How is the GMAT scored?
Last updated: 13 Oct 2008
The GMAT is scored in two parts and if you decide to receive your scores you will get part of your score immediately after the test and part of your score a few weeks later
Analytical writing assessement
Firstly, your essays from the Analytical Writing section will receive a score on a scale of 1-6 where 1 is the lowest score and 6 is the highest.
The will be marked by a combination of human essay scorers and a computer essay scorer.
For more details on the computer marker see Business Weeks article 'This Is E-Rater. It'll Be Scoring Your Essay Today'. The essays will take about two weeks to be scored.
Main score
Secondly, and most importantly, you will receive a score from 200 to 800 which is for the quantitative and verbal sections of the test.
This score is calculated by computer and is available, should you want it, immediately after you take the GMAT.
The median score is 500 i.e. 50% of test takers score more than 500 and 50% less than 500.
You will also receive a break down of your scores in both the verbal and quantitative sections.
Scores for the sections will be in the form of a raw score and a percentile. The percentile tells you what percentage of test takers scored less than you in the the area, e.g. a percentile of 63% means that you did as well as or better than 63% of people who have presented the GMAT.
Getting your scores
At the end of the test you will be asked if you want to receive your scores or cancel them.
If you cancel them you will not find out how you did and the business schools you apply to will be notified that you took the test on this date and cancelled your scores.
You may wish to look at this example GMAT score report get a better feel for the information you will recieve about your scores after the test.ÂÂ
