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TestMasters GMAT Test Prep Course FAQs

Everything below reflects the current GMAT Focus Edition.

1. What is the GMAT Focus Edition?
2. What is the format of the GMAT Focus Edition?
3. How does the adaptive format work?
4. Can I review and change my answers?
5. How is the GMAT Focus Edition scored?
6. Are classic GMAT scores still accepted?
7. What is a good score on the GMAT?
8. How do I register, what does it cost, and how often can I take it?
9. How does the GMAT factor into business school admissions?
10. What is the difference between the GMAT and GRE?
11. If business schools accept both tests, should I take the GRE or the GMAT?
12. Is the GRE easier than the GMAT?
13. Do I need to study vocabulary or grammar for the GMAT?
14. Why is TestMasters the best choice for GMAT preparation?

The GMAT Focus Edition, created by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), is the current GMAT. It replaced the classic GMAT, which was retired in early 2024. It is shorter, has three sections instead of four, and measures the critical thinking, data, and reasoning skills business schools value most.

The test takes 2 hours and 15 minutes, with three 45-minute sections:

• Quantitative Reasoning: 21 questions (problem solving in arithmetic and algebra; no geometry)
• Verbal Reasoning: 23 questions (Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning; no Sentence Correction)
• Data Insights: 20 questions (Data Sufficiency, Multi-Source Reasoning, Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation, and Two-Part Analysis; an on-screen calculator is available)

You choose the order of the sections and may take one optional 10-minute break. There is no essay. The GMAT is offered at test centers and online.

Each section is computer adaptive: the difficulty of each question is based on your performance on the questions before it. Getting harder questions right earns a higher score, so steady accuracy matters from the start of every section.

Yes. The Focus Edition lets you bookmark questions, review them at the end of a section, and change up to three answers per section. Using this feature well, without running out of time, is part of our strategy training.

The total score ranges from 205 to 805, and each section is scored from 60 to 90. All three sections, including Data Insights, count equally toward your total. Focus Edition scores are on a different scale from classic GMAT scores (200 to 800), so the two cannot be compared directly; GMAC publishes a concordance table.

GMAT scores are valid for five years, so business schools continue to accept classic GMAT scores until they expire. New tests are Focus Edition only.

A good score is one that makes you competitive at your target schools. On the Focus scale, a score of about 655 is near the 90th percentile, and the most selective MBA programs typically report averages in the high 600s to low 700s. Check each school’s class profile, and remember that your work experience, undergraduate record, essays, and recommendations matter too.

Register at mba.com. The fee is roughly $275 to $300 in the United States, depending on whether you test at a center or online. You can take the GMAT up to five times in any rolling 12-month period and eight times in total, and you choose which scores to send to schools.

Admissions committees look at your application, transcript, work experience, essays, recommendations, and test scores. A high score will not guarantee admission, but a low score can keep you out of competitive programs, and strong scores can also help you win scholarships. Most programs accept either the GMAT or the GRE, and some offer test waivers, but a strong GMAT remains a clear signal of readiness.

The GRE is used for graduate programs of all kinds, while the GMAT is built specifically for business school. The GRE tests vocabulary heavily in its Verbal section and has an essay; the GMAT Focus Edition has no vocabulary-based questions and no essay, but includes Data Insights, which tests data analysis and Data Sufficiency. GRE scores are 130 to 170 per section (260 to 340 total); GMAT Focus scores are 205 to 805.

Take the test you will score better on. Try a free official practice test of each, the GMAT and the GRE, and compare your percentiles. If you are certain about business school, the GMAT is the traditional choice and some recruiters in consulting and finance still ask for it. If you are also considering other graduate programs or a dual degree, the GRE keeps more doors open.

Neither is easier; they reward different strengths. Students with strong vocabulary often prefer the GRE’s Verbal section, while students who are strong at logic and data analysis often prefer the GMAT’s Critical Reasoning and Data Insights. GRE Math includes Quantitative Comparison and geometry; GMAT Quant has no geometry but moves quickly, and Data Sufficiency questions are unique to the GMAT.

No. The Focus Edition does not test vocabulary directly, and grammar (Sentence Correction) was removed. Verbal Reasoning focuses on Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning: understanding arguments, identifying assumptions, and evaluating evidence.

TestMasters GMAT courses are taught by experienced instructors who specialize in each section, with strategies built for the Focus Edition’s adaptive format, the Data Insights section, and the review-and-edit feature. Every course is backed by our 100-point Score Increase Guarantee. Choose a classroom course, online course, or private 1-on-1 tutoring. Applied to your own weaknesses, that work is what makes you the master of the GMAT.

Register Online For TestMasters GMAT Test Prep Courses.