whats in a gmat??

So that’s what GMAT is all about.

Four and a half hours of testing in front of a monitor. I am sure many of you are used to this situation, but what if there are brain-scratching questions in front of you instead of the social networking sites like orkut where you talk endlessly . And every second counts.

GMAT Facts

A MAX GMAT SCORE: Maximum score is 800, which is calculated after the actual score is computed.
B MORE Harder is your answer, the more question become harder: The GMAT follows Computer Adaptive Testing ( CAT ). The better you do, the harder the questions will become till you make a mistake. But you get more credit for answering harder questions.
C IMMEDIATE RESULT: Since the GMAT is taken on the computer, the scores of each section (except AWA) are almost immediately available.
D TAKES TIME: The Analytical Writing Assessment section is scored separately on scale of 1-6, with 6 being the best. You get this score only after 2-3 wks.
E Practice makes man perfect in gmat: Tried and tested methods in standard books can significantly improve your GMAT scores

TOP GMAT BOOKS

Based on student review for gmat preparation books, i compiled following popular list of gmat books which are offering high sucess rates--

1. Kaplan GMAT 800

Written by Kaplan, a recognized leader in college test prep and admissions services, this book is an advanced guide for ambitious students who dream of high GMAT scores. The hundreds of very difficult practice questions (with detailed answers) cover math tactics, critical reasoning, and data sufficiency problems.

2. Cracking the GMAT

Written by the Princeton Review, this book is all about strategies and techniques that will help you score higher on the exam. It also contains 200 practice questions (with answers and explanations) and a CD-Rom with four full-length practice tests.

3. Master the GMAT

Written by GMAT test - preparation instructors and experts, McGraw- Hill's GMAT offers topic reviews, GMAT test strategies, practice tests, and more. The guide makes an excellent foundation for exam preparation.

so what you are waiting for, start preparing for GMAT!

TAKING THE GMAT

When to take the test: You must first decide on an ideal date for your GMAT. In addition to personal convenience factors you must decide on a test date depending on the application deadlines of schools to which you wish to apply and the time you require to be fully prepared to score well on the GMAT test. It can take up to a month for official score reports to reach the business schools and most schools expect official reports to reach them before their application deadlines. Most applicants prefer to take the gmat test about two to three months before the school's application deadline so that the time between the test date and application deadlines is enough to complete the application forms, write essays and arrange original documents and recommendation letters for multiple schools. Based on this, decide on an ideal test date for you.

Registering for the gmat test: After deciding on a date at your end, you must immediately check for availability of testing space at a location of your choice. This can be checked online by going to the official site of Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). The seat availability can change quickly. If you are sure about the date and if it's available, you should register immediately. You would need to pay the required fee of US$250 by credit card.

If you are an international applicant and do not wish to pay by credit card, you can register at the Regional Registration Centers (RRC) of GMAC in your area for gmat.

Minimum GMAT score

Most schools do not publish a minimum acceptable GMAT score or detailed statistics about the scores achieved by applicants. However, schools do generally publish the average and median score of their latest intake, which can be used as a guide.

At nearly all of the top business schools that are commonly listed in popular magazines and ranking services, the GMAT scores will average in the upper 600s or low 700s. The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, commonly regarded as one of the top business schools in the US, reports an average GMAT score of 713; Harvard Business School, another top tier U.S. business school, reports a 2006 average of 707. Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management reports an average GMAT of 700, with approximately 75 percent of enrolled students scoring between 650 and 740. INSEAD, one of Europe's leading business schools with a highly multinational student body, reports a 2005 GMAT average of 705.

It may be possible to overcome a low test score with impressive real world accomplishments, good undergraduate performance, outstanding references, or particularly strong application essays.

GMAT`s history

In 1953, the organization now called the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) began as an association of nine business schools, whose goal was to develop a standardized test * GMAT to help business schools select qualified applicants. In the first year it was offered, the assessment (now known as the Graduate Management Admission Test GMAT ), was taken just over 2,000 times; in recent years, it has been taken more than 200,000 times annually. Initially GMAT used in admissions by 54 schools, the GMAT test is now used by more than 1,500 schools and 1,800 programs worldwide.

Until the end of 2005, Educational Testing Service (ETS) developed and administered the exam. On January 1, 2006, GMAC transitioned vendors to a combination of ACT Inc, which develops the test questions and CAT software, and Pearson Vue, which delivers the GMAT exam at testing centers worldwide.