FAST FACTS
The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)
The GMAT is an important part of the admission requirements for an MBA or other postgraduate degrees at most business schools in the US, and for some of the top-ranked business schools in other countries. Some postgraduate finance and economics programmes also require you to take the GMAT. The test is conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (www.mba.com).

The GRE (Graduate Record Exam)
It is used as part of the assessment criteria by most non-management, postgraduate programmes in the US (except those related to law and medicine). Many universities, in and outside the US, are also using this as a measure to evaluate student potential to pursue various demanding postgraduate programmes. The GRE is conducted by Education Testing Services (www.ets.org). Students must check with the website of the university offering their programme, to evaluate which test is required for admission to the program.

SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
Both the GMAT and GRE are Computer Adaptive Tests (CAT). Both tests have three sections each: quantitative section, verbal section, and a writing section. Many similar qualities of a student like critical reasoning, logic and analysis are put to test. There is a break of a few minutes after each section.

SECTIONAL SIMILARITIES
1. Verbal reasoning
The skills measured include the test taker’s ability to: Analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it Analyze relationships among component parts of sentences Recognize relationships between words and concepts

2. Quantitative reasoning
The skills measured include the test taker’s ability to: Understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis Reason quantitatively Solve problems in a quantitative setting

3. Analytical writing
The skills measured include the test taker’s ability to: Articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively Examine claims and accompanying evidence Support ideas with relevant reasons and examples Sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion Control the elements of standard written English

SCORING

GRE
Verbal score on a scale of 200 - 800 Quantitative score on a scale of 200 - 800 Analytical writing score on scale of 0 - 6 The GRE combines verbal and quantitative scores to give a total score on a scale of 1600. A score above 1400 would be considered by top-ranked universities.

GMAT
Quantitative score on a scale of 0 to 60 Verbal score on a scale of 0 to 60 Analytical writing assessment score on a scale of 0 to 6 The GMAT combines the quantitative and verbal scores to create the total score on a scale of 800. A score above 700 would be considered above average to gain an edge in the admission process.

STRATEGIZE AND IMPLEMENT
So now that you know what an ideal score is, how do you go about maximizing your score in the test? Knowledge by itself is not sufficient to ace the GMAT or the GRE. You need the other ‘intangible’ qualities of mental stamina, the ability to keep calm, time management skills and smart studying strategies to make things work.

1 Analyze your strengths and weaknesses and create a study plan unique to your abilities
Complete at least two, full-length tests (power prep tests or net-based material), which will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Work out a study plan tackling your weak areas first. Focus on understanding the basic concepts, and you will be prepared to tackle any twist in the exam. Otherwise, it is almost impossible to succeed by using shortcuts or guessing strategies alone. Complete many practice exercises for each topic before tackling the full tests. Later, analyze your responses to determine how you can improve speed and reduce ‘guess’ answers.

2 Don’t waste time reading directions; make sure you already know them inside out
At the start of each new section, and just before each specific type of question, instructions and directions are given. The clock will be ticking! Click on the ‘Dismiss Directions’ button and reduce the time taken by you.

3 Double-check every answer for the first 10 questions
The GRE/ GMAT are adaptive tests, which means that the level of difficulty of a question changes depending on your performance. The questions at the higher difficulty level earn more points, so you try to work at the higher level throughout the test. At the start of the test, questions are of medium difficulty. The computer uses your responses to every question to determine the next one. When you answer correctly, you will be given questions of increasing difficulty. When you respond incorrectly, you will be given less difficult questions. This makes it crucial to answer the first few questions as best as you can, so that you can get the maximum possible score in each section.

4 Do not leave any section unfinished
The penalty for unfinished questions is much higher than incorrect answers. Do not become emotionally involved with any question. Even if you think the question is outrageously difficult or outright incorrect, just guess and move on. Leaving a section unfinished will come at a price. If you are running short on time, take a random guess and try to finish the section, rather than leaving questions unmarked.

5 Time can be your biggest enemy
Certain questions by their very nature take more time to answer. Better time management means learning to recognize these questions. While taking practice tests, try to become more aware of how much time you have taken to answer a question. You will soon begin to develop an internal clock that will help you meet the pacing requirements.

6 Use the scratch paper well
Use the scratch paper to jot down points while reading the comprehension passages, while planning the essay, and to work out quantitative questions, but do not waste too much time on writing. Learn to confine your rough work to a minimum.

7 Compare and discard
This is immensely useful for the verbal section. While there may be a ‘perfect’ answer to a question, it may not appear as one of the options. You need to compare the different answer choices and choose the best one. You can usually zero in on two choices and discard the ones that are distinctly different from them.

8 Use shortcuts when necessary
It is extremely important to be
aware of all the possible shortcuts. However, these are to be used with extreme caution, especially for the first 15 questions in each section.

9 Manage test anxiety
Use techniques like deep breathing, yoga, and positive affirmation to remain calm throughout the test.

10 D-Day
Sleep well. Be calm. Do not drink liquids just before the exam. Eat a piece of chocolate to give you an energy boost just before you begin.