Thinking about getting into business school? Then the GMAT might be on your radar. For over 50 years, the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) has been the go-to test for MBA hopefuls—and now, with the updated GMAT Edition, it’s more relevant than ever.
What Is the GMAT Test?
The GMAT is a standardized test used by business schools around the world to help decide who’s ready for the challenge of a graduate-level business program. Schools look at your GMAT score along with your GPA, work experience, essays, and recommendations.
But here’s the thing—you’re not expected to know MBA-level stuff just yet. The GMAT is designed to see if your foundation is solid and if you’re ready to handle what’s coming in B-school.
The GMAT checks how well you can think, reason, and solve problems—especially under pressure. It’s split into three timed sections, each lasting 45 minutes:
Quantitative Reasoning
This section is all about problem-solving. It’ll test your understanding of numbers and logic—think algebra, ratios, and stats. You’ll only see one question type here: multiple-choice math problems that need clear, correct answers.
Verbal Reasoning
Here, the focus shifts to your ability to think critically and understand English. You’ll be reading short passages, spotting assumptions, and figuring out the logic in arguments.
Two question types:
Critical Reasoning – Evaluate arguments and find flaws or strengthen them.
Reading Comprehension – Digest a passage and answer questions about it.
Data Insights (DI)
This is the newest section and a big deal. DI questions ask you to look at tables, charts, and multi-part data to make sense of it all. It blends quant, verbal, and logic skills—just like you’ll need to do in real-world business scenarios.
You’ll tackle things like:
Data Sufficiency – Do you have enough info to solve the problem?
Multi-Source Reasoning – Jump between data tabs to answer questions.
Table & Graph Analysis – Pull insights from visuals.
Two-Part Analysis – Answer two connected questions using shared answer choices.
Over 3,000 business schools use GMAT scores to help them evaluate candidates. It’s not the only thing schools look at—your academic history, work experience, essays, and references matter too—but the GMAT is a useful tool for comparing applicants from different backgrounds.
The GMAT is a critical step in your MBA journey, but it’s 100% manageable with the right prep. It’s not just about scoring high—it’s about proving you’re ready for the next chapter in your career. So gear up, take it seriously, and don’t be afraid to aim high.