Graduate Management Admission Test GMAT Computer Adaptive Test CAT GMAT Scores Mechanics Test Registration

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

During the last few months this column had touched on a wide range of management disciplines and related courses. We conclude with a look at GMAT.

The Verbal section measures our ability to read and comprehend written material, to reason and evaluate arguments, to correct written material and to conform to standard written English.

There will be questions on Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, and Sentence Correction. Reading Comprehension passages are accompanied by interpretive, applied, and inferential questions. The passages are up to 350 words in length, and they discuss topics from the social sciences, the physical or biological sciences, and business related fields such as marketing, economics, and human resource management Reading Comprehension questions measure our ability to understand, analyse, and apply information and concepts presented in written form.

All questions are to be answered on the basis of what is stated or implied in the reading material; no prior knowledge of the subject is required. Critical Reasoning questions are designed to test the reasoning skills involved in (1) making arguments, (2) evaluating arguments, and (3) formulating or evaluating a plan of action. Sentence Correction questions ask us which of the five choices best expresses an idea or relationship. The questions will require you to be familiar with the stylistic conventions and grammatical rules of standard written English and to demonstrate our ability to improve incorrect or ineffective expressions.

Example:

Question: The employees viewed the work-sharing plan with hostility, having feared that it will undermine the seniority system and negatively affect their retirement benefits.

Choices:

A. having feared that it will undermine
B. fearing that it would undermine
C. having the fear that it would undermine
D. feared that it would undermine
E. fearing that it will undermine What Is The CAT Style?

The GMAT is a CAT (computer-adaptive test) that is administered year-round at test centres throughout the world, including a few Indian cities. The test does not measure subjective factors important to academic and career success—such as motivation, creativity, interpersonal skills, or study skills.

In the computer-adaptive test all the candidates do not take the same questions, unlike in usual examinations. In the beginning of a multiple-choice section, a candidate is presented with a question of medium difficulty. As he answers the question, the computer scores the answer and uses it to choose the next question. If the answer is correct, the second question would be slightly more difficult. On the other hand, if it is wrong, an easier one would be offered as the second. This process continues with each question. The responses of all the previous questions and the information about the test design would determine the choice of the subsequent question. The computer adjusts itself to individual ability levels. This implies that different candidates would get different questions. One problem which we encounter is that once we have answered a question and moved on to another, we cannot go back and change our previous answers because the computer has already incorporated our answer and the test design requirements into its selection of our next question. The final score is automatically computed taking into account the statistical characteristics of the questions answered correctly and incorrectly, as well as their difficulty levels.

Basic computer skills are adequate for taking the test. Guidance for taking the test and software for preparation can be downloaded from the web site www.mba.com/gmatprep. We can make use of books such as the official guides for GMAT (Quantitative Review / Verbal Review). There are several other books and web sites which help the candidates in the preparation.

The Mechanics of Test Registration

For registering, we can choose a test centre and obtain test appointment online, by phone, fax, or mail. Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and New Delhi are the test centres in India. We can select from the available testing time at the centre of our choice. Information on further steps for registration, including the payment of test fee may be obtained from the centre. The web site www.mba.com also gives the basic information. There is provision for rescheduling as well.

Using the GMAT Scores

It may be noted that GMAT scores are usually sent by the GMAC directly to the business schools. They normally accept the scores for a period of five years from the test date. Once we appear in the test, the only opportunity for cancelling the scores is at the test centre, immediately after we complete the test, but before we view the scores. A message will appear asking if we want to cancel our scores. If we choose to cancel the scores, we will not be able to view them. Cancellation in part will not be permitted. Once we opt for cancellation, the scores in all the sections will stand cancelled.

The scores will be sent to the institutions of our choice. The test fee covers free transmission of the scores to five programs we select on the test day. Before we begin the examination, the five programs to receive the score report should be selected. The list of authorised score-report recipients is available in the web site.

If we request score reports for more than five programs, we will have to pay for such additional reports.

For more reports on test-taking, log on to www.hindu.com.nic/0051

The GMAT is computer adaptive test that is administered year-round at last centres throughout the world.

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

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