If you are an undergraduate student or working professional who is interested in going back to school to earn an MBA, you might need to take a standardized exam called the GMAT (or Graduate Management Admission Test) to get into a local business school like Grand Canyon University - Ken Blanchard College of Business or the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. The GMAT is written with the curriculum of business schools in mind, making it a good indicator of how you might fare in a graduate business program. Naturally, you want to put your best foot forward. If you feel that you could benefit from a formal Phoenix GMAT course, Veritas Prep can set you up with everything you need to pursue academic success!
Put simply, the GMAT assesses your familiarity with the skills you'll need to draw on, whether you're in pursuit of an MBA or success in the business world. It consists of a total of four sections, each of which evaluate a completely different set of skills. Trying to prepare for all of them on your own can feel overwhelming, so many students opt to seek professional assistance in the form of a Phoenix GMAT course to enhance their test prep. Business schools applications are competitive, so investing in a Phoenix GMAT prep course may also give you a leg up on the other students trying to take your spot.
What Topics Does the GMAT Cover?
The four topics on the GMAT are Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Integrated Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. You have some flexibility in which order you take them in. For example, some students might want to knock out the Analytical Writing Assessment first to get it over with, while others might prefer to save it for last. Let's take a closer look at the topics covered by the GMAT, section by section:
1. Quantitative Reasoning
The GMAT's Quantitative Reasoning section consists of 31 multiple-choice questions over a testing session lasting 62 minutes. It is scored on a scale from 0-60, though most test-takers earn a score in the 6-51 range. The principal skills tested include mathematical reasoning, graphical interpretation, and analytical thinking. Questions on this section may be broken into two distinct categories: problem-solving and data analysis.
The problem-solving items are exactly what you might expect them to be. You are asked to use data provided in order to solve math problems, many of which are placed in a real-world, business context. You probably have some experience with this type of task from your undergraduate studies, but the help you receive in a Phoenix GMAT prep course may help you solve them more quickly and more accurately.
The data analysis items are a little more unique. These questions measure your ability to analyze both a problem and several sources of relevant data in order to determine when you have enough to solve the problem. It's obviously important to have enough research as a foundation for your decisions, but you don't want to overdo it and miss out on a potentially valuable opportunity either. A Phoenix GMAT prep course can help you learn where to draw that line.
2. Verbal Reasoning
The GMAT's Verbal Reasoning section consists of 36 multiple-choice questions given over 65 minutes and is scored on the same scale as the Quantitative Reasoning section. Many business students may underestimate just how important communication skills are in an office setting, so the Verbal Reasoning section uses a blend of reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence corrections to measure whether an applicant is prepared.
The exam's reading comp questions measure your ability to understand and interpret written passages. You are expected to demonstrate both a literal understanding of the information provided as well as be able to draw inferences from that material. If you want to retain more of the information you read, you might want to go over active reading techniques in a Phoenix GMAT class to enhance your understanding.
Likewise, the exam's critical reasoning items assess your ability to make and evaluate arguments and plans of action. Understanding an argument and understanding a reading passage demand similar skills, so the work you do in your Phoenix GMAT course for the reading comprehension questions may prove applicable to these items as well.
Finally, the GMAT's sentence corrections measure your command of the mechanics of the English language. You will be presented with erroneous sentences and asked to choose the best correction from the choices provided. One of the best ways to build your grammatical skills is simply to practice, so don't skip this section in your test prep!
3. Integrated Reasoning
The GMAT Integrated Reasoning section assesses how well you can apply academic knowledge to real-world problem-solving situations. This section consists of just 12 questions over a session lasting 30 minutes, but each question has multiple parts that make them considerably more in-depth than the items on previous sections. It is scored on a scale from 1-8. Categories on this section include multi-source reasoning, table analysis, graphic interpretation, and two-part analysis.
Taking a Phoenix GMAT course can help you work on each of these item types individually. For example, multi-source reasoning problems ask you to synthesize data from graphs, text, and numbers in order to make one decision. You might want to note down what each source is telling you to make it easier to bring everything together. Likewise, table analysis requires you to work with spreadsheets in order to quickly find the information you need to solve a given problem.
4. Analytical Writing Assessment
The GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment is a timed, 30-minute essay in which you are required to evaluate a provided argument. The argument may not be business-related, but you will not be expected to incorporate any outside information about the topic into your work. You are scored based on a variety of factors, including syntactic variety, topical analysis, organization, grammar, clarity, and focus. Your final score will be reported on a 0-6 scale.
Most students produce better writing when they plan their response beforehand, so you might want to go over how to outline in a Phoenix GMAT course to help you prepare for this section. Not only can following an outline make certain that your essay follows a logical structure, but it can also help you remember what you wanted to say next if you get stuck.
What Types of GMAT Prep Are Available to Me?
Veritas Prep offers a suite of GMAT prep options that can help you prepare for the exam, no matter where you are starting from. For example, self-study Phoenix GMAT course materials include pre-recorded interactive video lessons that you may review on your own time. Everything can be streamed or downloaded to your favorite device, including desktop computers, laptop computers, tablets, and smartphones. Should you have any questions, you can also access regular help from a knowledgeable GMAT expert.
The self-study materials also include practice exams to give you a sense of what to expect on exam day. Notably, the practice tests utilize the same Computer-Adaptive Testing (CAT) format you'll see on the actual exam. If you're not familiar with CAT technology, it just means that the computer selects your next question according to how you are performing. Students who are doing well are presented with more challenging questions, while students who have missed a few are given something easier so that the computer can accurately assess their talent level.
If you want more guidance than a self-study program provides, you might want to take a Live Class. All Live Classes are taught by instructors who personally scored in the 99th percentile on the GMAT, allowing you to trust that they understand what they are talking about. Your instructor will break down each section of the test as well as review the academic skills required for each. Every Phoenix GMAT class also takes place on an innovative online classroom platform, allowing you to interact with both your instructor and fellow students in real time.
Working professionals don't have as much free time as they might like, so Veritas Prep offers multiple Live Classes concurrently to help you find one that fits your scheduling needs. Each class also includes the Phoenix GMAT prep course self-study materials to help you make the most of your study time between class sessions. If you're looking for even more flexibility, one-on-one GMAT tutoring allows you to receive individualized attention. You can concentrate on your unique areas of opportunity to optimize study efficiency while learning at your own pace. Best of all, your tutoring package also includes self-study course materials or a Live Class to help you feel as prepared as possible.
Why Should I Choose Veritas Prep for My GMAT Preparation Needs?
Whether you hope to be the CEO of a major company, an executive for a non-profit organization, or simply facilitate international business deals, reaching for your academic potential on the GMAT can be the first step toward your future. The GMAT is a tricky test, but Veritas Prep offers a host of test prep solutions to help you prepare for it. Whether you want the materials for effective self-study, a Live Class taught by an expert instructor, a one-on-one tutoring experience, or any combination thereof, Veritas Prep can help. Reach out to talk over your options with an academic advisor today!
