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The GMATClub Definitive Guide to the AWA

• TRANSITION WORDS
• Transitional Words
• transitions are phrases or words used to connect one idea to the next
• transitions are used by the author to help the reader progress from one significant idea to the next
• transitions also show the relationship within a paragraph (or within a sentence) between the main idea and the support the author gives for those ideas
• different transitions do different things....
• GMAT Write® at mba.com - not free
• ScoreItNow!™ - even though this is the official evaluation tool provided by ETS for the GRE exam, the thing does not change the whole a lot. Every essay that you face in several different exams: GMAT,GRE,SAT are all the same. - not free
• GMATAwa.com This is an amazing online tool. The grading happens instantaneously, and as soon as you submit your essay, you will receive a composite AWA score, along with various metrics on which your essay has been graded.
• Document Grader - not free
• Friends, Family, and Experts
• Self-Evaluation - this is probably the less indicated way to evaluate your essay simply because, even whether is true that you can fix errors such as spelling, punctuation and so forth, is really difficult to spot whether your essay is consistent and rock solid.
• Forums or other internet outcasts.

• AWA compilations - 109 Analysis of Argument Essays
• Officlal GMAT AWA tool. GMAT WRITE. Practicing AWA - [1] - [ 2 ] - [ 3 ] - [ 4 ] - [ 5 ] - [ 6 ]
• GRE AWA Argument Essay Samples - Notice that these sample essays are for the GRE test. However, they are the same in their structure and composition for your GMAT essay .
• GMAT: Analysis of a Written Argument
• Get your English text checked instantly by a real person - NEW
• thesaurus.com
• same-word.com

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GMAT Focus Edition: the Key Changes

“We want to encourage people with a broad set of qualifications, undergraduate backgrounds and lived experiences to understand the richness of their choice and take that leap forward on their business school journey.” said Joy Jones, CEO of GMAC

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a crucial part of the application process for many business schools. With the introduction of the GMAT Focus Edition, it’s essential for aspiring graduate students to understand the changes and how they could impact the application process. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the GMAT Focus Edition, summarizing key information from official sources, so you can make informed decisions about your business school applications.

GMAT Focus Edition: What to Expect

The GMAT Focus Edition is a new version of the GMAT, a mainstay exam of graduate admissions designed to asses skills that matter to business schools. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), registration for this updated test will open in August 2023. The primary goal of the GMAT Focus Edition is to streamline the testing experience while maintaining the same high standards as the previous version of the exam.

The GMAT Focus Edition introduces several important updates aimed at enhancing the test-taking experience. These changes are outlined below:

• Reduced Exam Duration: The GMAT Focus Edition has three 45-minute sections. This makes the test significantly shorter than the regular GMAT, giving test takers back an hour or so of their time.
• Streamlined Content: The GMAT Focus Edition retains a Quantitative Reasoning section as well as Verbal Reasoning section. The former will continue to test problem solving sklls, but the latter section now focuses only on critical reasoning and reading comprehension, removing sentence correction. Instead of an Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section, the new GMAT has a new Data Insights section, testing data analysis and use-cases for synthesis of insights.
• Flexible Testing Features: The Focus Edition does not limit users’ ability to bookmark questions or review questions within their currently tested section. Additionally, they can change up to three final answers, and perhaps most significantly can complete the test sections in any order.
• Enhanced Reporting: The new GMAT aims for more relevance to test-takers and the business schools to which they apply. Therefore, test results will include not only the Total Score (205-805), but also a detailed breakdown of insights to help the students assess which skill areas were more challenging, and which were strongest.

What This Means for the GMAT

Naturally, the current GMAT’s days are numbered. Expect it to be phased out sometime in early 2024, but if that’s the version you’ve taken or have prepped to take you don’t need to make any major changes. GMAC supports all GMAT scores as valid for 5 years, so there will be an extended transition period to the new test scores.

In the meantime, it will be important to keep in mind that the scores do not translate. Here’s it’s worth quoting GMAC themselves: “Because the Total Score scale and the score scale distribution have both changed, comparing total scores or section scores from the current version of the exam to the GMAT Focus Edition is not appropriate, accurate, or a meaningful comparison of performance. Scores of 600 and 605 may look similar, but they represent very different performance levels on different skills.”

Preparing for the GMAT Focus Edition

The introduction of the GMAT Focus Edition is a significant change in the business school application process. By understanding the updates and utilizing the available prep resources, aspiring graduate students can confidently navigate these changes and excel in their applications. At Magoohs we’re ready for the change, and ready you prepare. GMAC also provides a variety of resources for test-takers to prepare for the GMAT Focus Edition.

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16 responses to “GMAT Focus Edition: the Key Changes”

Hello, any update on the GMAT Focus Prep?

Our GMAT Focus updates have been released–you can update your Dashboard for this in your account settings! If you can’t figure it out, message us at [email protected] and we’ll show you how to switch over to it! 😀

Happy Focus Studying!

HI, when is the anticipated release date for the focus edition prep?

It should be in the next week or two! If you have a Magoosh premium account already, please write to us at [email protected] for more details/information about this! We’d love to talk further there! 😀

What is the best way to tailer my MAgoosh GMAT prep modules for the GMAT Focus edition? Are there certain sections I should ignore / sections I should spend more time on?

Note that we’ll be be updating our product for the GMAT Focus version by the end of this month! In the meantime, know that much of the Focus’s content will be largely unchanged, so you can still study with current resources to prepare for the test! The exam will no longer have Sentence Correction questions or an AWA section though, so you won’t want to study those if you’re definitely taking the Focus version!

Hope this helps, and Happy Studying! 🙂

Hi, have you updated the product?

The GMAT Focus updates are coming very soon, most likely in the first week or two of September! 😀

Hope this helps!

still waiting…

Our GMAT Focus updates have been released–you can update your Dashboard for this in your account settings! If you can’t figure it out, message us at [email protected] and we’ll show you how to switch over to it! 😀

So do you recommend us to work on the focus version or the old version if we are starting to work on gmat right now?

Hi Aymeric,

The answer to this question really depends on when your applications are due. We only know that the GMAT Focus will be available in Q4 this year–we don’t know the specific date yet. GMAC will open registration for the Focus edition in August, so we should know by then. Depending on when the test opens and when you can schedule it, you may or may not be able to take it this year and still apply to schools this year, if you have early deadlines. If your deadlines are in 2024, you could most likely plan to take the Focus version if you think that’s the best option for you! Schools will look at both versions of the test in the same way, so that shouldn’t be a factor in your decision.

Hope this helps! Good luck to you! 😀

Does Magoosh’s online GMAT prep content already reflect the changes in the GMAT format?

We are currently working on our updates and hope to release them in full by the end of July!

Hello there. What is the latest update on this?

Hi Vignesh,

If you’re asking about our product, we’re currently working on the updates for the Focus edition, and at this moment our ETA is mid-August for their release.

Hope this helps! 😀

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Homepage > GMAT IR and AWA > GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment tips – How to score a perfect 6 on GMAT AWA

GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment tips – How to score a perfect 6 on GMAT AWA

Posted by Suheb Hussain | Aug 6, 2020 | GMAT Focus Edition , GMAT IR and AWA , GMAT Preparation

The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section measures your ability to analyze an argument and communicate your thoughts or ideas. What you simply need to do is to critically analyze the reasoning given behind a given argument. To complete the AWA section of the GMAT you are allotted 30 minutes.

Here is the outline of the article:

How to create a well rounded Analytical Writing Assessment essay?

• How does ‘GMAT Write’ analyze your AWA essay?

GMAT AWA tips – GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment Template

• Sample GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment essay

Let’s discuss now how you can score a perfect 6 on the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment section. Here are a few tips to prepare you for the GMAT AWA section.

Step 1 –  Understand the process of creating a well-rounded analysis of an argument. You can do that in two ways or rather with the help of two tools.

• AWA template by Chineseburned from gmatclub

Step 2 – Practice! Practice! Practice! the AWA questions. Here is a list of practice questions for you.

GMAT Write – An AWA practice tool by GMAC

GMAT Write is a writing tool provided by GMAC. It gives you access to 2 unique essay prompts and a chance to write 4 essays. The good thing about this tool is that it scores your essay based on the scoring algorithm used by the official GMAT exam. But, it costs $29.99 to subscribe to this tool.

Take a look at this article to know the importance of AWA and IR sections for business school admissions.

How does the ‘GMAT Write’ analyze your GMAT AWA essay?

Once you submit an essay, it scores you on 4 categories:

• Analysis of the issue
• Supports ideas
• Organizes coherent idea
• Language control

Based on these 4 categories it gives you an overall score for the essay.

Even if you don’t buy this tool, you still get to know what GMAT considers an ideal essay to be from it. An ideal essay should:

• Identify and analyze significant flaws in the argument
• Support the critique using relevant supporting reasons and/or examples
• Be a clearly organized and coherent response
• Demonstrate control of language, including diction, syntax, and conventions of standard written English

Source: https://www.mba.com/exam-prep/gmat-write

Once you know what factors make a perfect essay, the next thing you should do is creating a template. The most popular template for AWA is the one provided by ‘Chineseburned’ user on the gmatclub forum.

If you are planning to take the GMAT, we can help you with a personalized study plan and give you access to quality online content to prepare. Write to us at  [email protected] . We are the  most reviewed GMAT prep company on gmatclub with more than 1950 reviews. Why don’t you take a free trial and judge for yourself?

Here are the details of his template:

Structure of the essay

• Introduction: Restate the argument and point out the flaws. Now, state your views which you’ll discuss in the next paragraphs.
• First paragraph: State your first critique of the argument and support your view with an example.
• Second paragraph: State your first critique of the argument and support your view with an example.
• Third paragraph: Pose a few questions for the argument. The absence of information in the argument to answer your questions weaken it further.
• Fourth argument: State information that you feel would have strengthened the argument but is absent. (This is an extra paragraph which is not in Chineseburned template)
• Conclusion: State that the argument is flawed because of the above reasons and which reasons could have strengthened the argument.

Learn how the IR section is scored.

Sample GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment AWA essay

Here is a sample AWA essay question for practice. We have also provided the answer to this question based on the template.

The following appeared in an Excelsior Company memorandum. “The Excelsior Company plans to introduce its own brand of coffee. Since coffee is an expensive food item, and since there are already many established brands of coffee, the best way to gain customers for the Excelsior brand is to do what Superior, the leading coffee company, did when it introduced the newest brand in its line of coffees: conduct a temporary sales promotion that offers free samples, price reductions, and discount coupons for the new brand.” Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion, be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument. For example, you may need to consider what questionable assumptions underlie the thinking and what alternative explanations or counterexamples might weaken the conclusion. You can also discuss what sort of evidence would strengthen or refute the argument, what changes in the argument would make it more logically sound, and what, if anything, would help you better evaluate its conclusion.

GMAT AWA essay

The Excelsior company wants to introduce its own brand of coffee since coffee is an expensive food item and might have good profit margins. However, as there are several established brands of coffee already, it needs to work out a way to gain a foothold in the market. For this purpose, the company plans to pursue the same marketing strategy that the leading coffee company Superior had used. However, I think there are several flaws in that line of reasoning. And hence this argument seems a little weak.

First, Superior is already an established brand and the market leader. No data is given as to how long back it entered the coffee market. Without this information, it is difficult to ascertain the utility of the marketing strategy for Excelsior. A brand might take decades to establish, and what worked a decade back, need not work today. For example, when Google was initially set up, it depended on word of mouth, rather than any communication media, for its marketing. As it was initially just an internal product for the University, this approach worked for them. However, it might not work for any company now. We see these days that most new web companies do advertise heavily when they initially launch a product for the masses.

Second, no information has been provided about the target market for the coffee or the pricing strategy. It might be that the coffee produced by Superior is one of the cheaper products in the market. And that they earn their profits from volume sales rather than having a niche market. Whereas, Excelsior might be aiming at the niche market of expensive and luxury coffee. If that were the case, then the same marketing strategies might not be relevant for Excelsior. Can Hyundai apply the same approach towards the market as does a luxury brand like Ferrari?

Without some of the relevant and contextual details, it is difficult to judge the efficacy of using the same marketing strategy that a competitor applied some unknown years back. If we were to get some more details in this regard, we could have judged the situation better.

Although all the factors being the same, it might not be a bad idea to follow the same approach as that of a leading brand in the market. Sometimes there is nothing wrong with sticking to the tried and the tested. In the absence of any other better idea, Excelsior might not have much to lose if it pursues the same methods as did Superior. It’s better to have some plan rather than no plan.

Conducting a temporary sales promotion that offers free samples, price reductions and discount coupons might not be such a bad idea. It could be a good ploy to get users to try out the product. And discounts and other monetary incentives are usually very effective in this regard. If the quality of the product is good enough and the pricing is appropriate, introducing enough customers to the product through such offers might give a significant push to consumer interest in the product. While customer satisfaction might leverage word of mouth marketing.

Therefore, depending on the context the approach might or might not be a beneficial one. This essay question has been taken from gmatclub and the answer has been judged as a perfect 6 by the GMAT Write tool. The answer was written by the user ‘rish2jain’ from gmatclub forum.

To score a perfect 6 on the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment section, it is important that you learn the AWA template and practice as much as you can. Just don’t overdo it. It is a good practice to devote 10% of your preparation time to GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment section.

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How to Write AWA in GMAT: Best Tips for GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a computer-based test designed to gauge your analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal, and reading skills in written English. The exam is taken by students interested in management courses.

The GRE essay section is also referred to as the AWA or the GRE Analytical Writing Assessment which experts believe is one of the most neglected sections of the GRE test. Most test-takers believe that they can master the section in a few days at the most. The AWA section of the GMAT is designed to gauge the student's command of the language and writing skills in English.

We have brought to you the best tips and tricks suggested by GMAT experts to write a great analytical writing assessment in GMAT, along with AWA GMAT essay samples!

What is the GMAT AWA Section?

The Analytical Writing Assessment Section of the GMAT exam requires that you analyse the reasoning behind a given argument and write a critique of that argument. Your ability to think critically and to communicate your ideas through an essay in English is measured.

The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment section consists of one 30-minute writing task—Analysis of an Argument. The arguments on the test include topics of general interest related to business, or a variety of other subjects. Specific knowledge of the essay topic is not necessary; only your capacity to write analytically is assessed.

What is the Difference between the GRE and GMAT Exam?

Sample AWA Essay Examples

Sample GMAT AWA essay topics will help you set benchmarks and improve your writing along the same lines. We strongly suggest that you read sample essays regularly during your preparation phase for the GMAT. You can read sample essays from the following resources:

• Sample Issue Essays from ETS
• Sample Argument Essays from ETS

The essays on the ETS website have been written by students.

You can use these essays as benchmarks to assess your own levels of writing.

Know Everything about the GMAT AWA Template!

Tips to Write AWA in GMAT

The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) provides clear instructions on how to plan and write your essay. Students must learn these instructions long before Test Day and do not waste precious testing time reading them while the clock ticks.

Given below are the tips for writing a great GMAT AWA:

1.  Confine to Objectivity in Analytical Writing

The AWA instruction reads “In this section, you will be asked to write a critique of the argument presented. You are NOT being asked to present your own views on the subject.” A critique is an objective criticism of the argument in the prompt. Including your opinion would be providing a subjective analysis, which is not the point of analytical writing.

2.  Analyse the Argument's Assumptions and Supporting Evidence

Every GMAT AWA argument comprises a conclusion and pieces of evidence, just like GMAT Critical Reasoning (CR) questions. For both AWA and CR, the gaps between those pieces of evidence and the conclusion must be bridged by an assumption. Your critique of the argument will discuss the flaws you identify in its reasoning. A common mistake is to equate assumptions with flaws. That consistent pattern provides you with your thesis statement; “The author’s argument is flawed because it is based on assumptions for which she does not provide sufficient supporting evidence.”

Suggestd: All about GMAT Reading Comprehension!

3.  Draw a Conclusion from your Thesis Statement

This thesis statement also serves as an appropriate conclusion. By definition, a thesis statement provides a summary of the main point of the essay. Remember that the conclusion of any passage, argument, claim, or essay can be found by asking, “What’s the point?” So once you’ve crafted that thesis statement, shuffle the language a bit and you have a conclusion.

4.  Avoid Hesitation in the AWA- It's About Confidence

Your AWA essay should have a formal, confident tone. You have dissected the argument and are now presenting your objective findings. Third-person pronouns (he, she, one) are appropriate in a GMAT essay. First- (I, we, us) and second-person (you) are inappropriate; in fact, unnecessary self-reference (I believe) is part of what makes the first example above less effective than the second.

The phrases “somewhat vague” and “rather wordy” have a softer impact than simply saying “vague” or “wordy.” Avoid these qualifiers in your GMAT essay:

• pretty (as in pretty much)
• might be (as opposed to is/are)
• may be (as opposed to is/are)

This is not an absolute list, and these words are not totally off-limits. But be sure to use purposeful words and avoid unnecessary qualification.

5.  Be Concise

Using active verbs and avoiding qualifiers automatically makes your writing concise. Say what you mean in as few words as possible. Remember that graders read hundreds and hundreds of essays, and they spend just a minute or so reading each one. You want the grader to see your points right away, so don’t crowd your essay with unnecessary descriptors.

6.  Try to be Polished, not Perfect

Graders can tell whether you had a plan before you started typing, so spend time planning before you write. If you break down the argument, decide on your points, and arrange your ideas into paragraphs when the clock starts, then you will have written a polished AWA essay before 30 minutes have elapsed. Remember that formal writing is much more structured than texts and speech.

All about GMAT Vocabulary

7.  Use Language you are Comfortable With

Now that I’ve given you a checklist of style tips to use on the Analytical Writing Assessment, the final point is that you must remember to be yourself. Use language you are comfortable with and trust your own voice. Do not try to write as if you were someone else.

How to Prepare for the GMAT AWA?

We hope you got a clear idea about how to proceed with preparing and writing the AWA in GMAT. Make sure to follow the guidelines highlighted in the blog above and prepare accordingly. You can further seek assistance through our free GMAT prep resources to ace your GMAT prep!

Frequently Asked Questions about AWA in GMAT

How many words should we write in GMAT AWA?

To hit around 500 words, you should have written about 30-35 sentences of 15-20 words each. With sufficient practice, your essays will reach the desired mark and you will not have to actually count the number of words on the day of your exam. At this point, resist the temptation to add any new points.

How do you start an AWA introduction?

Your introduction should not be long. Encyclopedic texts require long introductions; thirty-minute essays require a short introduction. An effective introduction need only be a few sentences.

What is the GMAT age limit?

GMAT doesn't have any strict age or academic qualification requirement to take the exam. The only GMAT exam eligibility that the candidates need to be concerned about is having an undergraduate degree.

What are the preparation strategies for the Reading Comprehension GMAT?

Your GMAT Verbal Ability score largely depends on Reading Comprehension. Here are some foolproof ways to structure and time your preparation for GMAT Reading Comprehension: 1) Skim the passage [1 minute] 2) Read the questions [1 minute] 3) Read the Passage in detail [2 minutes] 4) Answer questions [1 minute] 5) Identify the outliers [0.25 minutes]

How much does GMAT cost in India?

The GMAT computer based test costs about Rs 20,600.

Rohan Deshmukh

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What is a Good AWA Score on the GMAT?

Last Updated on November 23, 2023

A solid GMAT score goes a long way in increasing an applicant’s competitiveness for MBA admissions, so it’s not surprising that most MBA applicants recognize the importance of earning a competitive overall GMAT score .

However, many GMAT-takers wonder whether their scores on the essay portion of the GMAT, which is known as the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section, also affect their competitiveness in MBA admissions, and if so, what constitutes a good GMAT AWA score. In this article, we’ll answer these and other common questions about the GMAT essay.

Let’s begin by discussing what the GMAT AWA is.

The GMAT AWA

Gmat awa percentiles, how important is the gmat awa section for mba admissions, what is a good gmat awa score.

The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) measures your ability to examine and assess the underlying reasoning behind an argument, and then present your critique in the form of a written essay.

The GMAT AWA measures your ability to examine and assess the reasoning behind an argument, and then present your critique in the form of a written essay.

Specifically, for the GMAT AWA, you’ll be presented with a one-paragraph prompt that contains a scenario or argument, which is often presented in the context of a statement provided by a company or a newspaper editorial.

Regardless of which AWA prompt you’re given, the argument will be flawed in some way(s). For example, the argument may contain flawed logic, faulty assumptions, conclusions that are supported by inadequate evidence, issues in the way supporting data was collected, or unreasonable comparisons.

The goal of your essay is simple: expose these flaws!

The goal of your GMAT AWA essay is simple: in a well-organized essay, expose the flaws present in the argument prompt.

According to the GMAC, an ideal essay should:

• Identify and analyze significant flaws in the argument
• Support the critique using relevant supporting reasons and/or examples
• Be clearly organized and coherent
• Demonstrate control of language, diction, syntax, and conventions of written English

You’ll have 30 minutes to read the prompt and write your essay. The good news is that with some practice and the right strategies, earning a perfect score on the GMAT AWA section is within reach for most GMAT test-takers.

On the GMAT, you have 30 minutes to read the AWA prompt and write your essay.

Let’s now discuss how the AWA is scored.

How the GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) Section is Scored

Many GMAT-takers wonder whether the GMAT AWA counts toward their GMAT score. The GMAT AWA has its own unique score that does not count toward a test-taker’s overall GMAT score of 200 to 800 .

The GMAT AWA has its own unique score that does not count toward a test-taker’s overall GMAT score of 200 to 800.

The GMAT AWA is graded on a scale of 0 to 6, in half-point increments. According to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), a score of 6, the highest possible score, is considered “outstanding,” 5 is “strong,” 4 is “adequate,” 3 is “limited,” 2 is “seriously flawed,” and 1, the lowest score possible, is considered “fundamentally deficient.”

Your GMAT AWA essay will be graded once by a human reader and once by a computerized grading program. If these two scores differ by one point or less, the two scores will be averaged to yield your final scaled score. So, for example, if the human grader gives you a 5 and the algorithm gives you a 6, your final scaled score will be 5.5. If the two scores differ by more than one point (for example, the human grader gives you a 4 and the algorithm gives you a 6), then a second human grader will step in to grade your GMAT AWA essay and help determine your final score.

Your GMAT AWA essay will be graded once by a human reader and once by a computerized grading program.

Now that we understand the basics of how the AWA is scored, let’s review the GMAT AWA percentiles.

Just as your other section scores are associated with percentile rankings, your AWA score will be associated with a score percentile. These percentile rankings allow you (and schools) to see how your GMAT AWA score compares to those of other GMAT test-takers.

Let’s now discuss how important the GMAT AWA is for MBA admissions.

Out of every scored section of the GMAT, the AWA section probably carries the least importance for admissions to business schools. However, it would be a mistake to assume that having the least importance is the same as having no importance. In fact, the GMAT analytical writing score does matter for MBA admissions.

The GMAT AWA score DOES matter for MBA admissions.

The reason that the GMAT AWA score matters is that the purpose of the AWA section is to determine how well you’re able to convey ideas in written form, a skill that will be of utmost importance in business school and beyond. After all, how clearly you’re able to communicate in written form will have a significant impact on your success as an MBA student and as a business professional.

So, don’t neglect preparing for the AWA section!

Now, how much the GMAT AWA section matters to you is a function of a number of variables, some of which are easy to quantify.

If you’re applying to an M7 MBA program, such a Harvard Business School or Stanford Graduate School of Business , or a top 10 MBA program, then your GMAT AWA score will be of greater significance than it will if you’re applying to, for example, a top 25 MBA program. Thus, if you have your sights set on a top school, you’ll want to earn a 5 or above on the GMAT AWA. In fact, to be safe, a score of 5.5 or 6 should probably be your goal. After all, why let a low AWA score jeopardize your chances of admission to a great MBA program , right?

If you’re a nonnative speaker of English, then your GMAT AWA score might be of greater significance than it would be if English were your first language. With a few notable exceptions, the language of business and business schools is largely English. Therefore, business schools seek to ensure that their students have a strong command of written English. The good news is that if English is your second language, you can lean into preparing for the AWA, earn a strong AWA score, and leverage this score to help you stand out among the pack of other applicants whose native language is not English. Thus, if you’re a nonnative English speaker, you’ll want to earn a 5 or above on the GMAT AWA section.

If English is your second language, earning a GMAT AWA score of 5 or above can help you stand out among the pack of other MBA applicants whose native language is not English.

If you’ve scored 4 or below on the AWA section, you might want to consider retaking the GMAT . Such a low score could raise some red flags and signal to MBA admissions committees that your writing skills are not developed enough that you’ll be able to handle the coursework in their programs.

In addition, a large disparity between the level of writing in your GMAT AWA essay and the level of writing in your MBA application essays could cause admissions to wonder who actually wrote — or helped you to write — your application essays. Of course, no one wants a situation like that when applying to business schools.

A large disparity between the level of writing in your GMAT AWA essay and the level of writing in your MBA application essays could cause admissions to wonder who actually wrote — or helped you to write — your application essay.

So then, what is a good GMAT essay score?

A good GMAT AWA score is one that serves as an asset for your applications to business school. For almost all GMAT test-takers reading this article, a good GMAT essay score is 5 or above.

Does that mean that an applicant will not be accepted to business school without an essay score of 5 or above? No, of course not. People are accepted to a wide range of MBA programs with AWA scores lower than 5, especially if their total GMAT scores and work experience are impressive. However, why risk giving admissions committees any reason to doubt your ability to thrive in an MBA program environment? Spending a bit of time to prepare yourself to earn a 5 or higher on the GMAT AWA is a small investment that could pay big dividends.

Spending a bit of time to prepare yourself to earn a 5 or higher on the GMAT AWA is a small investment that could pay big dividends.

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Scott Woodbury-Stewart is the founder & CEO of Target Test Prep. A passionate teacher who is deeply invested in the success of his students, Scott began his career teaching physics, chemistry, math, and biology. Since then, he has spent more than a decade helping students gain entry into the world’s top business schools, logging 10,000+ hours of GMAT, EA, GRE and SAT instruction. Scott also served as lead content developer and curriculum architect for the revolutionary courses Target Test Prep GMAT, Target Test Prep EA, Target Test Prep GRE and Target Test Prep SAT Quant.

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How Long is the GMAT: Expert Insights and Test Strategies

Featured Expert: Nirusan Rajakulendran, MBA

How long is the GMAT? The classic GMAT test lasts three hours, but the new GMAT is shorter by an hour and takes two hours to complete. The shorter GMAT is supposed to make it less stressful to take. Many of the best MBA programs in the world as well as the easiest MBA programs to get into have either started to accept the Graduate Record Examination (or GRE) or changed their MBA requirements completely and have gone test-optional, although there are few MBA programs that do not require GMAT or GRE . The new GMAT has only three sections compared to the old test’s four sections, but even with the shorter exam, your GMAT prep will still have to be extensive. This article will not only look at how long is the GMAT, but also how long your prep should take. 

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Article Contents 13 min read

How long is the gmat: what does the gmat cover.

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) covers several areas that are designed to assess certain analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal, and reading skills in written English that are central to succeeding in any MBA program. It used to be the primary entrance exam to gain admission into MBA programs, but now many of the best MBA programs in the US and the best MBA programs in Canada have started to change their requirements.

Many still require the GMAT, but it is not as important as it used to be to how to get an MBA . In response to the decline in use, the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC) has introduced a newer, shorter version of the test – the GMAT Focus. But whether you’re taking the older or the newer version of the GMAT, the content remains fundamentally the same, albeit with some differences in the question types and structure, which we’ll talk about more later.

The classic GMAT format contains four central sections:

• Quantitative Reasoning
• Verbal Reasoning
• Integrated Reasoning
• Analytical Writing Assessment

Quantitative Reasoning Questions

# of Questions: 31 questions

Time Limit: 62 minutes

Score Scale: 6-51

Every section of the GMAT has different question types, which you should familiarize yourself with as part of your GMAT prep . The questions run from the standard question stem followed by five multiple choice questions (Verbal Reasoning), while other GMAT sections include unique question formats, such as the Data Sufficiency questions in Quantitative Reasoning (now Data Insights). The Data Sufficiency questions are the most unique, as you’ll be assessed on your ability to analyze a problem and determine whether the provided data is sufficient to answer it.

For example, in the Data Sufficiency section, you'll be given a question and two statements. Your task is not to solve the problem but to decide if the statements, individually or together, provide enough information to answer the question. You could be asked whether a certain value is greater than another, and you’ll need to evaluate whether the given data is enough to make that determination.

Instead of five multiple choice answers, you’ll be given five answer options, which are the same for every DS question:

• (A) Statement (1) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (2) alone is not sufficient to answer the question.
• (B) Statement (2) ALONE is sufficient, but Statement (1) alone is not sufficient to answer the question.
• (C) BOTH statements TOGETHER are sufficient to answer the question, but NEITHER statement ALONE is sufficient.
• (D) EACH statement ALONE is sufficient to answer the question.
• (E) Statements (1) and (2) TOGETHER are NOT sufficient to answer the question.

Don't forget to prepare for MBA interview questions !

Verbal Reasoning Questions

# of Questions: 36 questions

Time Limit: 65 minutes

The Verbal Reasoning section may take the shortest time to complete, as there is very little calculation or analysis needed. Instead, you’ll be given statements to read and then asked to either:

• Choose the correct answer to the question based on the information provided
• Assess the validity of a given statement and choose the answer that best corresponds to its premise
• Select an answer that improves the construction, meaning and clarity of a given sentence

Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension questions evaluate your ability to understand and analyze written material. You’ll read passages on various topics and answer questions that assess your comprehension, critical reasoning, and inference skills. For example, you might be asked to analyze the main idea of a passage or infer the author's perspective, which is a common feature of nearly all graduate-level standardized tests from the SAT and ACT to the GRE and LSAT .

Critical Reasoning

Critical Reasoning questions test your ability to analyze and evaluate arguments. You'll be presented with a short argument, and your task is to identify assumptions, strengthen or weaken the argument, or draw logical inferences. An example could involve assessing the validity of an argument and selecting an option that strengthens or weakens the conclusion.

Sentence Correction

Sentence Correction questions focus on your command of written English. You'll be presented with a sentence that may contain errors in grammar, syntax, or clarity, and your job is to select the answer choice that improves the sentence. For instance, you might be asked to identify the most grammatically correct version of a given sentence.

Integrated Reasoning Questions

# of Questions: 12

Time Limit: 30

Score Scale: 1-8

There are only twelve questions in the Integrated Reasoning section because you have to spend a lot of time analyzing the data sets for each question, which can take time; the IR section is also the only section where you’ll be able to use a calculator, so it is a challenging section, often, more so than the others. The IR section also has the largest number of sub-sections, even though it has the smallest number of questions.

There are four sub-sections within IR, which are:

• Graphics Interpretation
• Two-Part Analysis
• Table Analysis
• Multi-Source Reasoning

Just looking at the titles make these sections seems more challenging than the other ones, but the key to answering these questions is building up your analytical skills and also learning how to read information charts from various types of sources. The fact that you have a calculator can help you solve the trickiest questions, but you also don’t have a lot of time to devote to each question so you have to set a timeframe for how much time you should ideally spend on each of these questions.

# of Questions: 1 written essay

Time Limit: 30 minutes

Score Scale: 0-6

There are no questions in the Analytical Writing section and there are no word minimums or maximums to complete the essay; the only limit is the time limit, which makes this section challenging, as you can end up not having enough time to complete the essay, or not formulating any kind of argument or analysis by the time you finish. This means you have to go into the section – and all of them, really – with a set amount of time you can devote to each part of this section. To do this, you should break down the essay into smaller parts, let’s say five, such as:

• Reading the problem or statement
• Re-reading the problem or statement
• Formulating a thesis
• Writing an intro, body and conclusion
• Reviewing your work

If you divide the time limit by these sub-sections, you’ll see you have about six minutes to write the essay, which does not seem like a lot, but by the time you write the actual exam, you should be well-versed in writing a fast, coherent essay having practiced more than few times already.

Here are some tips for writing your MBA resume !

How Can I get a Good GMAT Score?

What is a good GMAT score? You should go into your GMAT prep by thinking about what score you need to achieve to get into your preferred MBA programs, and what is realistic in the time you have – ideally, you should have at least three to four months of prep time. Once you have an idea of what kind of score you want to achieve, you can figure out how much time you can devote to preparing, which involves creating a study plan that is similar to the way you’re taught in undergraduate – familiarize yourself with new material (the GMAT sections; GMAT questions), study, review, and take an exam, or in the case of the GMAT, a practice test, and repeat.

But along with familiarizing yourself with the test’s questions and format, another part of getting a good score is developing time management. You should also develop a schedule so you can have a set amount of time to devote to each question, and no more. Fortunately, for the new GMAT Focus, you’ll be able to go over all your answers, and change at maximum of three answers in each section. This new feature is even more reason to setup a timeframe, as any extra time you have can be used to review your answers to questions you weren’t sure about the first time around.

Total GMAT Score Range: 200-800

New GMAT Score Range: 205-805

Ideal GMAT Score Range: 680-740

Average GMAT Score (best MBA programs): 711

Average GMAT Score (first-time test-takers): 582

The best GMAT score for you depends on the specific requirements of the business schools you're eyeing, and what position on MBA rankings they occupy. Typically, the total GMAT score falls between 200 and 800, so anywhere between 700 to 800 is the most competitive, and indicates a strong performance. While the average total score for first-time test-takers hovers around 560, competitive business schools often seek scores in the 600-700 range or even higher.

To gauge what makes a good GMAT score, especially for the goals you have in mind (getting into a MBA program, being eligible for MBA scholarships ) you should check the Class Profile of the school you want to enter and look into the average scores of admitted students. Highly competitive programs might expect scores above 700, while others could consider mid-600s as competitive. It's crucial to align your GMAT goals with the expectations of the institutions you're applying to.

But you should also keep in mind that your GMAT score is just one facet of your business school application. It is, undoubtedly, an important part and admissions committees will assess you based on your score, but they will also take into account your work experience (whether you’ve won any promotions and attended professional development courses), academic achievements, MBA recommendation letters , and MBA personal statements.

How Can I Prepare for the Length of the Test?

While the new GMAT test is shorter by one hour, if you’re still in the cohort that will take the classic, three-and-a-half-hour exam you need to adopt strategies that will help you manage your time effectively throughout the exam. We talked about how you should create a timetable to help you allot enough time to each question, but you also have to build up your own stamina so you can keep your focus, especially when you are tired and feel like giving up.

The way you do this, as you would with training your body, would be to take practice tests, both timed and untimed. You have to simulate the actual testing environment, which means finding a quiet, distraction-free space with you and your computer, a timer so you can keep track, and adhere to the time limits given for each section. But this also means taking the two scheduled eight-minute breaks, so you can take a breather and gather yourself for the upcoming sections.

One way you can also prepare for how long is the GMAT is by being strategic with which section you start with. Before, with the classic GMAT, you’d be given three different orders to take the exam. Meaning, you could choose which section you started with, but you had to follow the pre-programmed order of sections after that.

Now, with the new GMAT Focus you can start with your strongest section (or weakest, depending on your preference) to get you warmed up (again, like training for a sport!) and then you can follow any path through the test. Starting with your strongest section is good because your mind will be mentally prepared to tackle the other sections. But starting with your weakest or most difficult section may also be good, as you’ll get those questions out of the way and then you can have an easier time completing the test.

When you have your GMAT test date , and are ready to take your exam, you have to make sure, although it may not happen, to be as physically and mentally-prepared as possible. Maybe you’re one of those people who cannot get any sleep before a big exam, or a job interview, or even an MBA interview, but you have to try to tire yourself out before the big day by doing some exercise, going for a long walk, swim, hike or bike ride.

Take a break from studying the day before the test because, if you’ve put in the time to prepare, there’s not much more you can learn or study in one day, so it’s better to take it off from studying. However, maybe you want to study, and stay fresh for the exam the next day, which is something that you can also do, if it suits you.

On GMAT test day, make sure you have all necessary documents: a valid ID, your appointment confirmation, and any other required items specified by the test center. But also make sure you don’t have any of the prohibited items, such as your phone, books or notebooks, pens and paper, as well as any food or drink, which are not allowed. You should also arrive early – at least half-an-hour early – to allow time for check-in procedures.

How Long is the GMAT: How to Prepare

1. develop a strategic study plan.

Developing a strategic study plan requires that you take at least one diagnostic or practice test before you start to divide your time and energies to one specific GMAT section over another. Knowing where your strengths and weaknesses lie is important to help you devise a study plan, but regardless of where you are strongest or weakest, you should try to devote an equal amount of time to all the GMAT sections. Once you have developed a study plan and schedule, you should be consistent with it and use every day to do something, even only a few hours of study can help you create the discipline and energy to take the real test on exam day.

2. Utilize High-Quality Study Materials

We talked about how you can choose to use paid or free test prep resources, but whatever you choose you should make sure that the materials you use come from reputable sources, or are officially endorsed by the GMAC. You should consult the GMAC website to find out what kinds of programs, tools and test-prep companies they endorse, so you can be sure that whatever materials you use mimic the actual exam.

3. Take Practice Tests Under Real Conditions

Conditioning yourself to take an exam under pressure or under a clock is one of the best ways to practice for the GMAT. You should regularly simulate the test environment by taking full-length practice exams, but you can also switch it up by taking untimed tests if you want to focus on getting the answers right without having added pressure. You should mimic actual test conditions, including time constraints and limited breaks, as well as removing distractions and prohibited items from your practice tests. Once you have done a few timed tests, you should analyze your performance, identify weak areas, and adjust your study plan accordingly.

4. Consider Professional Test-Prep Resources

There is a lot of controversy over whether you really need professional, premium, and paid GMAT prep resources, but the truth is they can help you develop a personalized study program, and there is evidence that they make a difference for students who use them. It is extremely hard to get a GMAT score that is above-average (above 700), so if you have your eyes on an especially competitive program (any of the M7 MBA schools, for example) you might want to explore reputable GMAT prep courses or GMAT tutor options. Getting professional guidance from someone who has taken the test can provide targeted insights, personalized strategies, and expert advice to enhance your performance. Some companies even award scholarships that include their test-prep services for free, so you should inquire as to what you have to do to win these scholarships.

The classic GMAT used to take around three hours to complete, but the new GMAT Focus will only take two hours

There are many reasons why the GMAT is shorter from the fact that it now has competition from the GRE (which has also been shortened) to trying to stay relevant to MBA admissions programs.

You can start preparing for the GMAT by taking a practice exam, and then designing a study program to cover each section of the GMAT equally. You should examine every single section and sub-section, along with understanding the content and motivation behind each question type, so you know immediately what the question is asking and which answer is correct.

While some MBA programs do not require either the GMAT or GRE, if you want to get into the more elite programs in both the US and Canada, you will have to take one of the tests, as they are part of the admission requirements for most of the top business schools.

A good GMAT score is anything close to or above 700. But if you look at the GMAT score ranges from even the best MBA programs they also accept students who score at or above 500. Regardless, you should strive to get as high a score as possible, especially above the average GMAT score of 582. 

Yes, the new GMAT Focus will have an altered score range, but the individual score ranges for each section will remain the same. The new score range is to demarcate those students who have older GMAT scores from those who take the new test. 

How hard is the GMAT ? Yes, the GMAT is hard, but if you’ve taken one thing away from this article is that it is not impossible. Whether you get the score that you want comes down to how much and how long you prepare, but if you come in with a plan and stick to it, you’ll be able to get the results you want, but maybe after a few tries – 28% of test-takers that the GMAT twice. 

Yes, taking the GMAT is definitely worth it especially if you want to get into a good MBA program. You can also try taking the GRE, but the GMAT was made specifically for business school applicants, so its content is good preparation for the challenges of any MBA program. 

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What is the GMAT Exam and What Should You Know?

If you're a graduate business degree hopeful, you've likely heard about the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).

The GMAT exam is the premier business school admission test used to help thousands of graduate business programs make critical admissions decisions. The GMAT helps you prove your commitment to and eligibility for the MBA or business master’s degree you're applying to by demonstrating your problem-solving abilities and critical reasoning skills.

Submitting a strong GMAT score means a higher chance of acceptance and may also result in a scholarship offer to your chosen school.

Here’s everything you should know  about the GMAT :

Why does the GMAT matter?

Business schools value the GMAT because it’s an indicator of a candidate's work ethic and readiness for a program.

As a standardized test, the GMAT exam helps business schools compare candidates from different backgrounds and regions, which is why most  schools favor the GMAT  over other tests.

As a globally recognized test, your GMAT score puts you on a level playing field with candidates from around the world for programs in any of 110 countries. It also allows you to compete fairly against other candidates with widely varying academic and professional backgrounds.

In a Kaplan/Manhattan Prep  survey , 88% of business schools said that submitting a competitive admissions exam score will help your application. Business school admissions officers also explained why they still favor the GMAT:

• ‘A good GMAT score shows us that prospective students are willing to invest time to prepare for the MBA and that they have the baseline knowledge to begin.’
• ‘Our scholarships are based on GPA, GMAT score, and interview experience, so strong GMAT scores have a very important impact on admissions and scholarship offers.’

How does the GMAT work?

GMAT questions are based on the mathematic concepts and English-language skills you would have learned in high school. For example, you may be required to use arithmetic or elementary algebra as part of the test. The GMAT does not evaluate your job skills, motivation or interpersonal skills. It is also not designed to test your command of the English language.

You already have what it takes to achieve a good result on the GMAT. It’s essential that you understand that preparation is crucial.

GMAT is not impossibly challenging. However, it may be difficult to get a good, balanced score that truly represents your abilities without knowing what to expect by reviewing practice questions and preparing for the test conditions.

While the English and mathematics involved are not especially difficult, the GMAT is measuring your ability to reason and make complex judgments using critical thinking, analysis of information, and problem solving under timed conditions.

The GMAT has a maximum score of 805 and a minimum of 205. It lasts up to 2 hours and 15 minutes and consists of 3 sections that you can take in any order.

What is the GMAT exam structure?

1. quantitative reasoning.

The GMAT  quant section  determines mathematical ability and numerical literacy. This section of the exam tests your ability to reason, solve problems. It measures the skills you will use in quantitative-based subjects such as finance, accounting and managerial statistics.

The questions in this section are problem solving questions, and require common knowledge of concepts related to arithmetic and elementary algebra.

2. Verbal Reasoning

GMAT verbal evaluates reading comprehension and critical reasoning. You will be assessed on your ability to comprehend and draw inferences from written material and to evaluate arguments.

 This section features a mixture of two types of multiple-choice questions:

• Reading comprehension passages of up to 350 words are followed by a set of questions testing your ability to interpret the text, to draw inferences from it, and to identify logical relationships between elements of the content.
• Critical reasoning measuring your ability to draw conclusions from short arguments.

3. Data Insights

This tests candidates' ability to read and interpret data in multiple formats, including table analysis and graphic interpretation.

This part of the GMAT exam is designed to mimic today’s business world that demands managers synthesize data from multiple sources to identify patterns, make decisions and solve business problems.

There are 20 multiple response questions in the Data Insights section using five different question formats:

• Multi-source reasoning using data from multiple sources, you answer multiple choice or yes/no and true/false questions
• Table analysis using a sortable table containing numeric data, you must determine if a set of statements are true or false
• Graphic interpretation using a chart or graph, you find or extrapolate a value to complete fill-in-the-blank statements from a drop-down list
• Two-part analysis using quantitative and/or verbal information, you must weigh trade-offs and make decisions with more than one variable. Possible answers are presented in a table and you should choose the correct options.
• Data sufficiency asks you to analyze a quantitative problem, recognize which data is relevant, and determine at what point there is enough data to solve the problem.

What is computer adaptive testing

The GMAT is more than just a computerized version of a written test, it is computer adaptive. This means it automatically adapts the question you see in the above sections based on a real-time assessment of your performance as you are taking the test.

After an average difficulty starting question, the questions vary in difficulty depending on the test taker's answers.

In the computer-adaptive format, if you answer a question right, a more challenging question appears next, and if your answer is wrong, an easier one appears.

The GMAT can be taken once every 16 calendar days and completed no more than five times in 12 months. You can choose to take the test online or find test centers  around the world

 Why should I take the GMAT exam if it's not compulsory?

We highly recommend that you speak with the admissions team for your chosen program well ahead of the admissions deadline.

Even when the GMAT is not a compulsory part of the application process up front, admissions managers may still ask you to supply a score later in the process if your application is not as competitive as others in their applicant pool.

Also consider whether GMAT is required for your second or third choice programs if you are not able to secure a place on your first-choice program.

Register for the GMAT Now! REGISTER

How much does the GMAT cost?

The GMAT exam at a test center generally costs $275, although  prices vary  depending on test center location.

How to prepare for the GMAT?

 How long does it take to prepare for the GMAT?

According to the Graduate Management Admission Council ( GMAC ), the owner and administrator of the GMAT, candidates can achieve a competitive score in just six weeks .

Your goal is to reach a point where you are quickly and confidently able to focus on answering each question, rather than spending time decoding what is being asked. You also want to become confident in your approach to selecting your answers as second guessing yourself will cost you valuable time on exam day.

A commonly recommended approach is to focus your preparation on your problem areas. Make sure you also pay moderate attention to your stronger areas to ensure that you don’t lose easy marks by becoming complacent and making avoidable errors. Take full, scored practice exams regularly to benchmark your process and to identify areas of strength and weakness. Replicate actual test conditions as much as you can so you don’t use a calculator or refer to your notes.

There are many helpful study tools available to help in your preparation. The  FREE GMAT™ Official Starter Kit  is a sampler of 90 past exam questions and  two, full-length GMAT™ practice exams that match the real exam format, increase in difficulty, and help you manage your pacing.

GMAC also offers the  GMAT Official Guide , which is the only study guide that features real GMAT™ questions from past exams offered by the makers of the exam.

What is a ‘good’ GMAT score?

Your score out of 805 is based on your performance in all three sections of the exam. When you receive your score out of 805, you will also receive a percentile, which indicates how you compare to other test takers.

The definition of a good GMAT score changes from business school to business school and candidate to candidate. Ultimately, a good GMAT score is one that gets you into your target program.

To work out what score to aim for, look at your desired program's average GMAT score and GMAT score range.

You typically want to aim for the class average score, but you can also get accepted with a lower score if other aspects of your application – like your essays, work experience, and interview performance – are strong.

What score are business schools looking for?

Most programs do not have an explicitly stated minimum GMAT score requirement. Instead, they tend to publish an average or a range of GMAT scores achieved by their most recent class. This can provide a useful benchmark; however, they are generally looking for candidates with a well-balanced set of scores across all sections.

Don’t rule out programs even if you haven't reached your target GMAT score, especially if it is close to the published range. Your GMAT score will be one part of your application, and you may have considerable strengths in other areas. Contact the admissions team for your chosen program to seek their guidance and be prepared to retake the exam.

How is the GMAT different to the GRE?

The critical difference between the  GMAT and GRE  is that the GMAT was created specifically for business schools, while the GRE is for a broader scope of graduate degrees. More than 7,700 business school programs worldwide accept the GMAT exam.

When should I take the GMAT? 

Check the admissions deadlines for your target programs well ahead of time and work back from there, accounting for how much time you need to prepare. We recommend preparing for the GMAT at least three to six months ahead of time to give yourself the chance to achieve the score you want, or to re‑take if you want to aim for a higher score.

Your GMAT score is valid for five years. If you are currently studying, preparing for the GMAT while you are still in an academic mindset can make your life significantly easier.

Register for the GMAT exam

You can take the GMAT exam in major cities and at almost any time of the year. The test is offered worldwide at Pearson VUE test centers approved by the Graduate Management Admission Council and also online.

You can  register for the GMAT on mba.com .

 Ultimately, even where the GMAT is not required, taking the GMAT will put a candidate at an advantage, providing access to top business schools globally. "The GMAT score is important for assessing a candidate's aptitude for being able to have a successful MBA experience,” Nora Colton, director of the University College London Global Business School for Health, explains.

 “The exam is designed to demonstrate essential critical thinking and reasoning skills that will be required in an MBA program and beyond.”

Register for the GMAT Now! Register

If you can’t write your essay, then the best solution is to hire an essay helper. Since you need a 100% original paper to hand in without a hitch, then a copy-pasted stuff from the internet won’t cut it. To get a top score and avoid trouble, it’s necessary to submit a fully authentic essay. Can you do it on your own? No, I don’t have time and intention to write my essay now! In such a case, step on a straight road of becoming a customer of our academic helping platform where every student can count on efficient, timely, and cheap assistance with your research papers, namely the essays.

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How long to study for the gmat: 6-step guide.

If you’re getting ready to apply to business school, you’re probably asking yourself: “How long should I study for the GMAT?” Can I prepare in a month? What about two? Should I just go ahead and block off six months for intense studying?

The answer to this question depends a lot on the student. Some people take the GMAT with little-to-no preparation, while others spend months preparing. It’s important to make a plan that works best for you and your goals. That way, you can maximize your score, while making sure that your study plan fits your schedule and needs, so you don’t waste time over-studying.

This guide will help you figure out how long to study for the GMAT based on what kind of score increase you’re hoping to make. From there, I’ll explain how many hours you need to study, when you should start to study, and how to create a study plan.

How Long Does It Take to Prepare for the GMAT?

Achieving a strong score on the GMAT can be a labor intensive process. According to MBA.com, most test takers spend at least 50 hours studying for the exam. That number is even higher among those aiming to score 700+.

That being said, there’s a wide variety in the amount of time people spend studying for the GMAT. Take a look at these breakdowns of time spent preparing for the test, according to the Prospective Students Survey (2014) from GMAC at mba.com.

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As you can see, while there’s a pretty even split between each of the pieces of that pie, most people spend over 51 hours studying for the GMAT. Let’s take a deeper look into the data from the same MBA.com survey to learn how hours spent preparing for the GMAT correspond to test scores.

Taken together, these two charts give us a lot of information. First of all, we can see that test-takers generally prepare for at least 51 hours. We can also see that people who scored higher on the GMAT generally put in more hours preparing.

“But why are the numbers in each chart so different?” you might be asking. Well, some people might put in an insane amount of preparation hours, thus skewing the average for each score. Generally, though, the conclusion that most people study for over 50 hours holds up with each dataset.

While we can see that people scoring 700+ average the most study hours, don’t assume that studying for a certain amount of time means you’re guaranteed to get a better score. It’s important to craft a quality study plan that maximizes benefits for your time and effort. We’ll talk about that a little later in this guide.

You can see that there’s a wide range in how many hours people spend studying for the GMAT. How can you determine what’s right for you? In order to figure out how long to study for the GMAT, you need to first figure out how much you need to improve your score.

How Much Do I Need to Improve My GMAT Score?

Before you decide how long to study for the GMAT, you need to first figure out your goal score.

Step 1: Set Your Goal GMAT Score

Setting a goal GMAT score requires a bit of work. First, you need to  put together a list of all the business school programs that you’d like to attend. When you’re putting together your list, think about why you would like to attend each of these programs.

Next,  research the average GMAT scores of the business schools that you want to apply to. You can find this information in a number of places. Most schools share this information on the program’s admissions page. You can also try calling the admissions department if you can’t find the info there. Other third party sources, like US News, also list the average GMAT scores of many schools.

Once you’ve found the average GMAT scores for each school, add that information to your list of business programs you’re interested in. Then, find the highest average GMAT score of all the programs.

You’re going to want to set a goal score that’s about twenty points higher than the highest average GMAT score of your target programs. That means you’ll be above the average score range for all of your programs. To learn more about what makes up a good GMAT score, check out our guide “What Is a Good GMAT Score?”

Step 2: Take a GMAT Practice Test

After you’ve figured out your goal score, you need to take a practice test (if you’ve haven’t already done so) to get an idea of where you’re currently scoring.

The best way to take a GMAT practice test is to download the free GMATPrep software so you can take an official practice test. Taking an official practice test is important because it gives you the most realistic practice questions that you can see.

When you’re taking your practice test, try to replicate the exam day as closely as possible. That means taking the test timed (the GMATPrep software does this for you), in one sitting, and in a quiet place with few interruptions. Doing so helps ensure you get an accurate practice score.

After taking the practice GMAT test, you’ll automatically receive your GMAT total score. The total score is generally the score that schools are most interested in. For more information about the GMAT total score, check out our guide.

Step 3: Figure Out How Much Time You Should Study to Meet Your Goal GMAT Score

Taking a practice test helps determine your baseline (or, starting) score. Now that you’ve figured that out, you’ll want to compare it to your goal score. Figure out how many points you are away from meeting your school score by subtracting your practice test score from your goal score.

Below are some estimates of how long to study for the GMAT based on how many points you need to improve:

• 0 – 50 point improvement: 50 hours
• 51 – 100 point improvement: 100 hours
• 101 – 150 point improvement:  150 hours

These are rough estimates based on current data, and will be a little bit different for each test-taker. However, its a good place to start. It’s usually easier for test-takers scoring at 500 or less on their baseline to make larger improvements, while test-takers scoring at 600 or more have a harder time making big gains.

Trying to improve over 150 points will likely be difficult and time-consuming.  This would be a huge jump in the GMAT percentiles – for example, improving from a 500 to a 650 takes you from the 30th percentile to the 76th percentile – jumping over nearly half the population! So if you’re looking to make very substantial score improvements, you might want to think about hiring a personal tutor to help, and you’ll have to work hard.

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How Long Should You Study for the GMAT?

Once you’ve determined your goal score and taken a practice test, the next step is to figure out how long you need to study and build a solid plan to meet your goals.

Step 1: Figure Out How Many Hours You Need to Study

Use the information in the section above to figure out how many hours you need to study for the GMAT based on how many points you want to improve your score.

Step 2: Adjust the Hours You Need to Study (If Necessary)

You may or may not need to make adjustments to the number of total hours you need to study based on your current state of preparation and your goals.

For instance, if you’ve already studied a lot, but still haven’t made any movement towards your goal score, you may want to add another 15-20 hours to the total time you need to study. Traditionally, the more studying you’ve already put in, the harder it may be to raise your score. Usually, the first hours of studying are the most productive, because you’ll make quick gains by fixing errors like careless mistakes or learning how to deal with an unfamiliar question type.

You can also adjust your hours based on your own strengths and weaknesses as a student. Are you a fast learner? If so, you may want to decrease the total time needed by 10 – 15 hours. If you need to see material multiple times for it to sink in, you may want to consider adding hours to your plan.

Step 3: Figure Out How Many Hours You Can Study in a Week

The next step in creating your study plan is to figure out how many hours each week you can spend studying.

It’s important to be realistic about this. You want your study time to be productive. You also want to make sure that you’re not neglecting your other work or responsibilities in order to study; after all, your GMAT application is based on more than just your GMAT score. If you set a practice schedule that’s too packed, you might end up frustrated and burned out.

It’s generally more important to put in more hours than more weeks. That is, it’s better to study 120 hours over twelve weeks than 80 hours over fifteen weeks. However, how much time you can commit to per week also depends on your goals and responsibilities. If trying to cram in 30 hours per week will make you neglect other work, it’s better to stick to 15 hours of studying per week and make sure to excel at your other responsibilities.

Generally, the more hours you can study the GMAT in a week, the fewer weeks you’ll need to study. Remember, however, that your studying needs to be purposeful and useful. Trying to study for 20 hours in one weekend probably won’t help too much. Fitting too much studying into a short period of time will tire you out.

Along the same lines, you want to have a rigorous and consistent schedule week to week. Studying for just one hour once a week will probably lead to gaps as you forget what you learned from the week before. Set a consistent number of hours per week that is rigorous, but not overbearing.

Step 4: Figure Out How Many Weeks You Need to Study

Now that you know how many hours you can study in a week and how many hours you need to study total, it’s time to figure out how many weeks you need to study. Divide the total number of hours you need to study the GMAT by the number of hours you can study each week. That’s the number of weeks you need to study.

For example, if you need to study 120 hours and you can study for 10 hours each week, you will need to study for 12 weeks.

When planning your GMAT study schedule, you may also want to build in time for retakes. You can take the GMAT up to five times in a 12 month period, but you have to wait for at least 16 days between exams. If you think you’re going to want to retake the GMAT exam, add in at least four weeks per retake so you can make improvements based on where you went wrong.

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Step 5: Double-Check Application Deadlines

Double-check the application deadlines for your schools. If you choose which schools to send your test scores before you take the GMAT, the schools will receive your scores in less than 20 days. So, to be safe, schedule your GMAT at least three weeks before application deadlines.

Putting that all together, if you need 12 weeks to study for the GMAT, plus four weeks for re-takes and three weeks for schools to receive your score, you’re going to want to start studying about 19 weeks before your exam.

If you can’t fit in your studying before the application is due, you have a few options. First, you can eliminate a retake from your schedule and focus on acing the test the first time around. Second, you can try to fit more hours of prep each week. The more hours you study each week, the fewer weeks you’ll need to study.

Step 6: Create Your GMAT Study Schedule

Now that you  know when to start studying, how many weeks you’ll be studying, and how many hours you’ll be studying each week, it’s time to create a study schedule to help you reach your score goals.

Try to schedule your study times for the same times and days each week. This helps you plan your schedule and work consistently. For instance, if you need to schedule for fifteen hours per week, you can study for three hours every Monday – Friday, or for five hours every Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday. Setting the same dates and times for practice helps build consistency into your routine.

Make sure you plan regular practice tests as part of your study plan. Taking regular practice tests helps to track your progress and ensure you’re on track to meet your targets.

Final Verdict: How Long Should I Study for the GMAT?

How long does it take to prepare for the GMAT? The answer to that question varies for each test-taker. Some people spend months studying, while others barely prepare at all.

The key to deciding how long to study for the GMAT is figuring out your goal score and how much you need to improve to hit that goal.  From there you can determine the number of hours you need to study and how long you need to get that amount of GMAT prep in. Finally, you should create a GMAT study schedule to help you track your progress and stick to your plan.

What’s Next?

What’s a good score for the GMAT? Learn more about how to set your personalized GMAT score goal by reading out our guide .

Once you’ve set a good study schedule, check out our guide to picking a GMAT test date .

If you’re getting ready to register for the GMAT, make sure you check out our step-by-step GMAT registration guide .

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Author: Hayley Milliman

Hayley Milliman is a former teacher turned writer who blogs about education, history, and technology. When she was a teacher, Hayley's students regularly scored in the 99th percentile thanks to her passion for making topics digestible and accessible. In addition to her work for PrepScholar, Hayley is the author of Museum Hack's Guide to History's Fiercest Females. View all posts by Hayley Milliman