The Graduate Management Admission Test is a computer adaptive test which is utilized as a resource to analyze a candidate’s analytical and quantitative credibility along with language proficiency. It caters to the candidates who are looking to associate with the leading B-Schools of the world, as management graduates (MBA). The acceptability of GMAT scores is way more prevalent than any other aptitude test, in over 2300 colleges and for 7000 programs. The GMAT syllabus can be found as under per the latest updated exam pattern:
The GMAT score is used as a key prerequisite for seeking admission in graduate management and business programs like the MBA Before we look at the GMAT Syllabus, it is advisable to check out the GMAT Exam Pattern to get some context at the time of examining the GMAT Syllabus.
The GMAT Exam is a 3 hours and 7 minutes long online test. It consists of 4 broad sections namely:
Sections | Number of Questions | Time Limit (mins.) |
Analytical Writing | 1 question (01 essay) | 30 |
Integrated Reasoning | 12 questions | 30 |
Quantitative | 31 questions | 62 |
Verbal | 36 questions | 65 |
Total | 80 questions | 187 |
The maximum marks which can be attained are 800 and although there are 4 sections, the marks are calculated based on only 2 sections, the Quantitative Section and the Verbal Section. The marks of the other sections are considered separately.
For a quick overview of the GMAT Exam Pattern, check the following video:
For a more detailed look at the GMAT Exam Pattern, please click on this page
The GMAT Exam consists of 4 sections as mentioned above and before the candidate can start his/her preparation, they need to closely examine the GMAT Syllabus
The GMAT Syllabus is given in broad terms on the official GMAC website. In this article, we will talk about the overall GMAT Syllabus according to the different sections.
For the verbal section, a candidate has about 65 minutes of time to complete the section. The section would cater to three different types of questions namely, critical reasoning, sentence correction and reading comprehension.
Categorizing RC questions would proliferate your ability to interpret GMAT Verbal Ability as a whole section. This means, you would be able to enhance your ability to comprehend what sort of questions are being asked in the GMAT verbal section and what It takes for a test taker to perform that on-spot mental exercise. You will also be able to analyze the questions to identify essential bonds and the unsaid repercussions directing towards the continuation of the excerpt. Here are some of the most prominent type of RC questions asked in GMAT:
Don’t lose focus of the topic or bring in your own ideas: Do not bring any worldly knowledge into the passage. It would differ from the actual content of the passage. Here are some crucial components that you need to identify for finding out the correct answers.
Your GMAT Verbal Ability score largely depends on Reading Comprehension. Here are some fool proof ways to structure and time your preparation for GMAT Reading Comprehension:
2. Critical Reasoning: In this section, students need to perform an analysis based on the given argument and mark the right answer as a test taker. Also, you need to extract the relevant data which would either back or oppose the given argument and select the best possible option.
Here is how you can effectively prepare for Critical Reasoning in GMAT:
3. Sentence Correction: In these set of questions, you would basically be provided with a sentence with a partially highlighted part of it which needs to be assessed by the candidate. As there would be multiple options provided which you can mark as the right answer, you need to make sure that the construction of the sentence is appropriate and that the original meaning has not been rubbed off while correcting it. Also, you need to consider your writing skills and acknowledge the rules of English grammar.
Here is how you can tackle the sentence correction questions:
Following are some of the topics you can expect in the GMAT verbal section. They generally revolve around basic grammar rules.
You can also refer the following articles in order to widen your horizon for GMAT Verbal:
The analytical writing section consists of topics based on which a candidate will have to write and passages that might be given for a candidate to read and answer questions based on it. It analyzes your critical reasoning skills, communication skills and your grammatical skills. Candidates should be attentive towards proper usage of vocabulary and try to avoid grammatical errors. The duration of the section is 30 minutes and the score ranges from o-6, in half point increments. The essay will have a topic which could be of any domain.
The test is mainly designed to assess your writing skills, let alone your opinions and judgements. So, it is safe to stick to a neutral opinion while framing your answer. There can be two types of essay related questions in the AWA section:
Know all about AWA through the following video:
Your gmat score largely depends on what sort of GMAT coaching you choose. Learn the correct way of selecting GMAT coaching by clicking here
Integrated Reasoning is a 30-minute no breather section that has been recently introduced in GMAT. It is a single section consisting of data interpretation questions. The Integrated Reasoning Questions in the GMAT Syllabus consists of the data present in the form of graphs, passages, tables or a combination of the three. Based on the data provided, four types of questions are asked:
To master the IR section of GMAT, you need to certify your prudence in the following ways:
This is one of the most unique parts of the GMAT Syllabus and covers a vast range of topics. It is somewhat like DILR in the CAT exam but also includes the Critical Reasoning type of questions. One additional difficulty in these types of questions is that there may be more than one answer. Therefore, unless the candidate can identify all the correct options, it will be counted as an incorrect response.
Also Explore: GMAT vs CAT - Which is better?
The topics are further split into the following topics which a candidate can expect:
Also Read: Can you score 750+ on GMAT?
Check out this informative video to understand how to scale up your GMAT quant preparation :
The GMAT Syllabus can be a bit extensive but the true GMAT Preparation time required is very limited. The AWA Section and the IR section is not concept intensive but rather requires practice. Thus, the GMAT Concept Preparation must be concentrated on the Verbal Section and the Quantitative Section.
The GMAT Syllabus is a good place to start with when you are initially planning your GMAT Preparation Strategy. You can gear up for GMAT in just a span of one month, although it requires extreme devotion and honesty that you showcase towards the prepping strategy you have built and consistency towards the same.
It is also important to prepare for GMAT Video Interview alongside preparing for the examination. This will help rebuild the lost confidence in you and strengthen your verbal skills manifold.
This is where you can find useful links regarding GMAT. Just click on them and know more about the chosen topic or an GMAT exam. It is not by any-means exhaustive nor particularly selective, although, we have tried to limit it to the most related searches for GMAT preparation.