15-minute GMAT primer for MBA exam success

15 minute GMAT primer
Everything you wanted to know
about GMAT – but didn’t know
who to ask!
Contents
 About CrackVerbal
CrackVerbal- the MBA experts
 Why is GMAT so important?
 The GMAT test structure
 The GMAT scoring &
algorithm
 GMAT preparation strategy
 The CrackVerbal approach
S-7, 2nd
Floor, Gem Plaza
Infantry Road
Bangalore 560001
Email: enquiry@crackverbal.com

However the “real” reason why you need to take the
test is because:
1. B-Schools need to have an objective measure/criteria which will make it uniform across all
countries, universities and GPA systems.
2. GMAT is an important factor in the B-School rankings so for the same reason you would prefer a
school with a higher GMAT score - the schools want a higher GMAT score from you.
3. It is a nice objective number that has a tangible quality to it. It is hard for me to compare work
experience or quality of education. But a GMAT score gives a nice 3-digit number to compare 2
students.
4. Most top Management Consulting companies look at your GMAT score for short-listing. They don’t
divulge the details but ask you to submit the scores during the initial screen process.
Why is GMAT so
important?
If we were to go by what the people who set the
GMAT test are to say then:
“The GMAT exam is a standardized
assessment, delivered in English, that helps
business schools assess the qualifications of
applicants for advanced study in business and
management.” (from MBA.com)
Having said all this
remember this in the end:
A good GMAT score cannot guarantee you admission to a
top MBA program, but a bad GMAT score can almost
guarantee that you will be kept out!
Now for someone sitting half way across the world there is little to differentiate between both these candidates
on their ability to handle course work. GMAT serves as the best measure – Candidate A is certainly a clear
favorite.
So let us say we have 2 candidates:
Candidate A
Undergraduate: RVCE, Bangalore 69%
Work experience: TCS 3.5 years
GMAT: 750
Candidate B
Undergraduate: Ramiah, Bangalore 73%
Work experience: Infosys 4 years
GMAT: 650
CrackVerbal www.crackverbal.com

AWA a.k.a Analytical Writing Ability
 A quick piece of advice – DO NOT WORRY ABOUT THIS SECTION.
 You are graded on a score between 0 and 6, and this doesn’t go into calculating your final 3-digit
GMAT score.
 Most schools don’t bother about what you write – so long as you are able to manage a decent
4.0 or above.
 The only thing you need to practice is writing the AWA essays as fast and as painlessly as
possible. The last thing you want to do is get flustered and expend your mental energy before
the “real” test starts.
The New Integrated Reasoning Section
 The Integrated Reasoning section of the GMAT exam will consist of 12 questions.
 A single graph/data-set may have multiple questions around it.
 All answer options for a given question will be shown on the same screen.
 As with the rest of the GMAT, even over here you cannot return to an earlier question -
you have to answer each question and move onto the next one.
 The last type i.e. the multi-source reasoning will not be of more than 300 words. So
there’s no need to read lengthy passages here.
 The answer options themselves will be independent of each other i.e. you cannot take
information from one question onto another. You need to solve each question
independently.
Quant a.k.a. Math
 1 hour 15 minutes to solve about 37 math questions spread across Arithmetic, Algebra, and
Geometry.
The GMAT is an adaptive test (more about adaptive testing later) that consists of 3 sections:
The GMAT Test Structure
• Analysis of an
argument – 30min
• Integrated
Reasoning - 30
min
AWA + IR
• 37 questions
• 75 mins
Quant • 41 questions
• 75 mins
Verbal

CrackVerbal
Success Recipe
Learn first hand form our
students about how to get into
a B-school
You will be given two 7-minute breaks on the test – one
each after the AWA and the Quant section. Remember to
utilize the breaks wisely.
Use the 1st
break as a bio-break. Also hydrate yourself by
drinking some water.
Use the 2nd
break to eat or drink something. The usual
favorites for the break are a bar of chocolate, a banana
and/or Red Bull!
Verbal a.k.a English
The test is split into 3 areas:
 Sentence Correction: A sentence, which is either partly or fully
underlined, is provided to you as the “question”. You will have the
select the answer choice that removes the error (if any) in the
original sentence.
 Critical Reasoning: An argument is given to you in the form of a
paragraph, and you would be asked to analyze/critique it. Such as
“Which of the following would most weaken the argument given
above?”
 Reading Comprehension: A passage would be provided and about
3-4 questions will be asked based on it. This passage can be on
any topic (usually dry ones like social science) and will be
between 1 and 3 paragraphs long.
CrackVerbal
Scratchpad
To help you simulate
your preparations as
close to the GMAT Test

The GMAT Scoring Algorithm
The GMAT is scored on a scale from 200 to 800, based on only the Quant and Verbal sections. Along with
this you will also get your AWA score, which is scored out of 6.0. Since scores are distributed along a bell
curve there are very few on either end of the spectrum – usual scores are in the 400-700 score range. The
global average GMAT score is 540 – and a “good” GMAT score for top schools is considered above 700. As
mentioned earlier, you don’t need to worry on the AWA score.
You will be given separate "raw scores" for the Quant and Verbal sections. You will be given a 2-digit score
out of 51 (though theoretically it is 60). A raw score above 50 in quant and a score above 40 in verbal is
considered exceptional. Here is how a typical GMAT score will look like:
700 Q49 V36 AWA - 5.5. This means the person got a scaled score of 700 which consisted of a Quant score
of 49 (out of 51) and a Verbal score of 36 (out of 51). There is also additional information that he got an AWA
rating of 5.5 (out of 6.0).
Here are a few of scores with their split (note: these are *actual* student scores at CrackVerbal!)
 Neeraj 770 (Q50, V44)
 Raviraj 750 (Q50 V42)
 Rahul 740 (Q50 V40)
 Neha 730 (Q49 V40)
 Sanat 700 (Q49 V38)
 Jyoti 710 (Q48 V40)
 Shardul 710 (Q46 V42)
 Prashant 700 (Q51 V34)
 Ganesh 690 (Q48 V38)
 Apratim 680 (Q49 V34)
Please understand that scores depend on how well you are doing *relative* to others on the test, and also the
nature of the adaptive algorithm (more on that in the next page). What this means is that these scores don't
directly correspond to getting a certain number of questions right or wrong. So it is impossible to say how
much to score if you get (say) 5 questions wrong, or (say) 10 questions wrong.
Let us now try to understand how the GMAT CAT (Computer Adaptive Test) works. Not so much for “beating”
the system but to better appreciate how the scoring works.
Theoretically, you won't get the same set of questions as the guy sitting next to you (albeit a few overlapping
questions). After the first few questions that are selected at random, each subsequent question will be based
on how you did on the earlier questions. If you're getting more questions right, the algorithm gives you harder
problems. If you're not, the test will start throwing easier questions at you.

(1) For given RAW scores what would be the corresponding scores?
Here is a nice little table to compute your scaled scores, given that you have Q and V raw scores:
Remember that GMAT looks for your expertise across areas. Which means if you make similar mistakes in
the same subject area your overall scaled score will be lower than another person who uniformly distributes
his mistakes in all the subject area? For example you can have 2 candidates with same Q+V scores (say
Q50 V40) but with different scaled scores – either 740 or 750.
(2) Apart from the number of mistakes, and the position of those mistakes, is there are any other
factor which impacts the scores?
Q+V Raw Score | Scaled Score
48-50 400
49-51 420
51-53 430
52-54 440
54-56 450
55-57 460
56-58 470
59-60 480
61-62 490
62-63 500
62-63 510
62-64 520
63-64 530
65-66 540
66-67 550
67-69 560
68-71 570
69-72 580
70-72 590
71-73 600
72-75 610
Q+V Raw Score | Scaled Score
73-76 620
74-77 630
75-78 640
76-79 650
78-81 660
79-81 670
81-83 680
81-83 690
82-86 700
84-86 710
85-87 720
87-90 730
89-90 740
90-91 750
92-93 760
94-96 770
96-98 780
97-100 790
100-101 800
Frequency of the mistakes: If
you get questions wrong one
after the other; you are in greater
risk than if you distribute your
mistakes over a range. For
example, let’s say, from
questions 21 to 30 there are 2
candidates X and Y and their
frequency of mistakes is: X
marks the wrong answers for
questions 22, 26 and 29, while Y
marks the wrong ones for
23,24,25. Then Y would be
penalized heavier than X.
Failing to answer questions: If
there is anything more terrible
than getting a question wrong, it
is leaving a question
unanswered. You can roughly
take 10 points away from your
GMAT score for each question
you leave unanswered! You
rather mark blindly than not
answer at all.
Experimental Questions: Roughly
1/3rd
of all questions you will solve
on the GMAT (9 in Quant and 10 in
Verbal) will not go towards your
final GMAT score. What GMAT is
doing by asking you these question
is simply “build” a database for
itself to ask future test takers. Now
if luck is on your side and you make
mistakes *only* on the
experimental questions then you
can even expect a full score
despite making mistakes!

Verbal Quant
# mistakes score # mistakes score
0-1 51 0-2 51
2-4 47 3-5 50
5-7 42 6-10 49
8-13 37 11-14 48
You will have to understand that the test algorithm is trying to determine your ability level, so it is almost
certain that you'll see questions that are too hard for you. That's perfectly okay! Remember that it's possible
to get a 700 (92nd percentile score) and answer more than a quarter of the questions on the entire test
wrong. Of course, this means you'll be answering difficult questions right and missing only the even more
difficult questions. It is a myth that you need to have a very high accuracy to do well on the GMAT!
Remember the following:
• You cannot “beat” the system but knowing it better will help you optimize your approach. This is
especially true when you are taking practice tests and want to know why you got a particular score.
• Remember that there are only 4 ways in which you can score well (or poorly):
– Number of mistakes you made in the overall test
– Number of experimental questions you got right/wrong
– Position of mistakes i.e. towards the start or towards the end
– Frequency of mistakes in a row
– Questions left un-attempted in the end
• Questions are not “easy” or “hard” by themselves but “easy” or “hard” for the test-taker at a given
level. So a 750-level test-taker will find even the most difficult question that a 450-scorer faces as
“easy”. Similarly the 450-scorer will find even the easiest question that a 750-scorer faces as
“difficult”.
• Questions cannot get progressively harder till you end up making a mistake. Infact GMAT will try to
put you on the 40-60 zone i.e. there is a 40% to 60% probability that you make a mistake on that
question.
It might look as if it is “easier” to score higher on Quant than on Verbal since typically
Indians score above 45 in Quant while they struggle to hit the 40 mark in Verbal.
However remember that the algorithm works different for these 2 sections!
For each question you get wrong on Verbal you are more severely penalized than quant.
An optimistic way of looking at it is Verbal is also the area where you can improve the
most (and fastest!)
However, it is possible for very high scores (read as “very few mistakes”) to show with a fair degree of
accuracy what the association between mistakes and RAW scores. The following data are fairly representative:

GMAT Preparation Strategy
Rule 1: Brute Force Approach
a.k.a “RS Agarwal approach”
This is when students start blindly
ssolving questions without either
aanalyzing them properly OR taking
arain check to see the difficulty level
q of questions.
The particular book in question is a
c classic example of this approach.
If you are learning a concept such
as “Area of rectangle” then you will
be given a question “Length = 5,
Breadth = 7, Area =?”. After that you
will have another question “Length =
3, Area = 12, Breadth =?”. And
another one that will ask “Length =
?, Area = 10, Breadth =2”. And so
on. Get the drift?
The point here is it is an absolute
waste of time to solve 10,000
questions of this sort as you end up
learning NOTHING. GMAT claimed
once that it spends about $2000
PER QUESTION. Considering the
tons of questions they make that is a
pretty huge spend. A major area
where it goes is in the quality of the
questions – getting it vetted by
expert pscyhometricians.
Our approach at CrackVerbal is
based on solving only high quality
questions which correctly reflect the
GMAT standards.
Rule 2: Not taking enough tests
early on – wasting GMATPrep
questions.
GMAT is more a test of your mental
stamina than anything else. Don’t
lull yourself into complacency by
looking at incorrect measures. For
9example one metric that most
people throw – and one that we
absolutely hate – is % of questions
correct! All this means precious
little until you are able to build your
mental stamina to endure a 4-hour
battle (that is the duration of the
test end to end). It is like sprinting
short distances in order to prepare
for a marathon – it won’t work!
Ensure your study plan has
enough tests – starting from right
NOW!
We encourage students to come
to our center to take simulated
tests at our lab, which is equipped
with more than 30+ computer-
based tests. We even you a
ScratchPad similar to the one you
get on the real test.
Rule 3: Consistency and not
Contingency – relying only on
weekends.
This is not a battle that can be
fought on 14-hour weekends and
0-hour weekdays. If you think your
day job is just too demanding for
you to focus during the week then
reconsider shifting your decision to
take the GMAT (and ultimately
pushing your decision to do an
MBA). This is a test match and not
a 20-20 game!
We have heard enough software
engineers crib about how they
never get time. At the same time
we have seen our own students
who have studied diligently for 2-3
months, putting in about 2 hours
on weekdays and about 10 hours
on weekends, and who scored
very high on the GMAT. It is all a
question of will-power.
Ensure you get your customized
study plan from us. The plan
dovetails with what we teach in
the class so we will ensure you
stay focused on the plan till the
date of your test.
Rule 4: Trusting “online advice”
and solving questions other
than the “official” source
It has been shown that if you
study for more than the optimal
preparation time, your scores will
actually start going down! This is
because unlike tests such as IAS,
IIT-JEE etc this is not a test of
memory but a test of how
intelligently you can apply your
knowledge. The most important
key is to not pick the wrong books,
wrong questions, and still worse –
the wrong advice. At CrackVerbal
we understand that you are taking
the test after making some
personal and professional
sacrifices. We will ensure we will
keep you on the straight and
narrow throughout the preparation
so you are never lost.
Avoid the following 4 cardinal sins:

This is the reason we don’t claim to have our own questions. It is impossible for any test
prep company to even come close to the GMAT standards of question making. However
we do provide (and solve) almost all known official questions in our class and homework.
Which books to refer?
 You have probably realized by now. Only
the official sources!
 Official Guide ed. 10, 11, 12,13 (if you have
already done 1 version of the OG and are
looking at fresh meat from the other version
then read our blog here:
http://www.crackverbal.com/whats-new-
in-the-gmat-official-guide-13th-edition)
 Official Guide Verbal Workbook ed.1,2
 CrackVerbal Advance Document (all
GMATPrep questions which we have
created by taking the test multiple times)
 Practice on forums such as pagalguy.com,
beatthegmat.com, urch.com, gmatclub.com,
manhattangmat.com (please provide us
your id so we can answer your queries
there)
What are the rules to remember while you take
the mock tests?
 A Total of 14 tests to be taken over 3 months.
 Always take it with the AWA Section.
 No mobile/No Internet while in the “test-zone”.
 Consider taking it at the CrackVerbal center.
 Take it at the same time as the actual test.
 Eat and Do exactly what you would on the test
day.
The Official Guide to GMAT
Review
The closest thing to the actual
GMAT exam, prescribed by the
GMAC
Beyond the MBA hype
A must read bestseller for
those planning to do an
MBA/ or even thinking about
it!
Given free to all our students.

Phase 1: Foundation:
This is the time you need to
ensure you understand the
“enemy well” and focus on the
right approach to solving
questions. If you end up having
the wrong approach then practice
will only make things worse. You
will end up becoming better at
“being bad”. This means if you
have an accuracy of 40% you will
just get better at solving questions
at 40% accuracy (not 25% - not
50% - just precisely 40%!!).
Phase 2: Application:
In this phase you take the
“game” to the next level by trying
to focus on the higher level of
difficulty as well as the more
difficult to grasp concepts. This
is also a good time to up the
tempo in quant. You should be
able to accurately pinpoint the
areas of weakness and work on
them. For example you should
be able to say “I am weak in
questions on Standard
Deviation” or “I am not confident
when there is a pronoun
ambiguity in SC”.
Phase 3: Practice:
The Americans have a phrase
for it. They call it the “home
run”. This is when you make the
final lunge towards getting that
near-perfect GMAT score.
Ensure that by this time you are
working on the crossing your t’s
and dotting your i’s! And yes –
plenty of carbs before the final
run – in the form of full-length
test!
Practice
Application
Foundation
3 Step Study Plan

CrackVerbal 3 month study process
About CrackVerbal
CrackVerbal was founded in
2006 and since then has catered
to hundreds of students aspiring
for an MBA from top business
schools around the world.
We are the undisputed experts in
GMAT Verbal! We will leave no
stone untouched – covering all
advanced topics in GMAT Verbal
that need to be understand in
order to score high on the test.
Our total classroom instruction
time *just* for Verbal is almost
double that of any other institute!
We attract exceptional GMAT
tutors (minimum eligibility 760)
including MBA graduates from
top programs such as ISB,
Oxford, and IIM-A PGPX. All
instructors undergo an intensive
audition and training program
before they actually teach in the
classroom.
Our curriculum and teaching
methodology are continuously
revised, reflecting the changing
pattern of the actual GMAT test
each year. We do so by
understanding what works best
for students who go on to score
high on the GMAT – the 750+
scores, and use the same
techniques in our class. Our
strategies are personalized so
we get into the mind of the test-
taker to see not only why the
right answer is so, but also why
the wrong answer isn’t. Our
powerful workshops shops can
give you a score boost of upto
50 points in a single session!
1. Attend Advanced
verbal classes.
2. Attend Quant
workshops.
3. Solve from our
advance documents.
4. Take 4 to 6 tests
1. Take a diagnostic test
2. Create personal study plan.
3. Attend Verbal workshop
4. Solve from OG
5. Start Quant basics
1. Attend online doubt
solving classes
2. Focus on work areas.
3. Take at least 1 to 2 tests
per week
Foundation Application Practice
Week 1 to 4 Week 5 to 8 Week 9 to 12

CrackVerbal Study
Guides
A collection of 5 guides for
Quants and Verbal to help
you gain that extra edge
on the GMAT!
What to expect from the class?
• Delivery mechanism – Teaching stuff you cannot learn from a
“book”.
• Exceptional Faculty Quality – MBAs and Professionals who teach
out of passion.
• Support System that goes beyond the classroom, and keeps you
on the straight and narrow.
What we expect from you?
• Taking the diagnostic test as soon as possible. This is a MUST to
start the course. If possible take it at our center.
• Schedule a private counseling session so we can provide you
your personalized GMAT plan.
• Solve all homework questions before coming for the next session.
• Ensure you get all the material, get added to our online group,
and participate in all our online/offline sessions.
Visit www.crackverbal.com or call us on +9008166800 or +9008177800 today and learn how to
improve your GMAT score.
From our Founder: Arun Jagannathan
Arun has coached and mentored
over 4000 students, teaching at
major test prep companies in
India such as IMS, Career
Launcher, Kaplan, and Princeton
Review.
Arun is active on forums such as
Pagalguy.com (member since
2003, and one of the official MBA
consultants), and
Beatthegmat.com
He has also been part of the
technology sector working in
various companies such as
Wipro, Sapient, and CA. In the
last role, he headed the delivery
of the consulting division at a
CRM product-based company.
His highest score on the
GMAT is 780 (Q51, V46).

DISCLAIMER: GMAT® is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission Council™ (GMAC). GMAC
does not endorse, nor is it affiliated in any way with the owner or any content of this document.
S-7, 2nd
Floor, Gem Plaza
Infantry Road
Bangalore 560001
enquiry@crackverbal.com

15-minute GMAT primer for MBA exam success

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