GMAT Guides

GMAT scoring can be summarized in one paragraph, as follows. Your total score on the GMAT ranges from 205 to 805 and is built from three equally weighted sections, Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights, each scored from 60 to 90. There is no essay, and no section is weighted more heavily than another. Your scores stay private until you choose to send them, and starting in 2026, GMAC will even combine your best section scores across attempts into an official superscore. For more detail, read on.

If I kept a leaderboard of the questions I've been asked most in 25-plus years of tutoring, there's a clear winner: "How do I start studying for the GMAT?" The answer hasn't changed much in all that time because the reason you're taking the GMAT hasn't changed: you're trying to get into a graduate business program. Build your entire study process around that goal.

This decision comes down to three things: your budget, your discipline, and whether you can diagnose your own mistakes. Self-study is the cheapest and most flexible option, but it demands real self-awareness. A course buys you structure. A tutor buys you time and diagnosis. We'll break down all three options below.

If you’re struggling with your approach for Data Insights, get in touch with us about one-on-one tutoring services. Start Tutoring