GMAT--what's new?

[bcapella]

I plan on taking the test sometime late Dec./early Jan. Anybody taken it recently who can share tips/hints about what I can expect? I've worked with OG materials and GMATPrep--haven't taken the real test yet or done any course prep. Thanks!

[JohnB]

Bcapella,

Good luck on your test. I took the GMAT this past October. Some of the things I've noticed recently both from my own experience & from conversations with students:

a) Expect 4 Reading Comprehension passages. You'll get one each on science, social sciences or humanities, and business, and then a fourth repeating one topic. You'll see three or four questions per passage. The amount of reading on the test seems to be going up--so be sure to move as quickly as possible through Sentence Correction questions, to allow yourself enough time to read passages thoroughly.

b) The proportion of Data Sufficiency in the Quantitative section seems to be creeping up, particularly on the high end. It's not unusual to see 15 data sufficiency questions on a Quantitative section, or to see strings of up to six Data Sufficiency questions in a row. So be sure to concentrate on Data Sufficiency, especially if you're shooting for a 700+.

I hope these tips are helpful. Check back on our forums regularly for updated reports as we get them--& please let us know how your own test goes!

All best,
John