GMAT
Also called GMAT Exam · GMAT Focus · Graduate Management Admission Test
The GMAT is GMAC’s graduate business exam. The current total runs 205–805 in 10-point steps and always ends in 5, so a 705 cannot be mistaken for an old 700. Three equally weighted sections — Quant, Verbal, Data Insights — each score 60–90. Official scores last five years from the test date (mba.com; GMAC).
The GMAT is GMAC’s graduate business exam. The current total runs 205–805 in 10-point steps and always ends in 5, so a 705 cannot be mistaken for an old 700. Three equally weighted sections — Quant, Verbal, Data Insights — each score 60–90. Official scores last five years from the test date (mba.com; GMAC).
Can I compare a 720 on the old exam to a 720 now?
No. The retired 10th Edition used 200–800 and ended in 0. GMAC says a direct number match is not an accurate comparison. Use a concordance table, or compare percentiles from the same window, not the raw totals.
Current scale vs 10th Edition
| Current GMAT | 10th Edition (retired 2024) | Source / date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 205–805, step 10, ends in 5 | 200–800, step 10, ends in 0 | mba.com |
| Sections in total | Quant, Verbal, Data Insights (equal) | Quant + Verbal (IR and AWA separate) | GMAC |
| Validity | 5 years | 5 years | GMAC |
| Mean (published window) | ~555 (2021–2026, n=509,182) | Different scale | mba.com |
Percentiles describe the share of scores below yours in the current comparison window. The scaled number on your report does not change when GMAC refreshes percentiles. The percentile can. Official reports typically post in three to five days; you choose recipients after the exam.
Example: you hold 645. The class profile median is 675 on the current scale. That is a 30-point gap, well inside one standard deviation of the published distribution (SD 94). Retaking next week for 655 is mostly noise. Retaking after a month of Data Insights work that produces 695 practice tests is a different bet. If round one closes in 10 days, the calendar decides.
Common errors
- Comparing a 720 to a 720 across editions
- Treating the unofficial screenshot as the official report
- Sending a score that expires before the round
- Reading last year’s median as a cutoff
FAQ
What is a good GMAT?
Whatever sits in the target class-profile middle 80 on the current scale, plus the rest of the file. There is no universal cutoff.
Is GMAT Focus a different test?
It was the marketing name until July 2024. It is the current GMAT Exam.
Does GMAC equate GRE to GMAT?
No. Do not convert a GRE into a fake GMAT total.
Related terms
Sources
- Understanding Your Score (mba.com) Total 205–805; equal section weights; 10th Edition was 200–800; 2021–2026 mean ~555
- Accessing GMAT Exam Scores (GMAC) Sections 60–90; five-year validity; percentiles refresh, scaled score does not
