The GMAT is changing for the first time since 1997. If you’re considering pursuing an MBA, you’ve probably heard of the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) by now. Get ready for the new and improved GMAT Focus Edition, and let’s dive into what you need to know.
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Overview of GMAT Focus Edition
The GMAT Focus Edition is a computer-adaptive test designed to showcase the skills and concepts that business schools actually care about. Registrations for the GMAT Focus Edition open on August 29, and testing starts sometime between October and December 2023. You’ll find official prep materials available from June 6, 2023. And if you’re already prepping with the current version, don’t worry; it will be offered until early 2024.
Structure of the GMAT Focus Edition
The GMAT Focus Edition is all about efficiency. There are three sections, each lasting 45 minutes, with only multiple-choice questions. That means it’s almost an hour shorter than the original GMAT (2 hours 15 minutes compared to 3 hours 7 minutes). The sections are Quantitative Reasoning (21Qs), Verbal Reasoning (23Qs), and Data Insights (20Qs). And there is no longer an essay component.
Changes in the Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning Sections
The Quantitative Reasoning section now focuses solely on problem-solving questions. You won’t have to deal with data-sufficiency questions anymore. As for the Verbal Reasoning section, sentence correction questions have been removed, and only reading comprehension and critical reasoning questions remain.
New Data Insights Section
Here’s something new! The Data Insights section combines elements from data sufficiency (formerly in the Quantitative Reasoning section) and integrated reasoning. You might need to do some math, analysis, verbal reasoning, or a mix of everything. And you can use an on-screen calculator for this part.
Scores & Score Reporting
The highest possible score for the GMAT Focus Edition is 805. They’ve evened out the weightage of all three sections toward your final score. It’s slightly different from the old version, where the highest score was 800, based only on Quant and Verbal. Also, you don’t have to choose schools to receive your report before the exam. You can pick up to five schools for free within 48 hours after you get your official score report.
New Exam Features
The GMAT Focus Edition has interesting new features, including Question Review & Edit (you can change up to 3 of your answers per section), Select Section Order, Improved Score Report, and Easier Score Sending. They’ve added flexibility and simplified the score reporting process.
Why It Was Created
Why did the Graduate Management Admissions Council, the GMAC, create the GMAT Focus Edition? Two reasons:
1. Enhanced Test Experience: The GMAC wanted to improve the whole testing experience. So they added features like section order selection, an enhanced score report, and a more flexible way to send your scores. These changes, they hope, will help you prep and perform better.
2. Relevance to Business Needs: Business school and employer preferences are constantly changing. The GMAT Focus Edition is designed to stay aligned with what they want. It emphasizes data analysis, a vital skill in today’s business world. The GMAC also realized that the essay section and some question types weren’t as practical, so they decided to focus on more relevant skills and competencies.
The result? A shorter, more targeted, and flexible exam that reflects the real needs of the business world.
Recommendation
For those already prepping for the regular GMAT, that version will continue to be offered until 2024, so keep going. But if you plan to apply to business school in the fall of 2024, you can start preparing for the GMAT Focus Edition using the old GMAT prep materials. Just skip the Data Sufficiency questions in the Quantitative Reasoning section and the Sentence Corrections in the Verbal Reasoning section. The official test prep materials for the GMAT Focus Edition will be available on June 6, 2023, but other test prep companies might take a bit longer to develop their own materials.
I hope you found this information helpful and that it eases some of your GMAT prep worries. You can also access a video of this content and join the conversation on YouTube!
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