Many international students wish to come study abroad in the United States at a top MBA program. In order to get into a top MBA program in the US, chances are you will have to take the GMAT test, or Graduate Management Admission Test. The GMAT helps admission officers for MBA programs get an idea for your academic ability and your potential success in that particular program. It is one of the many parts of the MBA application process and can play a key part in the MBA admission process. Below, we will give international students an introduction to the GMAT.
What are the Different Parts of the GMAT?
The GMAT is made up of four sections. Those sections are:
- Analytical Writing Assessment
- This section consists of one essay and lasts about thirty minutes.
- This section asks you to analyze an argument. Mainly, it wants you to summarize the reasoning behind an argument, and then critique that same argument.
- It is graded on a scale of 0-6, with 6 being the maximum score one could receive.
- One rating is given by a computer, and another is given by an actual human grader.
- Scores from this section do not contribute to the overall GMAT score.
- Integrated Reasoning
- This section measures your ability to evaluate data in different formats and from different points of origin.
- There are 12 questions that may consist of multiple parts each.
- There are four different formats – graphics interpretation, two-part analysis, table analysis, and multi-source reasoning.
- It is graded on a scale of 1-8, with 8 being the maximum score one could receive.
- Scores from this section do not contribute to the overall GMAT.
- Quantitative
- This section measures your ability to reason quantitatively, solve quantitative problems, interpret graphic data, and analyze that information to come up with solutions to problems.
- A reasonable knowledge of mathematics is often required for success in this section.
- These types of problems typically fall under two categories: problem solving and data sufficiency.
- No calculators are allowed for this section.
- It is graded on a range of 0-60, with 60 being the maximum score.
- Verbal
- There are three types of questions on this section: reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence correction.
- This section is graded on a scale of 0 to 60, with 60 being the maximum score one could receive.
- The verbal section analyzes your ability to choose correct answers, or come up with solutions, from problems that are set up in word format.
How do I Prepare for the GMAT?
The GMAT is offered a number of times throughout the year. Please keep in mind, however, that international students may not take the GMAT more than five times in a twelve-month period. Also, international students may not take the GMAT more than eight times total. Although there are limitations on how many times an international student may take the GMAT, that should be more than enough to get the score you want.
There are many different ways for an international student to study for the GMAT. International student GMAT prep is offered by many different companies and in many different forms. There are books, sample tests, in-person classes, and online classes available. Also, there are free materials to prep with along with materials that you can pay for. We suggest finding a test date and starting your GMAT prep at least forty-five days prior to that date. This will allow you ample time to find a good study schedule and find the proper materials in order to allow you to achieve a high GMAT score.
Finally, remember that the GMAT is only one part of the international student admission process. If your scores are not as good as you would like them to be, your GPA and other aspects of your application can help make up for a low GMAT score.
If you’d like help with the admissions process please email us at: admissions@nomadcredit.com
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Applications to United States universities can be extremely stressful and difficult. Nomad Credit can evaluate your profile to help you determine a potential university fit and speed up the admissions process so that you can get an admission decision in as little as days to weeks – all at no additional cost to you. Please don’t hesitate to email us at admissions@nomadcredit.com if you have any questions.
