Graduate Management Admission Test

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Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

Acronym	GMAT
Type	Computer-based standardized test
Administrator	Graduate Management Admission Council
Skills tested	Quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, data analysis
Purpose	Admissions in graduate management programs of business schools.
Year started	1953 (71 years ago) (1953)
Duration	2 hours and 15 minutes long (with one optional 10-minute break)[1]
Score range	Quantitative section: 60-90, in 1 point increments, Verbal section: 60-90, in 1 point increments, Data Insights section: 60 to 90, in 1 point increments. Total score: 205 to 805.
Score validity	5 Years
Offered	Multiple times a year.
Restrictions on attempts	Yes
Regions	650 test centers in 114 countries.[2]
Languages	English
Annual number of test takers	78,429 unique candidates in 117,510 GMAT exams (T.Y. 2024)[3]
Prerequisites	No official prerequisite. Intended for those interested in graduate management education. Fluency in English assumed.
Fee	US$ 275
Used by	More than 7,700 programs at approximately 2,400 graduate business schools around the world accept the GMAT exam.
Website	mba.com

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT (/ˈdʒiːmæt/ (JEE-mat))) is a computer adaptive test (CAT) intended to assess certain analytical, quantitative, verbal, and data literacy skills for use in admission to a graduate management program, such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.^[4] Answering the test questions requires reading comprehension, and mathematical skills such as arithmetic, and algebra. The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) owns and operates the test, and states that the GMAT assesses critical thinking and problem-solving abilities while also addressing data analysis skills that it believes to be vital to real-world business and management success.^[5] It can be taken up to five times a year but no more than eight times total. Attempts must be at least 16 days apart.^[6]

GMAT is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission Council.^[7] More than 7,700 programs at approximately 2,400+ graduate business schools around the world accept the GMAT as part of the selection criteria for their programs.^[8] Business schools use the test as a criterion for admission into a wide range of graduate management programs, including MBA, Master of Accountancy, Master of Finance programs and others. The GMAT is administered online and in standardized test centers in 114 countries around the world.^[5] According to a survey conducted by Kaplan Test Prep, the GMAT is still the number one choice for MBA aspirants.^[9] According to GMAC, it has continually performed validity studies to statistically verify that the exam predicts success in business school programs.^[10] The number of test-takers of GMAT plummeted from 2012 to 2021 as more students opted for an MBA program that didn't require the GMAT.^[11][12]