Wondering how GMAT scores are calculated? In this article, we will tell you all about GMAT scores, how they are calculated, the section wise scores, what makes up your total GMAT scores and more. So keep reading!
The GMAT is scored section wise. Also, there is no negative marking for a wrong answer in each section. The scores are calculated depending on the number of questions you answer correctly. On completion of the exam, you are provided with an unofficial score or raw score of both your Quant and Verbal section. And, about 20 days after the exam, you receive an official score report which is a scaled final score of the same.
You receive two scores in the official report — a cumulative score and a percentile score.The cumulative score, as the name suggests, is the total score of your Quantitative and Verbal sections. If you want to understand how your quant and verbal sections contribute to your total scores, then check this GMAT score calculator. Besides, the scores you obtain in the Integrated Reasoning section and Analytical Writing section are reported separately and don’t contribute to your GMAT total score. On the other hand, the percentile score is an estimate of how well you have performed in comparison to other candidates who have attempted the exam. For example if you have a percentile score of 91 it means you have performed better than 91% of candidates in that section. The GMAT scores are valid for a period of 5 years.
In the section below, we will look at the score range and the GMAT scoring system criteria of each section.
| Section | Score range | Scoring method |
| Analytical Writing | 0 to 6 | 2 individual scorings — one by the e-rater (computer algorithm) and another by a trained human assessor. |
| Verbal Reasoning & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 to 51 | Both these sections are section level adaptive which means that the difficulty level of each question depends on your performance in the previous section. Your score is likely to be higher if you answer more questions correctly. |
| Integrated Reasoning | 1 to 8 | The score depends on the number of questions you answer correctly. If a question has multiple parts then you will have to answer all of them correctly to get the credit for that question. |
More About GMAT Scores
- You can attempt the exam a maximum of five times in a year with a gap of 21 days between each attempt. The overall limit for the attempts of the exam is 8 times.
- If you wish to cancel your scores after attempting the exam, you have the option to do so as well. There is also an option to reinstate your scores if you change your mind later. However, you have to pay a small charge for it.
- If you wish to get a more detailed report then you can opt for an Enhanced score report that gives detailed information on how you have performed in each section, the percentage of questions that you have answered correctly, the areas that were your strengths and weaknesses and the time taken for every section.
We hope this article helped give you a basic overview of the GMAT scores.
