How to succeed in your GMAT Focus Edition

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) evaluates analytical and verbal skills, offering a competitive advantage in the MBA admissions process

For students aspiring to attend top business schools, achieving a strong GMAT score can make a significant difference, even if it's not always required. If you are committed to getting into your programme, it's worth dedicating time and effort to prepare for the GMAT Focus Edition to achieve a competitive score.

What is the GMAT Focus Edition?

Universities use the GMAT to help them decide whether you have the academic capability to manage an MBA. It's organised by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) and is also used for entry onto some other postgraduate business and management courses.

The GMAT Focus Edition is a redesigned version of the original GMAT. It is designed to be more focused, more accessible, and less daunting for test-takers.

Features of the GMAT Focus Edition include:

• A shorter test - with three 45-minute sections, you can effectively prepare for the exam in just six weeks.
• Flexibility - you can customise your testing experience with the ability to review and edit questions, select the section order, and take the exam at a test centre or online.
• More insights - you can now gain valuable insights from your official score report after the exam, including a detailed analysis of your performance by section, question type, and more.

For more information about the redesigned test, see the GMAT Focus Edition.

The GMAT Focus Edition is two hours and 15 minutes long (with one optional 10-minute break) and 64 questions in total:

• Quantitative reasoning (21 questions, 45 minutes) - determines mathematical numerical ability, testing your reasoning, problem solving, and data interpretation.
• Verbal reasoning (23 questions, 45 minutes) - evaluates your reading comprehension and critical reasoning. You will be assessed on your ability to comprehend and draw inferences from written material and to evaluate arguments through two types of multiple-choice questions.
• Data insights (20 questions, 45 minutes) - tests your ability to read and interpret data in multiple formats, including tables and graphs. It is designed to mimic today's business world, in which managers synthesise data to identify patterns, make decisions, and solve business problems.

The GMAT is a computer-adaptive test, meaning it adjusts the difficulty of each question based on your performance. This ensures that you receive a challenging, yet manageable assessment tailored to your abilities.

You'll need to register for a GMAT account to book and pay for the test. Test centres are located around the world, and you can find your local centre on the GMAT Focus Edition website.

How much does the GMAT cost?

The UK test costs £250 in a UK centre, and £275 online. If you wish to cancel, you'll forfeit some of the fee depending on how much notice you provide.

Can I retake the GMAT?

You can retake the GMAT Focus Edition up to five times within a rolling 12-month period, and a maximum of eight times in your lifetime. It's recommended to take the exam twice in case you're not satisfied with your initial score.

There's a 16-day waiting period between retaking the same format, whether online or at a test centre. However, you can take the online version immediately after taking the test centre version, and vice versa.

How does the scoring work?

The GMAT Focus Edition total score can range from 205 to 805, with all scores ending in a five. Each section of the exam is scored between 60 and 90.

Due to the different scoring scales, GMAT Focus Edition scores cannot be directly compared to scores from the previous version of the exam. Although scores of 600 in the original and 605 in the Focus Edition may appear similar, they indicate different levels of proficiency in various skills.

Discover more about understanding your score.

The score you'll need to get onto an MBA course depends on the university or business school, so check with your chosen institution. Here are some example entry requirements for some of the best MBA programmes in the UK:

• Imperial College Business School - candidates must be in the 55th percentile or higher.
• Warwick Business School - their GMAT average is 615 or within the 78th percentile.
• University of Cambridge, Judge Business School - students have an average of 680-690 on the original GMAT and 625-635 on the GMAT Focus Edition.
• London Business School - applicants have an average score of 700 to 740 on the Focus Edition.

Once you complete the GMAT exam, your unofficial score will be displayed immediately. However, the official score processing typically takes around seven business days, although it may take up to 20 days in some cases.

GMAT scores are valid for five years from the test date. Submitting an invalid score can negatively impact your application's strength.

'For schools that award scholarships on a merit basis, a GMAT Focus score may come into consideration,' says Kirsten Wells, senior global recruitment manager at London Business School. 'Low GMAT Focus scores don't necessarily rule you out entirely of consideration for scholarships - typically the decision to award a scholarship would be on the merits of the application as a whole. That being said, much like in the initial application itself, a higher GMAT Focus score can add more weight to a profile. If you are a candidate wishing to be considered for scholarships on a merit basis, it's worth aiming for as high a GMAT Focus score as you can.'

A strong GMAT score is important, but it's not the only thing that matters. The rest of your application, such as your essays, letters of recommendation, and academic transcripts, should also be of exceptional quality.

Visit the GMAT Focus Edition scores page for more detailed information.

What GMAT prep should I do?

'For some candidates, it can be a matter of weeks to prepare and take the test, but for the majority of candidates, it's typical to spend a few months on studying, sitting practice tests and then eventually taking a test,' explains Kirsten. 'If you're aiming for a particular round to apply for a programme, it's worth working back a few months to allow time to not only sit for GMAT but also to prepare the other application materials, like essays, briefing your referee and writing the short form answers in the application.'

If English isn't your first language, regularly reading publications like the Financial Times, The Economist, and The Wall Street Journal can familiarise you with business terminology and enhance your performance in the verbal reasoning section of the GMAT.

What other MBA admission tests are there?

Several factors can put people off taking the GMAT:

• too difficult
• expensive
• a long time to prepare.

However, if the GMAT isn't a requirement for your programme, consider the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) as an alternative. The GRE is another accepted test for graduate programmes and offers the advantage of a lower registration fee. The GRE has a different structure, focusing more on reasoning skills than analytical skills tested by the GMAT.

The test is split into:

• one analytical writing section
• two verbal reasoning sections
• two quantitative reasoning sections.

Unlike business schools that rely on standardised tests like the GMAT or GRE, Cranfield University provides a unique assessment option for qualified applicants who can attend an in-person interview. This entails taking the Cranfield Admission Test, a two-part, paper-based exam designed to assess your numeracy and problem-solving abilities.

Find out more

• Learn more about MBA courses.