Executive Assessment (EA) Exam - All you need to know!

What is the Executive Assessment (EA) Exam?

Executive Assessment (EA) Exam is a shorter version of the GMAT exam meant for working professionals.

Who can give this exam?

If you are an experienced professional and you don't have time to prepare for GMAT, this exam is the right fit for you!

Then why should I give GMAT if I can give EA to get into a B School?

Here is the catch, EA exam as of now is meant for students who are trying to get into evening MBA programs. These students have an option to give either GMAT or EA. BUT some of the schools have started accepting EA scores for their full-time MBA programs as well. But who knows how it will go in the future.

I am not planning to do an MBA, is this exam still for me?

Of course, when the EA exam was launched in 2016, the plan was to make it exclusive for Evening MBAs. But things changed over time. Now, if you are planning to do either of the below courses, this exam is a good option for you.
Master of Finance
Master of Accounting
Master of Data Analytics

I did the preparation for GMAT, do you think I should be good to go for the EA exam?

Definitely, if you were good at GMAT mocks/know GMAT content very well, just book your slot for the EA exam and give it a try.

How does the difficulty algorithm work?

See the chart below. Source StaceyKoprince

Can you explain how the scoring works?

As per our research, we found that the minimum and the maximum scores you can get in each section are 2 and 18 respectively. The sum of the scores of each of the sections (IR, V, and Q) is then added to 120. For example,
1. If you scored 2 in each section, your total score will be 126 [126=120+2+2+2]
2. If you scored 18 in each section, your total score will be 174 [174=120+18+18+18]

Which schools accept this score?

The list of schools accepting this score is growing. For most updated list, click here - List of Schools accepting EA score

How about Indian B Schools?

Yes, a couple of Indian B Schools accept this score. Check the link above.

Can you help me understand the difference between GMAT and EA exam?

Sure, here are some of the differences between these two exams:

*Each section is divided into two sub sections. For example, Quant will have two sub sections of 7 questions each. Your performance on the 1st Subsection determines the difficulty level of 2nd sub section. Hence, sub sections adaptive

**On GMAT, performance in one question determines the difficulty level of the following question. Hence, questions adaptive.

Watch Recording of an EA Prep Sesssion

Have more questions that I haven't answered? Add them below and I will make sure I answer you as well as extend this list! Happy learning!

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Do you have any info on Online Executive Assessment Exam?

Hey njoy986 ,

Thank you for the question. Yes, Online version is available starting May 5th until 30th June. GMAC says it could be extended depending how this Covid 19 situation goes. You can look for more details here. Let me know if you have more questions.

Good luck
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Do you know if GMAC is using the electronic whiteboard as well for the EA in lieu of the physical scratch pad?

Hello MBAI ,

Thanks for the question. Yes, they are using whiteboard to take notes and work out formulas. This is what I found on the official website:

Calculators are not allowed during the Quantitative Reasoning section. instead, you may use the built-in whiteboard to take notes and work our formulas.

Good luck!
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Does any Indian B schools refer EA score ?

Yes Harsh2111s , a couple for Indian B Schools such as SP Jain, Great Lakes, etc do accept this score. Here is the full list of schools:

https://www.gmac.com/executive-assessme ... ng-schools
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Does anyone know if the EA online counts towards the 2 time lifetime max? It says you can only take the EA online once, but doesn’t mention if it’s counted towards the lifetime max. I don’t think the gmat online is, at least you could theoretically take the gmat online and then take the in person exam the next day. So my impression is that the online versions and in person versions are almost treated as two different tests from the perspective of how often or when you can take it.

Posted from my mobile device

I just took it.. i thought quant and verbal are similar to the practice tests.. but IR was way harder. Good luck! SC is way easier than GMAT stuff

Posted from my mobile device

Hi everyone!
I'm preparing to apply to one single EMBA and I have a strong application, as per the Admission board's assessment.
I need to pass the Executive assessment before the end of summer. On the first try at an EA mock, I scored 142 (Integrated Reasoning: 8; Verbal Reasoning: 8; Quantitative Reasoning: 6). I will require a minimum of 150.
Am I in trouble or is it feasible to reach my goal in about 6 weeks, while working a full time job?
Thanks for any comments and suggestions.

Regards and good luck to you all!

S.

Hey, I just took to it too. I found IR difficult to get into, so difficult in the sense of timing and then Quant and Verbal were much easier to get through.

Have you received your proctored results yet?

I am finding it difficult to manage time on the IR section so need some inputs and recommendations.
What is the split of the 12IR questions on the EA exam- How many MSR, TA, GI and 2-Part analysis questions should one expect?

From practice tests, does anyone know what is a good score in IR to not considerably scale the Quant and Verbal sections? i.e to score 150 atleast. Has anyone tried any test-taking tips/tricks that help?
How many questions does one need to get right to score 10 in the IR section?

Thanks!

Can we use paper instead of online white board for EA?

Not physical paper but a physical whiteboard. You may use 1 dry eraser, 2 markers and a dry erase board I think no larger than 16x20. There are details on the EA site for exact specifications.

Definitely read it thoroughly. For example, I didn't catch until last minute that I could have a glass of water and that I couldn't use a monitor if I was using a laptop. I had to show the proctor that the monitor was unplugged.

Thanks abhimahna for providing detailed information.

On an EA exam, when pressed for time, which is better - skip or guess? In other words, is there negative score for either missing/skipping questions or incorrect answers?

TIA

Hi All,

I have been reading the comments and insights here for the past few months. Wanted to share my own experience.

I'm 41 yrs old and haven't taken a standardized test in over 20 years. I took the EA Exam today and it was my 2nd attempt. In case anybody was considering doing the same, I highly recommend it!

My score increased by 10 pints between my 1st and 2nd exam: from 151 to 161 (IR: 18, VR: 12, QR: 11).

I'm really happy about my final score and didn't expect this outcome!

Wishing everyone best of luck and a Happy New Year with a much brighter 2021 ahead!

Posted from my mobile device

That's an awesome improvement! Congratulations!
That's going from 60th to 95th percentile!
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Hi
Could you tell me how did you get the result so fast?

Hi GMATClub Team - thanks for creating this thread. I had a quick question for the EA Test online proctored version - what type of a calculator are you allowed to use for the IR section of the test, if any? Are we just limited to the online calculator?

Thanks

You can access the online calculator in the UI only. You can’t use a standalone calculator or a physical calculator. Only the onscreen one in the EA UI. Sorry.

Posted from my mobile device
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