GMAT Focus Edition
Graduate Management Admission Test
The global standard for MBA admission — accepted by 7,700+ programs in 110 countries including Harvard, Wharton, INSEAD, London Business School, and all top US/European MBA programs. The 2023 GMAT Focus Edition is shorter (2h15m), computer-adaptive by section, and removed the essay — making it more directly comparable to GRE and requiring a new strategy.
Exam sections
Quantitative Reasoning
45 minutes21 questions • 60–90 (section scaled)
Verbal Reasoning
45 minutes23 questions • 60–90 (section scaled)
Data Insights
45 minutes20 questions • 60–90 (section scaled)
Score needed for which colleges
Core preparation principles
Preparation timeline
Focus: Build QR fundamentals; learn GMAT question types
Focus: Timed practice per section; identify weak areas
Focus: Full adaptive mocks + deep analysis
Common mistakes and fixes
Treating Data Sufficiency like Problem Solving
In DS, you never need to solve — only determine if you CAN solve. Practice the "YES/NO" and "UNIQUE VALUE" DS frameworks exclusively.
Preparing Sentence Correction (removed in Focus Edition)
GMAT Focus Edition (2023+) removed Sentence Correction. If your study material includes SC, it is outdated. Focus 100% of Verbal time on CR and RC.
Taking only 2–3 mocks before the exam
GMAT is adaptive — exam day performance depends on pattern recognition across hundreds of question types. Minimum 5 full official mocks before the real test.
Not practising Data Insights under timed conditions
Data Insights is the newest section and most aspirants underestimate it. It combines 5 question types requiring chart reading + logic — time-practice all 5 types independently first.
Frequently asked questions
GMAT Focus Edition or old GMAT — which scores are accepted?
As of 2024, all business schools accept GMAT Focus Edition scores. Old GMAT scores (if taken before early 2024) are still valid for their 5-year validity period. Most schools now prefer Focus Edition scores when comparing candidates.
GMAT or GRE for MBA admission?
Virtually all top MBA programs accept both equally. GMAT is more common for pure MBA applicants and some programs prefer it historically. GRE is better if you are considering MS programs alongside MBA. Choose based on which suits your strengths: GMAT has more logic-heavy Data Sufficiency; GRE has a stronger vocabulary component.
What GMAT score is needed for ISB Hyderabad?
ISB's median GMAT score is typically 720–740 for the PGP program. The minimum accepted is around 600, but competitive applications usually have 700+. Work experience quality and interview performance heavily supplement the GMAT score at ISB.
How many times can I take the GMAT?
You can take the GMAT 5 times per year, with a minimum of 16 days between attempts, and a maximum of 8 times lifetime. With ScoreSelect, you choose which scores to send to schools — so multiple attempts carry no risk of schools seeing a bad score.
Get mentored by someone who cleared GMAT Focus Edition and is an IIM / top B-school alumnus
Weekly analysis of your mock tests, targeted section-level work, and GD/PI preparation from someone who has been through the entire admission process.