GMAT Focus Edition - Everything You Need to Know

Hi Ashish,

Thank you for the kind words. I enjoy reading your replies on the forum as well.

As far as I know, GMAC hasn't made any public statements regarding that change yet. There is, however, this post by ExpertsGlobal5:

I've verified this independently with GMAC, though in those discussions they referred to the first question (live, not experimental), not the first few questions.

Looks like it. It's been 6 days and it has not really budged...

P.S. I see march 31 as the last day for the in-person GMAT Classic... that may be just the schedule and hours for my local test center that's open on a Sunday. Yours must be closed.

We did our best but it was still not enough.

Yup, we were fooled! In retrospect, Wharton had it right all along.

I also just received the email from GMAC. Title: "The updated GMAT Focus Edition is replacing the previous GMAT Exam on January 31, 2024."


On another note...

Hi ExpertsGlobal5,

You had indicated in a previous post that the Data Insights section is adaptive:


Below is an image from page 215 of the O.G. 2023-2024: "Unlike the GMAT exam's Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning sections, the Data Insights section is not computer adaptive. This means that answering questions correctly or incorrectly doesn't affect which questions appear next."



Do you have any new information to share on this issue? Thanks!

WooHoo! 🎉 Got some answers - thank you GMAC. Posting them here just as they are
Some interesting changes to multiple test attempts!

1. Are applicants allowed to book multiple appointments for the GMAT Classic Exam from now until Jan 31, 2024? Or in general this policy has been changed?

To clarify candidates can have multiple future appointments scheduled, e.g.:
Candidates can have multiple future appointments scheduled across exam versions and channels. However, only one appointment can be booked at a time, and appointments must be scheduled at least 16-days apart. Our 12-month and lifetime limits also apply across exam versions and channels - only 5 attempts are permitted in a rolling 12-month period and 8 attempts in a lifetime.

2. Can a person book an online test and an in person test that are fewer than 16 days apart? Does the 16 day rule apply in any case or does it only apply in case the same test format is taken again? (repeat version of the question just in case)

The 16-day rule applies regardless of the delivery method a candidates choose.

3. "Updated score reports will also include more detailed insights on your performance, and only one exam score—the current exam breaks down your score by section. Registrants will be able to send scores to five schools for free."
What does "only one exam score" mean? Is it a "total exam score" rather than section scores or does it refer to one exam versus multiple exam scores (like if you previously took the exam)? Also, does this have anything to do with what is reported to the schools--do they get just one exam score?

This will answer your question since there are some parts I believe are mixed in the question that need to be addressed in separate bullets.


• Once candidates start taking the GMAT™ Focus Edition, they will receive their Total Score, Sub-Section scores, and percentiles for each. The Official Score Report will also include detailed performance insights for overall performance and sub-section performance. Candidates will be able to access GMAT Focus Edition scores and any valid scores from previous exams via their mba.com Account.
  
  
• The "only one exam score" refers to what is reported to schools - with the GMAT Focus Edition - similar to the GMAT exam delivered online - candidates have the flexibility to select which score to send to which programs. Only the score selected will be sent to the program(s) selected (no other scores will be sent along with it).
  
  
• Note that the Official Score Report that schools receive has been updated to account for both versions of the GMAT™ exam, and they are fully aware of the score scale changes and score concordance tables, so if candidates are asking about that, rest assured that schools do know what to expect.

Hi Sim_SG3,

1. I'm not too sure about this, but you could try analysing some of the scoring grid data out there. Just keep in mind that (a) the data you see may not be 100% accurate and (b) quant and verbal are weighted equally (this is definitely true).

2. GMAC has already stated that all three sections (DI, quant, verbal) are weighted equally.

Beyond that, it's hard to say just how the scores combine.

3. I think timing in verbal could be a problem for some test takers. The small increase in average time isn't enough to offset the impact of removing SC. We'll see how this plays out, but I'm letting my students know that they should work extra hard on time management.

Again, it's hard to say how this will affect test takers, but I don't think GMAC should have cut the number of breaks.

DATA INSIGHTS ADAPTIVITY UPDATE: I have just been informed that GMAC has added a "correction" banner on the digital version of the 2023-2024 O.G., which states that the Data Insights section is in fact adaptive, and that the information on page 215 of the print version, which indicates the opposite, is incorrect.

Unfortunately, I lack access to the digital version, so I cannot provide a screenshot of this banner.

If someone else could please provide a screenshot, then that would be much appreciated.

The issue is finally settled at last! And not a day too late, because—as we all know—today is the first day of the GMAT Focus.

Good luck, everyone!!

mcelroytutoring Thanks, here's the banner, at https://gmatofficialpractice.mba.com/ac ... n-progress:

Thank you mcelroytutoring for pointing it out! - you deserve the credit for that banner! 👍

Closing the loop on this - the exam isn't adaptive across sections. Hurray!

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbb3Rw5SOzA

Thanks to BottomJee for sharing the above and putting an end to my misery.

Best,
Sim

Hi mcelroytutoring,

Seema confirms this somewhere around the 32:50 minute mark when answering questions from the live chat. She seems very certain, even going on to state that the test is "question by question adaptive within a section".

It definitely would have been nice to see the slides.



Maybe it would be better to get something from GMAC in writing? I haven't found any other official source confirming this.

Thanks,
Sim

Should I practice the same types and kinds of questions for quant section as did for classic gmat ( excluding geometry ) ?

YES

In Data Insight, One can expect the same types and kinds of DS questions other than geometry as it was in Classic gmat ?

YES

what will be the right source for practicing DI questions ?

Any of the GC like this https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-di-ques ... 18297.html

Any updates on when gmat club has DI practice question bank section ?

Still working as far as I do know

One comment I'm hearing from a lot of early GMAT Focus test-takers is that they did not put enough time into considering when to take the optional 10-minute break.

Remember that on the Focus, you are only given one break—after either the first or second section—and that if you do not select an option on the screen that appears after the first section, then the first break will be granted automatically, forcing you to go straight from the 2nd to 3rd section.

Personally, I would choose 1) Verbal, 2) Quant, 3) Break, 4) Data Insights. I'm sure I would be tired by the end of the second section, which occurs approximately 1.5 hours into the exam, and would want to stretch my legs / use the restroom / splash some cold water on my face.

Plus, I've heard that the new DI section, which now includes Data Sufficiency questions in addition to IR-style questions, is tougher than the old Integrated Reasoning section, so I would want to compose myself beforehand.

In contrast, I don't see myself needing a break or being tired after just the first section, which is only 45 minutes long. Thus, I would make sure to decline the first break option before time expires, and to select the second break option instead.

The takeaway? Don't just decide on your section order in advance—decide when you are going to take the 10-minute break as well.

You have to be careful with absolute numbers because for whatever reason there’s not a lot of consistency between different sections.

For example,
Q82 - 86th percentile
V82 - 79th percentile
D82 - 96th percentile
This is the adjusted percentile table.

P.S. And V80 is a V29 😲
https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-focus-t ... 19508.html

You are planning to give me credit for it?

Hi rrc1996,

Focus score reports don't have any information about other test attempts.

Hi AnkurGMAT20,

Yes, we do. For example, I got 8 DS questions on my test. As for CR, you can expect to see 9-13 CR questions.