GMAT Score Percentiles

Cracking GMAT is quite a challenging test that you will have to exercise in order to get admitted into a topmost business school. It is not like you will get sectional and total results, but the scores obtained will be converted into percentiles by comparing your marks with everyone who has taken the test. 

A good GMAT score is an indicator of the examination taker’s ability to manage to reach the demanding MBA curriculum. It ensures business institutions that you can not only ‘get admitted’ but also ‘get through’ their business degree program.  

Here is an article that gives you a brief explanation about the scores and percentiles of GMAT. So let us start with the basics of GMAT.

Brief Introduction to GMAT

The Graduate Management Admission Test that is abbreviated as GMAT is a standard computer-adaptive test that is generally received by the students globally to be able to get qualified for getting admission to a business program/course of your interest and the college they have always wanted to enter to pursue a good career. 

It is an examination that was developed and organized by GMAC to let business colleges with students who have equal caliber with respect to studies. The college admission board will not only be concerned regarding the GMAT score but will also keenly analyze your work experience, services, and educational consistency in order to examine if you will be able to survive these programs involving subjects related to business and management. 

The total time limit to finish the test is 3 hrs 23 mins once it starts including the optional breaks which will be given up to 16 minutes. 

The four sections of the GMAT test are as follows.

• Analytical Writing Assessment (30 minutes)

• Integrated Reasoning (30 minutes)

• Quantitative (62 minutes)

• Verbal (65 minutes)

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How is GMAT scored and how is it calculated?

Since it is a test conducted with a computer that is adapted to a certain test pattern, it assumes you as an average student and according to that, it gives you questions with average difficulty. The level of aptitude changes with respect to your performance and capability.

For example, if you are answering a question accurately, the following problem appears to be more complex. Likewise, if you have answered wrongly, the question will be more manageable compared to the previous one.

You will have no opportunity to skip the question. So if you don’t know the answer, it is better to make up your mind for any of the options available and move on to the next question. Don’t waste your time on the question you are unaware of. And also, you do not have to panic if you do not know one or two answers, there will be many other questions that appear in the exam for which you will have prepared well.

Consequently, your GMAT score depends on two factors:

• The average difficulty level of questions that you have answered correctly.

• The number of questions you have answered correctly.

What is the average GMAT score?

It is said that the GMAT score is in the range of 200 to 800, and the average score is considered to be 556. According to GMAC, two-third of the test takers’ scores are between 400 and 600. The section average GMAT scores are as follows.

Section of Test	Average GMAT score
Analytical Writing Assessment	4.44
Integrated Reasoning	4.23
Quantitative	39.4
Verbal	26.86
Total Score	556.05

Source: GMAC

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How is the GMAT score converted into Percentile?

According to GMAC, along with GMAT Scores, Percentile Ranking is also incorporated. The percentile associated with a GMAT score is the percentage of students whom you have overscored by attaining that score because of your hard work, efforts, and performance. Your GMAT score may not change but the Percentile Ranking may as GMAT Percentiles.

The GMAT score is in the range of 200 to 800. The scores obtained for each section will be converted into percentiles. Here is a table that represents GMAT scores and percentile for the year 2019.

GMAT Score	GMAT Percentile
760 to 800	99%
750	98%
740	97%
730	96%
720	94%
710	90%
700	88%
690	85%
680	82%
670	80%
660	77%
650	73%
640	68%
630	66%
620	62%
610	58%
600	55%

Here are the tables that show median scores with respect to different Sections of the Test Pattern   

Analytical Writing Assessment (one essay type question) Section :

Scores	Percentile
6	87%
5	54%
4	17%
3	4%
2	2%
1	1%

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Integrated Reasoning (total of 12 questions) Section:

Score	Percentile
8	92%
7	83%
6	68%
5	53%
4	36%
3	20%
2	10%
1	0%

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Verbal (total of 60 questions) Section 

Score	Percentile
51	99%
46	98%
40	90%
35	76%
30	58%
25	39%
20	22%
15	10%
10	3%

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Quantitative (total of 60 questions) Section:

Score	Percentile
51	97%
50	86%
49	74%
48	67%
47	61%
46	57%
45	54%
40	38%
35	25%
30	16%

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15 Business Schools based on Average GMAT scores

Here we have listed business schools with their respective average GMAT scores for you. 

Name of the School	Average GMAT Score
Stanford Graduate School of Business	734
The Warton University	732
Harvard Business School	730
Booth School of Business	730
Kellogg School of Management	730
MIT Sloan Scool of Management	727
Columbia Business School	727
UC Berkeley College, Haas	725
Dartmouth Tuck University	723
New York University, Stern	721
Yale School of Management	720
University of Michigan, Ross	719
UCLA, Anderson	713
Virginia College, Darden	713
Duke University, Fuqua	700

Source: GMAC