The current GMAT score range is on a scale of 205 to 805, 205 being the lowest and 805 the highest. All scores end in 5. Each of the three sections – Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights – is scored individually on a scale of 60 to 90, in increments of 1 point.
GMAT score range benchmarks
Average score: around 555 for all test takers globally.
Good gmat score: 655+ is considered good for most business schools.
Top business school scores: 685+ is considered competitive for the top-10 MBA programs.
How is the GMAT scored?
The algorithm calculates your gmat score by taking into account the difficulty of the questions and how many you answer correctly and incorrectly. It starts off by serving questions of random difficulties and adjusts the difficulty of the questions based on your accuracy. It does not take into account how much time you spend per question.
There is severe penalty for running out of time and leaving questions answered. You must aim to solve most questions in on average ~2 minutes per question for the quantitative and verbal sections, and about 3 minutes per question on data insights, provided you spend no more than 2 minutes on data sufficiency questions.
All three sections contribute equally towards your final score.
Why are GMAT quant and GMAT verbal percentile scores so different?
The GMAT quant and verbal scores are vastly different due to the nature of the test. Quant is a subject that is generally easier to plan and prepare for as it involves clearly defined topics. However, GMAT verbal reasoning requires a variety of skills including reading comprehension, critical thinking, and the ability to understand complex English language concepts – all of which may be challenging for some who have English as a second language. Reading comprehension is the main skill required for this section, but understanding vocabulary and grammar rules are also tested in order to assess the test taker’s overall mastery of the English language. This difference in difficulty between quant and verbal sections ultimately leads to widely disparate percentile scores for each.
GMAT scoring: Integrated reasoning score
The GMAT scoring system includes an integrated reasoning score that tests the ability to synthesize information from various charts and tables. It is a separate section of the exam with 12 questions that does not count towards the final score. The integrated reasoning section is scored on a scale 0 to 8, and provides insight into the ability of a gmat test-taker to draw conclusions from data. Furthermore, it measures their skills at interpreting graphics, such as pie charts and line graphs, as well as their capacity to organize complex data sets. It serves as an important part of the overall assessment of a student’s aptitude for business schoolGMAT scoring: Analytical writing assessmentThe Analytical Writing Assessment measures your analytical writing skills. On this section, you are given an argument and asked to analyze it. Your response is then scored on a range of 0 to 6. You will receive your score a few days after the test. Although it does not count towards your final score, the result will appear on the official score report. The essay will be judged in terms of how well you structure and develop your ideas, how clearly you present your analysis, and how effectively you support your points with examples. Therefore, it is important to take the time to practice writing essays that demonstrate these skills in order to improve your chances of achieving a higher score on this assessment.What is a good GMAT score for top business schools?
GMAT scoring takeaways for you: 5 prep tips
The GMAT is designed to push you to the limit. Even if you are at strong performer, you will be challenged by the exam. As such, after coaching many gmat candidates I found that the following tips extremely helpful during preparation.
GMAT scoring takeaways. 5 tips to improve your preparation
- Do NOT try to assess question difficulty
Question difficulty is very subjective. What is easy for you may be hard for others. Stop wasting time worrying about question difficulty and keep your focus on the questions.
- Focus on one question at a time
Do not worry about your score, business school, life or how you think you’re performing on the test. Just focus on one question at a time.
- Improve your GMAT timing
Schedule time practice early on in your preparation. This is essential to develop better time management intuition.
- Answer ALL questions on the GMAT test
There is a severe penalty for not answering all questions. You must finish each section and enter an answer for all questions.
- MOVE, MOVE, MOVE!
Don’t waste too much time on one question. One question will not influence your score as much as not having enough time to answer questions within your skill level. It may very well be an experimental question. So: always keep moving during the test.