You’re in Control of Your GMAT Section Order

For business schools, the GMAT^™ exam is a way to assess your real-world reasoning skills and preparedness for a graduate management program. 

For you, the GMAT exam is an opportunity to stand out from other business school applicants. Nine out of ten MBA enrollments are achieved using the GMAT exam, so you want to represent yourself with your best possible score.

To help you achieve your best possible score, the GMAT exam gives you the flexibility to customize your exam experience so that your section order aligns with your test-taking strategy. Right before you begin the exam, three section-order options will appear on your screen.

Here is the default order for the four GMAT exam sections: Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning. If this is the best section order for you, then just get started.

The section-order options allow you to begin with either the Verbal or Quantitative sections:

• Verbal first: Verbal, Quantitative, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment
• Quantitative first: Quantitative, Verbal, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical Writing Assessment

If you expect to deliver your strongest performance in either the Verbal or Quantitative section, your test-taking strategy may suggest that you begin with one of those sections to bolster your confidence and start your exam experience with a sense of success and competence to motivate you through the more challenging sections. 

Conversely, if you expect either the Verbal or Quantitative section to be your most challenging section, your test-taking strategy may suggest that you power through that section while you are still fresh. You may also choose to take the Verbal or Quantitative sections first—while you are at the height of your energy and alertness—if your test-taking strategy considers how business schools view the Verbal and Quantitative sections as the most important when evaluating prospective students.

No matter the section order you choose, you have already made a good choice in pursuing a master’s degree in business. Exclusive to the GMAT exam, this feature is another means to help you succeed and perform your best on test day. 

Learn more about the GMAT exam and how it can help you stand out to b-schools.