GMAT Exam Overview and Structure

The GMAT is divided into four sections: analytical writing, integrated reasoning (IR), verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning (AWA). The GMAT Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning portions are undoubtedly the most crucial for graduate and MBA admissions. For a detailed explanation of the GMAT's structure and content, continue reading.

THE QUANTITATIVE REASONING SECTION OF THE GMAT

There are 31 questions in the part on quantitative reasoning, three of which are experimental and do not factor into your final score. Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency are the two question categories found in the GMAT Quant section.

The multiple-choice questions on the GMAT's problem solving part are comparable to those on other standardized tests' "math" sections in that they ask students to solve a problem and select one of five viable solutions.

GMAT Data Sufficiency questions, on the other hand, require students to evaluate whether two statements are sufficient to answer a question, either individually or together.

The GMAT quant section is rooted in fundamental mathematics concepts that are taught in high schools. This does not mean, however, that the exam is easy -- GMAT quant questions may not require calculus or trigonometry, but they often require a creative approach that you can’t find in any textbook. To succeed on the GMAT quant section, students need a solid understanding of basic math and a flexible mindset that allows them to adapt to unexpected problems.

The following are some of the most common math topics that appear on the GMAT quant section:

• Arithmetic
• Algebra
• Geometry  
• Exponents
• Percents
• Ratios
• Rates
• Probability
• Combinatorics
• Statistics  
• Number Properties

THE GMAT VERBAL REASONING SECTION

The GMAT Verbal Reasoning section includes 36 questions, six of which are experimental and do not count toward your overall score.  

There are three types of question on the GMAT verbal section:

1)    Reading Comprehension (RC). The 13 RC questions are based on four passages interspersed throughout the exam. Passages often cover a topic such as economics, science, art, or history, and are followed by 3-4 questions.  

The point of these GMAT Reading Comprehension passages is not to test subject-specific knowledge. Rather, they test the ability to read and comprehend written material, even when it may cover an unfamiliar subject. On RC questions, test-takers are often required to:

●      Identify primary purpose and main ideas

●      Infer conclusions

●      Discern logical structure

●      Recognize style and tone

2)    Critical Reasoning (CR). The GMAT Verbal Reasoning section also contains 10-11 CR questions. These questions follow a short passage that presents an argument. After reading that argument (which is typically less than 100 words), GMAT test-takers are asked to do tasks such as the following:

●      Strengthen the argument

●      Weaken the argument

●      Identify the role of different pieces within the argument

●      Identify assumptions underlying a conclusion

●      Resolve an apparent paradox or discrepancy

●      Infer a conclusion based on given facts

3)    Sentence Correction (SC). You can expect to see 12-13 SC questions on your GMAT exam. These questions present five variations of a particular sentence, and test-takers choose the best option using a combination of grammar and logic. Generally speaking, successful GMAT test-takers ignore how the sentence “sounds,” and instead focus on the precise, literal meaning of the sentence.  

The following grammar concepts frequently appear on GMAT SC questions:

●      Pronouns (it, they, that, those, etc.)

●      Modifiers (that, which, “-ing”, “-ed”, etc.)

●      Parallelism, including special parallelism triggers (both/and, either/or, not/but)

●      Basic comparisons, especially phrases that use “like,” “unlike”, or “as”

●      Subject-verb agreement

●      Verb tenses, but especially past perfect tense

●      A few other minor-but-straightforward topics: semicolons, “due to”, and countable vs. non-countable modifiers

THE GMAT INTEGRATED REASONING (IR) SECTION

The GMAT also includes an Integrated Reasoning (IR) section. As the name implies, this section requires test-takers to use a combination of quantitative and verbal reasoning skills to solve complex questions. The IR section often provides students with superfluous data in order to test their ability to sort through that data and identify relevant information.

While the GMAT Integrated Reasoning section can throw many different kinds of questions at you, there are a couple of question types that you can expect to see fairly frequently on the exam:

●      Graphical interpretation

●      Organization/sorting of information in tables

●      Questions that seem a lot like quant questions

●      Questions that seem a lot like verbal questions

●      Questions that seem like a combination of quant and verbal questions

The GMAT Integrated Reasoning section consists of 12 questions in 30 minutes. In most situations, the IR section is far less important for MBA admissions than the quant and verbal sections, since IR is not included in your overall composite GMAT score.

THE GMAT ANALYTICAL WRITING ASSESSMENT (AWA)

Finally, the GMAT includes a 30-minute Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA). In this section, test-takers are first presented an argument. You then must write an essay that evaluates that argument, and demonstrates your critical thinking and communication abilities.

Like IR, the AWA section is far less important for MBA admissions than the quant and verbal sections, since AWA is not included in your overall composite GMAT score.

THE BIG PICTURE

As you begin your GMAT studies, here are a couple of key things to keep in mind:

• Above all, the GMAT is a reasoning test. Focus on developing a flexible approach and mindset.
• The quant and verbal sections are the most important for MBA admissions. These scores make up your composite GMAT score, which is the most important metric for MBA and other graduate programs. Spend most of your study time on these two sections.

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