GMAT Focus Edition, for business school.

What the GMAT measures

The GMAT is an aptitude test rather than a subject test. It does not check whether you remember your undergraduate syllabus; it checks how well you reason under time pressure with information you have only just been given. That is why a strong academic record does not automatically produce a strong score, and why structured practice moves the number more than raw ability does.

Business schools read the score alongside your work history and your reason for applying. A high score will not rescue a vague application, and a mid-range score rarely sinks a clear one. Where the score matters most is at the margins — competitive programmes, scholarship decisions and applicants whose academic record needs support.

Exam pattern

The Focus Edition has three sections of equal length, and you choose the order in which you sit them. Most students start with their strongest section to settle their nerves before the harder one.

Quantitative Reasoning

45 min

Problem solving, algebra and arithmetic

Verbal Reasoning

45 min

Reading comprehension and critical reasoning

Data Insights

45 min

Data sufficiency, graphs and multi-source reasoning

How scoring works

All three sections contribute equally to the total. Score preview lets you see your result before deciding whether to keep or cancel it, which removes most of the risk from an early attempt.

Total score

205 to 805, in ten-point increments

Section scores

60 to 90 for each of the three sections

Validity

Five years from the test date

Score preview

Result shown before you choose to report it

GMAT fees

The GMAT is priced in US dollars and the online version costs more than the test centre version. The sticker price is only part of it — rescheduling and extra score reports add up quickly.

Fees are set by GMAC in US dollars and revised periodically. Confirm the current schedule on mba.com before registering.

Registering for the test

Registration is handled through the official GMAT account, and appointments run year-round at test centres or online. Book once your diagnostic result suggests you are within reach of your target, not before — appointments can be rescheduled, but the fee for doing so rises as the date approaches.

Your counsellor will confirm which schools you are applying to and when their rounds close, then work backwards to a test date that leaves room for one retake if it is needed.

Retakes and timing

You can sit the GMAT again after a short waiting period, subject to annual and lifetime limits. In practice most students who prepare properly sit it twice: once to establish a real baseline under exam conditions, and once after targeted work on the weakest section.

Leave at least eight weeks between your first attempt and your earliest application deadline. That is enough time to retake if the first result falls short, and not so much that your preparation goes stale.