Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)

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Graduate Management Admission Test(GMAT)

• Orfalea College of Business
• Graduate Programs Office

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What is the GMAT?

• Graduate Management Admission Test
• Computer adaptive test
• Does not measure creativity, motivation, nor
• No specific business knowledge needed
• Test measures
• Verbal Skills
• Mathematical Skills
• Writing Skills

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Signing Up

• Online www.MBA.com
• Phone 1-800-GMAT-NOW
• Local Testing Center
• Pearson Professional Centers Santa Maria
• Gill Office Building, 1010 South Broadway, Suite
  F
• Santa Maria, CA 93454
• [phone]
• Reservations required
• Cost is 250

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Essential Item!!!

• Go to www.mba.com/mba/TaketheGMAT
• Go to GMAT Prep Products
• Select Free GMAT PowerPrep Software
• Provide name/Email
• Download free test prep software program
• Look and feel of actual test
• Contains full length test that is very reflective
  of actual test
• Scores generated are very accurate to actual test
  results

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Free GMAT Software!
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The Big Day

• Check in at least 30 minutes before assigned time
• If late, fee will be forfeited
• Current Photo ID required
• Examples drivers license, passport
• NOT STUDENT ID!
• Verification process
• Sign confidentiality statement and rules
  agreement
• Thumbprint, photo and audio/video taping

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Test Procedures and Regulations

• Restrictions
• No testing aids calculators, books, notes, etc
• Scratch paper and pencils provided
• Two 5 minute breaks, cannot be exceeded
• No eating or drinking in testing center
• Cannot leave testing station without approval
• Personal items will be locked up
• Dismissed for disruptive behavior
• Cancellation of score if you fail to comply

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Rescheduling and Canceling

• Rescheduling
• At least 7 days in advance - 50 rescheduling
  fee applies
• Less than 7 in advance - full fee is forfeited
• Canceling
• At least 7 days in advance 80 partial refund

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Getting Your Scores

• Scores sent to up to 5 institutions/programs
• GMAT yields four scores verbal, quantitative,
  total, analytical writing
• 2/3 of total scores are between 400 - 600
• Out of 800 total points
• May view scores for multiple-choice sections upon
  completion
• Official score mailed in 2 weeks

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Canceling Scores

• May cancel, on computer, immediately following
  last section of test
• Scores cannot be canceled once viewed
• No partial cancellations
• Fees not refunded if you cancel
• Cancellations reported to score recipients

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Repeating the GMAT

• No more than one time in a calendar month
• Even if scores are canceled
• Latest scores and two most recent scores are
  reported to designated recipients
• Test scores valid for 5 years

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GMAT Format
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General Tips!

• The first questions are weighted more heavily
  than the rest
• Its not the number of questions you get correct
  that determines your score its the level of
  difficulty
• Questions increase in difficulty as you answer
  questions correctly
• Concentrate on getting a series of questions in a
  row correct
• Answer as many questions as possible
• If you are not sure, guess!
• Pace yourself, but be aware of your time
• Confirm your answers only when confident
• Be careful about exit and quit commands

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Analytical Writing

• 2 types of essays
• analysis of an issue
• analysis of an argument
• 30 minutes each
• Scored 0 - 6 in 1/2 point increments
• To score high
• Use pre-built template
• Use a combination of short long sentences
• Write as much as possible
• Save time to edit carefully

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Steps for Issue Analysis

• Read the topic and decide your position
• Brainstorm for supporting ideas
• Outline essay ideas on scratch paper
• Use strongest 3 -5 supporting ideas
• Use a template
• Write and edit carefully

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Sample Issue Analysis Template

• Intro
• The issue of _____is controversial, on the one
  hand______. On the other hand _________.
  However, I believe __________.
• Paragraph 2 - 4
• One reason for my belief is ...
• Another reason is ...
• Perhaps the best reason is...
• Closing
• For all these reasons, I therefore believe ...

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Steps for Argument Analysis

• Critique the argument, not your opinion
• Separate the conclusion from the premise
• Concentrate on the assumptions made
• Outline your 3 strongest arguments
• Add how the assumptions could have been
  strengthened
• Again, use a template and edit carefully

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Sample Argument Analysis Template

• Intro
• The argument that (conclusion) is not convincing,
  since it ignores certain assumptions.
• Paragraph 2 - 4
• First, the argument assumes ...
• Second, the argument never ...
• Finally, the argument omits...
• Closing
• Thus the argument is not convincing.
• Ultimately, the argument might have been
  strengthened by...

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Quantitative Section Whats Covered

• 37 questions in 2 formats
• Problem Solving (much like the SAT) 19 questions
• Data Sufficiency (unique to GMAT) 18 questions
• Test general knowledge of arithmetic, basic
  algebra, basic geometry
• No calculus, trig, or complicated geometry

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General Advice

• Always reread the last line of the problem to
  make sure youve actually answered the question
• Use Process of Elimination
• To eliminate obviously wrong answers quickly
• To avoid overworking the problem
• To maximize opportunity to guess correctly

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Arithmetic

• Topics tested
• Axiom and Fundamentals (properties of integers,
  - numbers, even odd)
• Arithmetic Operations ( - x / etc.)
• Fractions Decimals
• Ratios
• Percentages
• Averages
• Exponents and Radicals

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Algebra

• Cosmic Problems asked to write an equation that
  will answer a question regardless of what a
  certain number x is
• PLUG IN pick numbers for the letters in the
  problem
• Plug in from the outside in (A,E,B,D,C)
• Avoid using 0, 1, and numbers in the problem
• Why not solve algebraically?
• Makes difficult problems easy
• Test designed with many ways for you to screw up
  using algebra

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Example of a Cosmic Problem

• What is two more than 3 times a certain number x?
• A. 3x-2
• B. 3x
• C. 2x-3
• D. 2x3
• E. 3x2

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Solving Non-Cosmic Problems

• Non-cosmic problems have specific answers
• WORKING BACKWARDS
• Start with choice C, plug number into problem to
  see if it works
• If choice C is too small, choose the next larger
  number
• If choice C is too big, choose the next smaller
  number

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Geometry

• YOU MUST MEMORIZE ALL FORMULAS
• Study problems that are drawn to scale to
  eliminate crazy answers
• Not all diagrams are drawn to scale
• Geometry problems always involve more than 1 step
• Topics Tested
• Degrees and angles, triangles, circles,
  four-sided objects, solids and volume

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Data Sufficiency

• Consists of a question followed by 2 statements
• You dont decide what the answer is
• You decide WHETHER the question can be answered
  based on the info in the 2 statements

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Data Sufficiency Answers

• The first statement ALONE answers the question
• The second statement ALONE answers the question
• You need both statements TOGETHER to answer the
  question
• Both statements SEPARATELY answer the question
• Neither statement together or separately answers
  the question

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How to Crack Data Sufficiency

• Look at one statement at a time
• Memorize AD or BCE
• If statement (1) answers the question, write down
  AD
• If statement (2) also answers the question, the
  final answer is D
• If statement (1) DOES NOT answer the question,
  write down BCE
• Evaluate statement (2) to narrow down the
  remaining choices

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A Hidden Trick

• If a data sufficiency problem asks a yes/no
  question
• A statement is sufficient if it ALWAYS gives the
  SAME answer, yes or no
• If the answer is SOMETIMES yes and sometimes no,
  the statement is insufficient

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Verbal Section

• Sentence Correction 15 questions
• Reading Comprehension 15 questions
• Critical Reasoning 11 questions

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Sentence Correction

• Two techniques
• Look for specific errors as you read
• Treat differences among the answer choices as
  clues to finding the error
• Remove portion of sentence in parenthesis and
  read the sentence again
• About 1/5 of the sentences are correct as written
• Choice (A) repeats the sentence word for word

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Sentence Correction Errors

• Pronouns should clearly refer to noun
• Misplaced modifiers noun should come directly
  after modifying phrase
• Tense verb tense should be consistent
• Subject-verb agreement subject and verb should
  agree
• Apples-and-oranges things being compared should
  be comparable
• Quantity words countable vs. uncountable words
  used correctly

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Reading Comprehension

• 3 types of questions
• Social Science
• Science
• Business
• Three most common questions
• What is the primary purpose of this passage?
• What is the authors tone?
• Which choice given best describes the structure
  of the passage?

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Reading Comprehension - Tips

• Read for main ideas
• Watch for trigger words (however, but) which
  signal a change in direction of passage
• Use line numbers lead words as guides
• Take notes
• Use Process of Elimination
• Read quickly to understand main idea
• Watch out for always, must, all, never,
  complete
• Quickly eliminate obviously incorrect answers

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Critical Reasoning

• Short passages with one or two questions
• Three parts
• Conclusion (what author is convincing us of)
• Premises (evidence to support conclusion)
• Assumptions (unstated ideas without which entire
  conclusion may be invalid)

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Critical Reasoning Tips

• You should never skim, each word is important
• Always read the question first
• Use process of elimination to eliminate answers
  outside the scope of the argument
• 8 types of questions

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Critical Reasoning

• Assumption - Look for a flaw in the argument
• Weaken the Argument - Look for flaws in reasoning
  
• Strengthen the Argument - Look for support
  answers
• Find the Conclusion- Break down the argument
• Supply the Conclusion
• Inference - Concern the premises, not the
  conclusion
• Resolve the Paradox Questions - look for
  contradiction
• Mimic the Reasoning Questions - find argument
  that mimics the method of reasoning used if A,
  then B

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Study Strategies

• Buy a book!
• Treat it like a class
• Commit to specified study time(s)
• Test yourself realistically
• Do use downloadable GMAT software
• Do take full length test to identify weak areas
  and get rough estimate of score
• DO NOT allow yourself to exceed time limits
• DO NOT use calculators