69. Psychometrics of the GMAT Focus Edition

On February 1, 2024, the “old” GMAT is going away and the new GMAT Focus Edition is the version of the business school entrance exam that MBA hopefuls will take as part of the admission process moving forward. In this episode we take a deep-dive look a the new GMAT exam from a psychometric standpoint, meaning the intellectual abilities and skills GMAT Focus tests and the psychological traits built into the makeup of the exam. 

Specifically, we analyze the GMAT Focus Edition on five fronts:

1. Why the changing business school landscape necessitated a rethinking of the GMAT exam and how the GMAC meets the needs of business schools with GMAT Focus
2. How the GMAC ensured the validity and reliability of the GMAT Focus Edition despite reducing the number of questions
3. Key differences between the GMAT Focus Edition and the legacy GMAT that renders GMAT Focus a very different test (note: it’s not just a shorter GMAT)
4. Understanding the new GMAT Focus scoring algorithm and how to compare scores to the old GMAT
5. The new Review & Edit feature of GMAT Focus and how to maximize it from a test-taking standpoint (hint: be very careful about changing your answers!)

While we geek out a bit when talking about certain features of the GMAT Focus Edition, we always bring it back to what it means for you as a test-taker in terms of being able to get more right answers on test day. If you’re planning to take GMAT Focus, you’ll have a much better understanding of what you’re in store for after listening to this episode. If you’re an MBA admissions officer or consultant, you’ll have a better feel for what the GMAT Focus Edition measures, how it compares to the old GMAT, and how to think about a student’s score when evaluating their application.

RESOURCES / LINKS

1. Article: "Equating GMAT Focus vs GMAT Scoring Scales"
2. Take the guesswork out of preparing for the GMAT Focus Edition with the industry's top-rated Complete GMAT Focus Prep Course (fully updated and specifically designed for the GMAT Focus Edition)

SIMILAR EPISODES

If you enjoyed this episode, we encourage you to check out these other similar episodes of The Dominate Test Prep Podcast:

1. Episode 65: Initial Thoughts on the New GMAT Focus Edition, with Barbara Coward
2. Episode 50: What Good are Standardized Tests Anyway?
3. Episode 42: GMAT vs. GRE for MBA Admissions

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