What Is The GMAT And What Do The Scores Mean?

What Is On The GMAT?

The GMAT has three sections, Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights, each lasting 45 minutes, for 64 questions in total, according to GMAC. You choose the order of the sections and when to take the optional 10-minute break. The three sections count equally toward your total score, so no single area can carry you, as our MBA admissions overview explains.

Quantitative Reasoning

Quantitative Reasoning has 21 problem-solving questions that test arithmetic and elementary algebra, according to GMAC's exam content page. GMAC says the questions rely more on logic and analytical skills than on advanced math. You can't use a calculator in this section, so mental math and estimation matter, a skill that also pays off when you compare MBA student loan offers.

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal Reasoning has 23 Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning questions. Reading Comprehension tests main ideas, inferences and logical structure, while Critical Reasoning gives you a short passage, usually under 100 words, and asks you to strengthen, weaken or evaluate an argument. You don't need business knowledge for either, and our GMAT vs. GRE comparison helps if you're still choosing a test.

Data Insights

Data Insights has 20 questions that ask you to analyze numbers, charts, tables and text together, and it's the only section with an on-screen calculator. GMAC lists five question types, and each one tests the kind of data judgment business programs want. Our graduate school admissions overview shows how schools weigh it.

• Data Sufficiency: decide if you have enough information to solve a problem.
• Multi-Source Reasoning: answer questions using several text, table or graphic sources together.
• Table Analysis: sort a spreadsheet-style table to find what meets certain conditions.
• Graphics Interpretation: read a chart or graph to fill in statements.
• Two-Part Analysis: solve a problem with two linked answers, often weighing trade-offs.

Exam Features That Change Your Strategy

Three features shape how you should take the GMAT. You can pick your section order, you can bookmark questions and change up to three answers per section on a review screen, and you lose points for unanswered questions, according to GMAC. That means pacing to finish every section matters more than perfecting a few hard questions, a point every course in our best GMAT prep rankings drills.

How Is The GMAT Scored?

Your GMAT total score runs from 205 to 805 in 10-point steps, and every total ends in 5. Each section gets its own score from 60 to 90, and the three sections are weighted equally, according to GMAC. You see an unofficial score on screen as soon as you finish, and the Official Score Report usually arrives within three to five days. Our MBA admissions overview covers how schools use it.

Percentiles are updated every year, so the same scaled score can rank a little differently over time. The new scale also runs lower than the old one: a 655 on today's GMAT matches a 700 on the old 10th Edition, according to GMAC's concordance table. Keep that in mind when you read older class profiles or forum posts, and when you compare schools in our MBA admissions overview.

What Is A Good GMAT Score?

A good GMAT score is one at or above the median of the programs you're targeting, which is GMAC's own advice. Harvard Business School's Class of 2027 had a current-GMAT median of 685 and a middle 80% range of 645 to 735, according to HBS. Less selective programs accept lower scores, so check each school's class profile, as our MBA admissions overview recommends.

Here's how we'd read the numbers. A 605 beats about 69% of test takers, a 655 beats about 90%, and a 705 beats about 97%. Moving from 605 to 655 is a big jump in standing, and GMAC says retaking the test adds 20 to 30 points on average, according to its GMAT FAQ. That makes a planned second attempt a realistic strategy for applicants a few points short, and our best GMAT prep rankings show which courses back gains with guarantees.

How Much Does The GMAT Cost?

The GMAT costs $275 at a U.S. test center or $300 online, according to GMAC's exam payment page. Rescheduling fees range from $55 to $180 depending on timing, and you can't change an appointment within 24 hours of your start time. Budget for these costs alongside the bigger expenses in our MBA student loans comparison.

Your test fee includes free score reports to up to five programs if you send them within 48 hours of your official score, according to GMAC, and the detailed performance report is now included at no extra cost. Applying to more than five schools, or sending scores later, adds $35 per report. Those small fees add up, which is why we track them in our graduate school admissions overview.

How Many Times Can You Take The GMAT?

You can take the GMAT up to five times in any rolling 12-month period, with no lifetime limit, and you must wait at least 16 days between attempts, according to GMAC's exam policies. Test center and online attempts count together, and canceled scores still count as attempts. A perfect 805 locks you out for five years. Plan any retake around your application deadlines, as our MBA admissions timeline suggests.

Taking the test more than once can help even if your total doesn't move much. When you test more than once, GMAC automatically calculates a GMAT Superscore from your highest section scores across all valid attempts and includes it on your Official Score Report, according to GMAC. Scores stay valid for five years, so testing before you're ready to apply is a smart move, as we note in our benefits of business school breakdown.

GMAT Vs. GRE Vs. Executive Assessment

Most business schools accept either the GMAT or the GRE, according to GMAC. At Harvard Business School, 44% of the Class of 2027 submitted the GRE and 34% submitted the current GMAT, so neither test hurts you at top programs. Our GMAT vs. GRE comparison goes deeper on choosing between the two.

GMAC also offers the shorter Executive Assessment for experienced professionals applying to full-time, part-time, executive MBA and master's programs, according to GMAC. It has 40 questions in 90 minutes, and results come within 24 hours. Check which tests each program accepts in our graduate school admissions overview.

GMAC says the GMAT tends to be harder for people without quantitative backgrounds, and that it can be easier for non-native English speakers because it doesn't test vocabulary or grammar. The best way to choose is to take a free official practice test for each and compare where you land. Then pick a prep plan from our best GMAT prep rankings or our GRE explainer.

How Long Should You Study For The GMAT?

GMAC recommends studying for at least six weeks at a steady pace, and it says many top scorers study for two to four months. Most test takers put in 60 or more hours, and in GMAC's 2020 survey, the median was about 80 hours, with about 100 hours for those scoring 700 or higher on the old scale. Plan your timeline around work and your MBA application deadlines.

1. Take GMAC's free official practice exam to set a baseline in all three sections.
2. Look up your target programs' median scores and set a goal.
3. Study 30 to 60 minutes a day, GMAC's suggested pace, plus a longer weekend session.
4. Take an official practice exam every two to three weeks and shift time to your weakest section.
5. Book your first test six to eight weeks before your deadline, leaving room for a retake after the 16-day wait.

How To Prepare For The GMAT

Start with GMAC's free Official Starter Kit, which includes 70+ sample questions and two full-length practice exams that use the real test's scoring and timing, according to GMAC. The Premium GMAT Study Collection 2026-2027 bundle costs $299.99 on GMAC's store if you want more official material. Most students then add a course, and our best GMAT prep rankings compare every major option.

How The GMAT Affects What You Pay For An MBA

GMAC notes that a strong GMAT score “may also support scholarship opportunities,” according to its scores page. That matters more now. Starting July 2026, Grad PLUS loans count toward a new federal graduate borrowing cap, as we reported in our coverage of Grad PLUS loans and the borrowing cap, and some schools, including UC Irvine, have cut MBA tuition in response.

Here's our take. If federal loans no longer cover the full cost of a program, every dollar of scholarship money reduces what you'll need from private lenders. Spending $249 to $2,000 on prep to move into a stronger scholarship tier can be one of the better returns in the whole application process. Compare that with the borrowing math in our MBA student loans comparison and our breakdown of refinancing MBA student loans.

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GMAT FAQs

What Happened To The GMAT Focus Edition?

GMAC now calls it simply the GMAT exam. The Focus Edition replaced the old 10th Edition on February 1, 2024, and that format is today's GMAT, scored from 205 to 805. Our best GMAT prep rankings only include courses built for it.

Can You Use A Calculator On The GMAT?

Only in Data Insights, which has an on-screen calculator. The Quantitative Reasoning section doesn't allow a calculator, according to GMAC. Practice mental math as part of your MBA admissions prep.

How Long Are GMAT Scores Valid?

GMAT scores are valid for five years, according to GMAC. That lets you test well before you apply. Our benefits of business school breakdown can help you decide when to apply.

Can You Take The GMAT Online?

Yes. You can take the GMAT online or at a test center, and the online version costs $300 in the U.S. compared with $275 at a test center. Online and test center attempts count toward the same five-per-year limit, as we explain in our GMAT vs. GRE comparison.

Is There A Penalty For Guessing On The GMAT?

No, but there is a penalty for leaving questions unanswered, according to GMAC. If time is running out, guess rather than skip. Our best GMAT prep rankings cover courses that teach pacing.