GMAT is a standardised test exam needed to study in top business schools abroad for management programs. There is more than just a simple explanation of what the GMAT test is all about. Knowing about the GMAT test and its test specifications will help you to prepare better for it. This will also definitely help you to get your answer to the question - " Is GMAT tough to crack?"
Students are required to meet the good GMAT score range in order to crack the exam. So how difficult is GMAT to score good marks?. To help you understand this better, here we have listed all the essential information related to the difficulty level of the exam, how tough is GMAT exam is crack and many more.
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Overview of GMAT Exam and Difficulty
The Graduate Management Admission Test or GMAT is a standardised entrance test for admission to business management in various universities abroad. It is a management test whose scores are widely accepted to over 114 countries in more than 7,100 programs across the world.
Well if you are thinking, is GMAT difficult to score?. The answer is quite tricky to say as the GMAT is not so difficult but a bit challenging. You might need a lot of GMAT preparation to score good marks for the top business schools. Out of the total test-takers, only 6% can score 720 or more marks in the test to get into the Top B-Schools.
How Tough is the GMAT Exam?
The GMAT exam is taken by more than two lakhs students every year. The average GMAT score among all the aspirants attempting the test is around 565 marks. Out of the total aspirants, only 27% score over 650 and only 12% of them can make it to 700 mark. Thus, from the above information, we can say how hard is GMAT to score.
Most of the questions in the test require you to have higher-order reasoning skills, as it is essential in business and the increasingly competitive business environment around the world. Make sure to prepare for the exam with the proper dedication and strategy to secure high GMAT scores.
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How Hard is GMAT Comparison to Other Exams?
How difficult is GMAT compared to other standardised tests like SAT, GRE etc.? Every aspirant has this most common question while preparing for the exam. Although the difficulty level of an exam depends on its various factors, here we have compared the GMAT test with multiple tests in terms of its syllabus.
SAT And GMAT
The types of questions asked in GMAT are more logic-oriented, whereas the SAT are primarily calculation based. GMAT paper has a more complex structure than the SAT. The GMAT contains many trickier questions that check the students' critical thinking skills, whereas the SAT is more straightforward.
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IELTS And GMAT
IELTS is perceived to be easier if you are an English aspirant, but it doesn't assure you to will ace the test. Dedicated practice and preparation are required to qualify in the IELTS test. Regarding GMAT vs IELTS, the GMAT is comparatively difficult as it requires good logical reasoning and critical thinking skills.
TOEFL And GMAT
If we talk about the comparison between TOEFL vs GMAT, the GMAT is considered as much more challenging as it has difficult questions about vocabulary and reading passages. The mathematics part of GMAT is also critical compared to other exams.
GRE And GMAT
The GMAT and GRE are pretty similar with regards to their syllabus. But the GMAT test comes with an extra integrated reasoning section, whereas GRE has no such section.
The quantitative reasoning questions asked in the GMAT are more complicated than the GRE test for most applicants. GMAT has more challenging and tricky questions in comparison to the GRE test. If you are an aspirant with more expertise in solving logical questions, then the GMAT test suits you the most. It is because the GRE paper contains a lot of geometrical questions.
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What Makes the GMAT Hard?
GMAT is a computer-based standardised test conducted in two modes.
Although it allows you to attempt the test at home, most students find it difficult. Here we have listed some of the components of the GMAT test which make it difficult among the aspirants:
Content
Are you wondering how difficult is GMAT in terms of its contents? Well, the content asked in the GMAT test is majorly based on the high school and undergraduate syllabus i.e. algebra, basic geometry, number properties, statistics of quantitative sections. While the verbal section includes basic grammar, inferences, reading comprehension etc.
Though the syllabus seems easier, the type of questions framed from these is difficult to solve. The GMAT test questions always mislead or trick you into focusing on the wrong things. And, this may cost you a lot of valuable time and points in the test.
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Format
The GMAT test papers consist of four different sections i.e. quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, integrated reasoning and analytical writing assessment. Each of the sections may feature different types of questions requiring different levels of skills and abilities to solve. Thus, on your test day, you must be fully prepared to attempt all sections correctly.
Computer Adaptive
Since the GMAT is computer adaptive; it may increase its difficulty to score better. If you have answered any questions correctly, no one knows about the next question as sometimes the next question looks similar but has a higher difficulty level or vice versa.
This shows that your GMAT score is based on the number of questions you have answered correctly and their difficulty level. The more difficult questions answered correctly, the higher score you get.
Another demerit of computer-adaptive is that you cannot get back to the previous questions once you have responded to any question. It will remain the same even if you accidentally mark any wrong answer.
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Timing
Timing is also another aspect that makes the GMAT test hard. Adding time pressure in the standardised test gives an idea of how difficult is GMAT. Firstly, the GMAT test is only 3 hours long but you have to sit for upto 4 hours in the test centres. The extra time includes break time, sign-in, and receiving the unofficial scores report.
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So these are some of the components of the GMAT test which make it hard to solve. Make sure you have a well-planned schedule to prepare for the GMAT test. Consistency is somewhat more important than intensity during your preparation of GMAT exam. Whether you are a student or a working professional, if you are thinking, is GMAT difficult, you can achieve the best results with dedicated practice regularly. However, you can connect with our Yocket Professionals if you are still finding it difficult. They will assist you in your preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Is GMAT Tough
Ques. How tough is GMAT exam?
Ans. The GMAT exam has been taken by over 2,00,000 students annually and only 6% of the total students can score more than 700 or more. This shows that GMAT is a challenging test that takes time and effort to score better marks.
Ques. How hard is to secure 700 mark on GMAT?
Ans. Less than 10% of the aspirants of the full GMAT test-takers get a 700+ score. This doesn't show that the rest 90% cannot score 700+ marks. What it means is that not everyone who appears wants a 700 score. Most students only need an average GMAT score, which is between 570 and 640.
Ques. Is the GMAT preparation easy to get admission to abroad Business School?
Ans. The GMAT exam preparation is not that easy, but it is definitely pursuable. Once you have covered all the concepts and plan the GMAT study, you can have a higher chance of scoring good marks.
Ques. How much time is required to prepare for the GMAT test?
Ans. A consistent study of 2 to 4 hours daily can cover all the critical sections of the standardised GMAT test within 12 to 13 weeks.
Ques. What is the syllabus of GMAT exam?
Ans. The GMAT exam syllabus contains sections i.e quantitative reasoning, integrated reasoning, verbal reasoning and analytical writing assessment.