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The Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT®) is a standardized test conducted by the Pearson VUE on behalf of the Graduate Management Admission Council of the US. The scores of these tests are used as one of the most important parameters by Universities and top B Schools in the US and elsewhere while selecting prospective students into their MBA and Ph.D programs.

The GMAT Computer Adaptive Test or the GMAT CAT comprises three sections. Each of the three sections is separately timed.

The first section of the GMAT test is an essay writing section and is known as the Analytical Writing Assessment Section (GMAT AWA Section). The next section is the Integrated Reasoning Section. The next two sections in the GMAT test are objective type multiple choice sections, one of which is the Quantitative section and the other is the Verbal section.

Section 1 - Analysis of an Argument (30 min)
The first section in GMAT-CAT is an assesment of analytical writing skills and is to be completed during the first 30 minutes. In this task, the candidate has to analyse how logically persuasive the argument presented in the question is? This section is scored on a scale of 0 to 6.

Section 2 - Integrated Reasoning (30 min)
The second section in the GMAT CAT is the Integrated Reasoning section. This section was introduced in the computer adaptive format of the GMAT test from June 2012. The integrated reasoning section replaced the second essay of the AWA section - AWA issue.

In this section, you are presented with 12 multiple choice questions. Questions appear in four formats.

1. Graphic Interpretation
2. Two Part Analysis
3. Table Analyis
4. Multi Source Reasoning

Questions in this section expect you to synthesize and process data in multiple formats - pictorial, tabular, and in the form of a paragraph. Questions in the Integrated Reasoning are designed to measure how well you integrate data to solve complex problems.

This section is scored on a scale of 1 to 8 in intervals of 1.

Section 3 - Quantitative Section (75 min) - 37 questions
This section (Quantitative) consists of multiple-choice questions delivered in a computer-adaptive format. Questions in this sections are dynamically selected as you take the test. Therefore, your test will be unique, and the multiple-choice questions will adjust to your ability level. A total of 37 questions are served in this section and comprise two types of questions within this section viz., Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency.

Section 4 - Verbal Section (75 min) - 41 questions
The last section in GMAT - CAT is the Verbal section. This one is also a multiple-choice section delivered in a computer-adaptive format. There are three types of questions in this section viz., Reading Comprehension, Sentence Correction and Critical Reasoning.

At the end of the GMAT test, you will be given an unofficial score for the second and third section (i.e. the multiple choice Quantitative and Verbal sections). The official GMAT scores that include your performance in the Analytical Writing Assessment will be sent by mail to you a few weeks after you have taken the GMAT test.

The scores in the quant section and the verbal section of the GMAT test are cumulatively graded and represented on a scale of 200 to 800. Your performance in the GMAT AWA sections is rated on a scale of 0 to 6. Your performance in the IR section of the GMAT is rated on a scale of 1 to 8.