a computer-based exam so make sure you practice with a computer. Practice in similar conditions as the real exam. You can download GMAT past questions and answers here. Their question format hasn’t changed and what they test in candidates is still the same. Read more on why past questions are important for exam success.

3. Set A Goal

Setting a goal is important. It’ll help you track your progress and measure how far you’ve come and how far you have to go. Before setting a target score, ensure you do a research on the school you’re applying to and find out the average GMAT score required to get admission. Your target score should be higher than the average score required, this increases your chances of getting selected.

4.  Master Basic Skills

In GMAT exams, you’ll be tested on math, verbal reasoning and comprehension. It is important that you brush up your knowledge on these subjects in addition to practising with past question.

5. Pay Attention To Your Weak Areas

While practising, no doubt you’ll get to know areas that are more difficult for you. Know how you make errors, figure out what you need to work on and with more practise, you’ll get better. Put more effort in your areas of weakness but while at it, do not neglect areas you’re good at.

6. Time Management

During your exam, this is very important. Divide the amount of time you have for a test by the number of questions you have, this gives you an idea of how many minutes you have to spend on a question and try to work around it. Also, make sure. you’re able to answer all the questions, this is important if you want a high score. Read more on how to efficiently manage your time during the exam.

6. Avoid ‘avoidable’ Mistakes.

This basically means you should try not to make careless mistakes that can come from either anxiety or not reading instructions well. Read the comprehension passage well, try not to skim; also, read and understand the questions well. Note that sometimes GMAT might deliberately include information that isn’t needed to distract you, your ability to filter unnecessary information will help you a great deal.

If you need GMAT practice questions, you can download our GMAT Practice Test Questions and Answers.

All the best in your tests.