Major changes to bschool exams, and how you can prepare for the new GMAT
New GMAT Focus prep materials below.
If you’re thinking about an MBA, early on in the process you will need to decide if you’d rather take the GMAT or GRE exam (or the Executive Assessment, which you can learn more about, here).
What happens when you hear that the exams are changing, in a big way, in the middle of your application prep? First off, scores are valid for five years, so if you’ve already taken it (or you are well into your prep to sit for an upcoming test date), you’re in the clear. But if you’re in the beginning of your test prep journey, let’s get into the major changes so you can make the best decision for you and where you’re at in the process.
GMAT Focus Edition
For years, the GMAT has been the standard exam those applying to business school take to demonstrate their aptitude and where they fall in the applicant pool. It’s a mix of math and verbal that many will say resembles (or recalls) the SAT exam many take to get into undergrad.
This year, however, the exam structure and content has been updated and reworked to be more efficient, flexible and insightful (in terms of performance reporting). The GMAT Focus Edition is “a more focused test-taking experience that hones in on the higher-order critical reasoning and data literacy skills that are more relevant and applicable in the business environment of tomorrow.”
Efficient
Now features only three 45-minute sections, no essay, and reduced content to prep.
The GMAT™ Focus Edition is 2 hours and 15 minutes long (with one optional 10-minute break) with 64 questions in total:
- Quantitative Reasoning: 21 questions, 45 minutes
- Verbal Reasoning: 23 questions, 45 minutes
- Data Insights: 20 questions, 45 minutes
- New! The exam no longer includes an essay section.
Flexible
Personalize your test-taking experience with Question Review & Edit, Select Section Order, and improved score sending options.
The GMAT™ Focus Edition brings new exam features that you definitely want to dig into:
- Question Review & Edit: Bookmark and review as many questions as you want, and you can change up to three answers per section.
- Select Section Order: Take the exam in whatever section order you prefer.
- Improved Score Report: Detailed performance insights included with each exam.
- Easier Score Sending: You can now select programs after you receive your scores at both test centers and online, and each Official Score report will only contain one exam score.
Insightful
Benefit from detailed performance insights through an improved Official Score Report, included with registration.
In addition to your total and section scores and percentile rankings, you’ll get insights by section, question type, and content domain, details on your time management, and how you performed compared to others that applied to the same program.
- Performance by Section – provides an overview of your Total Score, section scores, and your percentile ranking for each. Use this chart to get an overview of your score.
- Performance by Program & School – shows your Total Score percentile ranking compared to the percentile rankings of test takers who sent their GMAT scores to the same program within the past 5 years. Use this chart to see how you stack up against others who are interested in applying to the same program(s). Note that this chart will only display if you send your Official Score to one or more programs.
- Performance by Content Domain – shows your percentile ranking based on the most recent 5 years of data for each content domain within the individual section. Use this chart to see how you performed on different content domains within the section, and where you have strengths and opportunities for improvement.
- Performance by Question Type – shows your percentile ranking based on the most recent 5 years of data for each question type within the individual section. Use this chart to see how you performed on different question types within the section, and where you have strengths and opportunities for improvement.
- Performance by Fundamental Skills – shows your percentile ranking based on the most recent 5 years of data for each fundamental skill within the individual section. Use this chart to see how you performed on different fundamental skills within the section, and where you have strengths and opportunities for improvement.
- Time Management & Performance – shows your response time in minutes, including any review time, for each question within the individual section. Use this chart to see how you managed your pacing compared to the average expected time spent per question in the section, as well as your performance by question.
- Summary of Question Review & Changes – shows your review activity for that section, including how much time you spent reviewing and editing questions in the section. Use this chart to help you evaluate whether or not changing your answers improved your performance.
From GMAC, administrators of the GMAT and Executive Assessment (link)
GMAT Focus Preparation
With a new test comes new preparation strategies and materials — some ways to get started ahead of the Q4 tests dates:
- Join Study Hall – join our MBAchic group to get tips and latest updates (and prep questions) from GMAC
- Choose the best study method – you can check out prep options crowdsourced here for how MBAchic members successfully prepared for their test date
- Prep with the official materials from GMAC – direct from the test administrators, take practices exams and dig into sample questions and answers / strategies
GMAT™ Focus Official Prep – from our friends at GMAC
FREE 6-Week Study Planner
Get ready for the GMAT™ Focus Edition in only 6 weeks!
Access this guide to get exclusive tips and strategies directly from the GMAT exam creators – you’ll identify your strengths and focus areas, track your progress, and learn how GMAT™ Focus Official Prep products can support your exam strategy so you can be ready on test day.
FREE GMAT™ Focus Official Starter Kit
Get your prep journey started right and establish your performance baseline with:
- A sampler of 70 real GMAT™ questions
- A step-by-step guided study
- Two free full-length practice exams
GMAT™ Official Guide 2023-2024 Series
Available in print or electronically, this is the ultimate prep collection with all the tools you need to succeed on the GMAT™ Focus Edition. It also includes an exclusive online question bank so you can customize your practice.
Plus, with three supplemental review books for Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights, you can focus your prep on what you need to learn most with hundreds of additional practice questions you can’t find anywhere else!
GMAT™ Focus Official Practice Exams
Choose from four GMAT™ Focus Edition practice exams – you’ll get access to full-length, adaptive GMAT exams that simulate the real test-taking experience. Leveraging the same scoring algorithm as the real exam, these practice exams will help you effectively manage your time and focus your studies.
GMAT™ Focus Practice Questions
Instant access to hundreds of additional questions to target your studying with three new section-specific resources: Practice Questions – Quantitative, Practice Questions – Verbal, and Practice Questions – Data Insights. Each set includes checkpoints along the way to help you track your progress.
Shorter GRE Exam
Starting in September 2023, ETS will administer the new, shorter GRE exam. The new Shorter GRE Test is roughly half the length and achieves that by removing a number of sections.
Changes to the test include:
- Removal of the “Analyze an Argument” task in the Analytical Writing section
- Reduced number of questions in the Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning sections
- Removal of the unscored section
In addition to test changes, test takers can expect to receive their official scores much faster, in just 8-10 days. These changes mark the first of several planned future updates to the GRE General Test, all of which are intended to provide test takers with a better experience that values their time and reduces anxiety and fatigue.
From ETS, administrators of the GRE (link)
The GMAT Focus will roll out in Q4 2023, and the new GRE will launch in September of 2023.
If you’re in the thick of your test prep, scores are valid for five years, so definitely continue on with your plans and consider joining us inside Study Hall.
If you’re just starting out in your MBA application journey, what questions can we help you answer before sitting for either of these exams? Do these updates change or delay your plans?
Photo from Lauren Mancke
