All You Need To Know About The New GMAC Business Writing Assessment

Question

What is the GMAC Business Writing Assessment?

From late July 2024, b-school candidates can opt to sit the Business Writing Assessment (BWA), which is a 30-minute proctored test that can be taken online, anywhere in the world. The BWA tests candidates’ ability to analyze the reasoning behind a given argument on a topic, and write a critique of it. The test topic is relevant to both business and general interest.

Is this separate to the GMAT?

"Yes", says Adam Witwer, GMAC's chief product officer. "Test takers of the previous edition of the GMAT had no choice but to take a written assessment (the Analytical Writing Assessment or AWA) and the score was included, by default, in the official GMAT score report sent to their chosen schools. The BWA, however, is a completely separate module delivered independently from the GMAT. It gives test takers the flexibility—and option—to demonstrate their writing ability in today’s AI-affected world, and can be utilized by candidates to prove their communication prowess to support their school— and  job—application process."

Who needs to take the BWA?

The BWA is in its pilot year and currently only Harvard Business School has made the test mandatory for GMAT-sitting applicants who are invited to interview. HBS states on its MBA application page that candidates can either sit the test before they apply, or wait until they are shortlisted for interview.

What are the advantages of taking the BWA before applying to HBS?

If you sit the test before you apply (or before you’re shortlisted for interview) to HBS, you have plenty of time to retake the test if your score isn’t as strong as you’d like. However, HBS states that you will not be penalized for waiting to take the BWA after you are shortlisted for interview.

If not applying to HBS, is the BWA worth doing?

At time of writing, only HBS has made the BWA a mandatory addition to the GMAT among candidates who are invited for an interview, although other schools may follow suit. It is always recommended that you thoroughly check your chosen schools’ websites before submitting your application in case of any changes.

According to GMAC's Adam Witwer: "If your desired schools require you to take the BWA—first of all, congratulations as it indicates your GMAT scores have gotten you through the door—you should be in a good place as the BWA will allow you to showcase the writing skills you have already demonstrated, with a little prep of a couple of hours."

He adds that the exam is a great way to showcase your written communication skills: "Now that the BWA is decoupled from the GMAT, it allows  all  candidates to focus—in a streamlined testing process—on the data analytic skills critical not only to their success at business school but also their future jobs in the business world. Then for those invited to (or who wish to) highlight their business writing skills to meet their education and career goals, the BWA offers freedom of choice. It is this choice that has led us to believe the GMAT is superior to the alternatives available in the market."

What’s the cost of BWA?

The Business Writing Assessment costs $30 USD globally, with an additional $8 fee if a candidate schedules or reschedules within 72-24 hours. (No scheduling/rescheduling/cancelling is allowed within 24 hours.) Candidate score sending is free.

How do I register?

You can register to take the Business Writing Assessment on  its official site .

The article above appeared on  Business Because  and is here reported in its entirety for information purposes.

MyMBAClubAccount · Answer

The GMAC previously posted a percentile table using 2020 - 2022 data. Is the BWA expected to follow the same percentile table as the AWA? https://www.gmac.com/gmat-other-assessm ... -view#tab1

bb · Answer

Good question. I don’t think we know yet... Or at least I don’t 😂

But I would guess that the grading hardly matters. I think all they want to see is your writing style.

In the past, I have seen people with pretty low AWA score get admitted I think it’s more about the writing sample than anything else.

a lot of people received 5.0 and that was 54th percentile so clearly that there was no concern.... And you can always use Chineseburnt guide for AWA guid for a 6.0

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MyMBAClubAccount · Answer

Thanks. This is specifically for HBS where I have a theory the AWA (now BWA) score really matters. This is a core skill you will use in the case method pedagogy and I think a mistake a lot of people made in the past is not caring about the AWA section. I think this theory is also supported by the fact HBS is requiring the BWA even though it was removed from GMAT focus.

bb · Answer

It is possible. The only thought I have is that it had been exceedingly easy to get the 6.0 on AWA because the grading has to do with structure and not analysis or argument.

https://gmatclub.com/forum/how-to-get-6 ... 64327.html

I have a feeling that if it were important, HBS would require one of those mini video essays that you have one shot to record. I feel that would be a better indication of one’s ability to do well in casing.

I also have a feeling that the admissions would have indicated something over the years if AWA was important. they’re not super tricky usually and we applicants usually give them quite a bit of credit, which they often do not deserve.

However, I think there is no reason to under prepare and I think you should do as best as you can on BWA. 👍

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AjiteshArun · Answer

Personally, I think DI is a lot closer to what is needed for the case method than the BWA is. Not the DS part of it, but the IR (MSR, 2PA, GI, TA) types.

That said, removing AWA from the GMAT was a bad move. Sure, the exam is now shorter (-30 minutes) and GMAC doesn't have pay as much money to Pearson (no need to pay pesky humans to read and score essays either), but schools now have no way to ~check whether an applicant wrote their own (application) essays. Some schools ( GWSB ) may have also used AWA to check basic business communication skills.

cherubkapoor · Answer

I have been trying to register for the BWA exam but it is not proceeding beyond the “Address & Payment Type” page and is throwing a “Billing address province can’t be blank” error despite that field being in the next section. Just wanted to check if other candidates are facing the same issue

MyMBAClubAccount · Answer

Is the official BWA graded by a computer or real person? I bought the Official BWA Prep and did a practice essay that was graded by a computer and I want to figure out how accurate this is (i.e., is the computer algorithm inflating scores?)

bb · Answer

Good Question - will try to find out from the GMAC folks, though since the description says it takes 3-5 days to get the score, my guess the old AWA policy applies where a human and a machine score it.

P.S. The AWA was scored by both a human and a computer and the average of the two scores was taken. Before that 2 humans used to grade it. 
Iterating with the machine proved that longer text that was more structured and used First, Second, Finally resulted into better scores.

MyMBAClubAccount · Answer

Thanks, I did not realize the old version was scored by both. I had assumed it was just human. That's helpful to know.

bb · Answer

Yes, they have introduced the machine back in 2012 or smth like that - a long time ago! way before ChatGPT

AjiteshArun · Answer

All the way back in 1999, with the ETS e-rater.

They then switched to IntelliMetric (ACT) in 2006, after terminating the ETS contract.

bb · Answer

Oh my word, that's back when dinosaurs were roaming the earth!
Thanks for finding that!!! 💖

derall55 · Answer

Hello is there a template that we can use for BWA? How applicable is the AWA template you mentioned above? Thank you

bb · Answer

Have you tried to checking that template discussion? Maybe someone posted their experience with BWA... 👀 https://gmatclub.com/forum/how-to-get-6 ... l#p3471509

derall55 · Answer

Hello did anyone solve this, I have the same error?

derall55 · Answer

Hello, if we received a full score from GMAC BWA, would it strengthen the application to send it to other MBA schools? I took it for HBS, but if I send it to CBS, GSB, Wharton etc does it directly hint I applied to HBS as well?

AjiteshArun · Answer

Hi derall55,

Unfortunately, I don't think it'd strengthen your application. Even the AWA was never really useful in that sense. That said, you may want to reach out to your target schools and ask them directly.

As for your question about the hint, why do you consider that to be a bad thing?

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