GMAT® scores have two important characteristics:

• They are reliable measures of certain developed skills that have been found to be important in the study of management at the graduate level. They have also been shown to be good predictors of academic success in the first year of study at graduate schools of management. 
• Unlike undergraduate grade point averages (or assessments) and curricula, which vary in their meaning across institutions, GMAT scores provide school professionals with a consistent, standardized evaluation tool for all applicants.

GMAC has published guidelines for the use of GMAT scores. The guidelines are provided to all graduate management schools that use GMAT scores. The test alone does not measure all the characteristics related to success in graduate school. Admissions committees may also consider an applicant’s undergraduate record and other information obtained from applications, interviews, and letters of recommendation.

Each school evaluates the scores in its own way; there are no “passing” or “failing” GMAT scores. Your GMAT performance can be related by a school to that of the original 1954 scales, the total testing population for the past three (3) years, or others applying to the same school (local norms).

If you have questions about how individual schools use your GMAT scores, please contact the schools directly.