Infographic Drops The 411 on GMAT

Millions of undergraduate students will graduate in the next two months, and for some, that’s only half the battle. A plethora of soon-to-be grads are hoping to continue their academic pursuits by attending professional schools. And for those eyeing business schools, this means taking the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT).

Most people want a heads up on what’s to come, and test taking is no different. To help answer those pre-test questions, MBA Programs.com has created an infographic, The 4ll on the GMAT. Read on to discover key insights the infographic offers for all those planning to take the exam, and tips to ensure necessary preparation:

• According to the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), most test takers spend 3-6 months studying for the exam (which is 3.5 hours, plus time for breaks)

• Be sure to register for the test (online, by mail or fax), and prepare by finding the correct testing location to schedule your test. You can do this and access preparation materials, practice tests and diagnostic tools on www.MBA.com.

So, what exactly is the GMAT? The test is made up of four sections:

• Analytical Writing Assessment-reason and construct a written analysis

• Integrated Reasoning-analyze and synthesize data from multiple sources to solve complex problems

• Quantitative-reason quantitatively and discern how much data are needed to solve problems

• Verbal-analyze texts, draw inferences, and effectively convey meaning in English

And how exactly is the GMAT scored?

• Total scores range from 200-800 and are based only on the quantitative and verbal sections

• In the 2011-12 school year, the mean total scores for all GMAT takers was 548

Every year about 20 percent of test takers retake the GMAT, and the average points gained for retakes is 33. The GMAT isn’t limited to the U.S. as 55 percent of test takers are from different countries.