All You Need To Know About The GMAT Structure

Structure:

The GMAT exam is divided into four sections. Below is a table detailing the time duration given to each section, the number of questions, type of questions and score.

April 2018 onward, the GMAT an updated format was put in effect, shortening the total duration of the exam by 23 minutes. Earlier, the Quant and VR sections were each given 75 minutes. The new format reduced the Quant and VR duration to 62 minutes and 65 minutes respectively. The number of questions in the sections were also reduced.

The Sections:

These four sections are designed to test various abilities. 

1. Analytical Writing Assessment: This section tests your analytical ability, critical thinking and communication skills. You will be expected to write an essay, analyse a given argument.
2. Integrated Reasoning: In this section, your ability to analyse data is put to test. You are presented data in various formats, including graphics, tables, etc. which you are expected to interpret and evaluate.
3. Quantitative Analytics: Once again, you are expected to analyse data, but in this section you must use your reasoning skills to draw logical conclusions.
4. Verbal Reasoning: This section tests your ability to read and understand a given text, your ability to evaluate arguments and to correct written material.

Order of Sections:

During the exam, you are given a choice of which order you want to attempt the sections. You are given 2 breaks of 8 minutes each between the sections. The positions of the breaks change based on the order in which you attempt the sections. 

The three options are as follows:

Want to know more about GMAT? Stay tuned for a breakdown of the different sections and their syllabus in our next article. If you have given GMAT before, or have any suggestions, write to us in the comments below.