How to Score 700 in GMAT - Tips and Tricks

There are many examinations and tests that students appear for while planning to pursue higher education abroad. Among all these examinations, the GMAT is one of the most common tests usually taken by students who are looking to apply abroad for degrees in management or business.

The Graduate Management Admissions Test or GMAT is one of the most important exams for MBA or business degree aspirants looking to apply for an education abroad. How to score 700 in GMAT? remains one of the most asked questions among aspirants. This test is renowned and accepted by a multitude of universities all over the world. The GMAT seeks to test the abilities of an applicant in three specific domains:

1. English proficiency and analytical writing
2. Quantitative Reasoning or Maths
3. Logical Reasoning

The GMAT exam scores applicants on a scale of 200 to 800 and usually a score above 500 or 550 is acceptable for education abroad. It is important to note that a higher GMAT will ensure your admission into a more prestigious university and hence requires a certain preparation period. Usually, the best universities of the world accept students with a GRE score of above 700. However, your GMAT score objectives will depend on the university you apply to and the course you are applying for. Currently, it costs around 18,300 INR to sit for the GMAT examination and the score will be valid for 5 years. After five years the exam will have to be taken again for the score to be considered for the admission-related applications. 

The following section will provide information about the structure of the GMAT examination:

Section	Duration	Number of questions
Analytical Writing Assessment	30 minutes	1 essay
Integrated reasoning	30 minutes	12
Quantitative	62 minutes	31
Verbal	65 minutes	36

 

The entire test is divided into four parts and the total duration of the test is 3 hours and 7 minutes with no breaks in the middle. The Quantitative and Verbal sections are in the format of multiple-choice questions. The GMAT is a computer-based examination that poses questions to the applicant in a certain way. It begins with questions of average difficulty and as the applicant continues to answer correctly, the computer increases the level of difficulty of the question as the test progresses. But in case the applicant answers incorrectly, the computers will slowly decrease the difficulty level of the subsequent questions. This will allow the computer to accurately assess the abilities of the applicant. 

In April 2020, the GMAC (Graduate Management Admission Council) introduced a shorter version of the GMAT exam also known as the ‘Interim GMAT’. This exam does not include the analytical writing assessment section and was created to enable testing from remote locations as the applicant will be monitored through a webcam. This entire process was introduced as an aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Why is it important to score 700 in GMAT?

Scoring 700 or above in the GMAT examination can increase your chances to get admission into a prestigious university abroad. Colleges usually look for a GMAT score of above 550, but the best ones only select those students who have managed to score 700 and above in their GMAT. Getting into a better university will give you access to better infrastructure, faculty, and other resources such as networking. The higher the GMAT score the better the university and vice versa. Hence it is important that every student puts in the time and effort into preparation to achieve a high GMAT score and secure admission into an esteemed university. 

How difficult is it to score 700 in GMAT?

Usually, a score of 700 and above signifies that you have done better than 90% of the applicants appearing for the GMAT exam. Achieving a score of 700 is not simple, it requires a proper plan of action which entails a significant amount of time and effort towards the preparation process. Students looking to achieve a score of 700 usually begin preparations 2 to 4 months ahead of the exam. Students need to understand and plan significantly for this exam to achieve satisfactory results. Achieving a score above 700 will surely guarantee admission into a prestigious University as you progress towards your career objectives.

Tips for scoring 700 in GMAT:

The following section will provide you with some tips that will guide you to achieve a score of 700 in the GMAT examination.

• GMAT Strategy Sessions:

Before you start your preparation for GMAT, it is advisable to understand a little more about the examination and how the process works. You can attend a free webinar session where GMAT experts will provide an insightful talk on the GMAT examination. The webinar will cover topics like:

1. The GMAT testing algorithm and how it works.
2. How to achieve a high GMAT score
3. How the GMAT score will help with admissions and scholarships
4. Study plan initiatives

This will be a good starting point and will provide you with constructive ideas on the functionalities of the examination. Apart from attending webinars, students can also check blogs and videos that are available online to know more about the GMAT examination.  

• Sample tests to diagnose your abilities

It is highly recommended that in the initial stages of preparation students should try out a couple of sample GMAT papers to assess their (own) abilities. By solving these sample papers you will get an idea of the GMAT paper and the kind of questions that are asked, it will also help you to recognize your strengths and shortcomings. This will enable you to strategize accordingly on how to tackle each section and what to set as the top priorities in the preparation process. 

• How to tackle the Verbal and Quantitative sections

Based on your strengths and weaknesses you can decide what combination scores you want to achieve in the quantitative and verbal sections. To achieve a score above 700, many combinations will help you in your goal. 

• Time analysis and management

This is an extremely important part of the strategizing process that will help you create an efficient study plan. Estimating how much time you require to prepare for the examination is important and dependent on the type of study resources you opt for. Students can choose between GMAT books and online GMAT courses for their study material. Most students use a combination of the two to effectively manage their learning. Studies have shown that books tend to increase the time of preparation because of the lack of interactivity as compared to audiovisual courses available online.   

• Strategizing a Plan of Action

The plan of action will enable you to determine where to start from. It is always recommended to start preparing with your strengths as these sections will take less time to prepare and will remain in your mind as you prepare for the other sections. For example, let’s assume that the quantitative part is your strength. Once you have diagnosed your strength you can move towards a ‘learn-refine strategy’ where you learn each section at a time and then refine each section through mock exams or other tests. Once you have completed the first section you move on to the next section and use the same process to ensure maximum progress in your learning curve. 

• Tracking improvement

Tracking your improvement is a quintessential part of the preparation process. Tracking your progress will not only act as a confidence booster it will also help you focus more on your shortcomings. It will be easier to track improvements by setting up a proper study plan and taking mock tests from time to time. 

• Mock Tests

Mock tests are the best ways to isolate your weaknesses when it comes to the preparation process. Regular mock tests will help you mark your progress and will also act as a major confidence booster while preparing for the GMAT. These tests will not only help you determine your abilities but will also help in improving your speed and concentration level. The GMAT exam puts a lot of focus on speed while answering questions. So, it is important to take regular mock tests to ensure brushing up on your skills and abilities.

To score a GMAT score of 700 and above is a dream for many students. Those who cannot achieve this score on the first attempt, land up taking the exam more than once to qualify to study in the university of their choice. It is important to pay attention to the guidelines and strategize accordingly. By setting your targets it will be clear to you how to tackle each section depending on your strengths and weaknesses. This exam is a mandatory process and a ticket to getting admission to some of the world’s most prestigious universities and must not be taken lightly.