home > news > MBA Admissions > New Section On GMAT From June 2012

New Section On GMAT From June 2012

Multi-choice Integrated Reasoning section will replace one of the essays

Publish a story

Something dramatically different

Uh oh, a new section has been added to the dreaded GMAT test.

The Integrated Reasoning section will replace one of the essay questions in the Analytical Writing section from June 2012.

According to Dave Wilson, President and CEO of the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), the new section was developed in response to demand from business school faculty, who wanted questions that are "microcosms of what happens in the MBA classroom".

While the GMAT in its present form tests candidates quantitative and verbal skills, b-school admissions directors are looking for something that tests the ability to analyse and interpret data too.

The multiple-choice section is "dramatically diferent" and will require candidates to look at data in different formats; tables, graphs, maps; and "interpret, extrapolate and analyse"

The overall length of the GMAT exam (three and a half hours) will not change. The new integrated reasoning section will be 30 minutes long and replace one of two essays that are part of the GMAT’s analytical writing section.

According to GMAC, performance on the essays is closely aligned, making a single essay acceptable for predicting performance.

Tests will be scored on the same 200 to 800 scale used today. Test takers will receive a separate score for the essay—as they do now—and another distinct score on the new integrated reasoning section.

We'll follow up with the brains at GMAT to find out how much extra prep this new section will involve and get tips on how to do well.

In the meantime, here are comments from people who've tested out the new section.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2WiKHxvIHA

And some more detail on the section itself.

http://www.youtube.com/user/GMACNewsCenter#p/u/5/O5UvUmrc96o

Share |