<p>Hi,
I'm an undergrad and have recently become interested with grad school as my brothers preparing for the GMAT. I have yet to quite grasp how the score is compiled. I've looked online for quite a bit and tried to find an answer in his review books but I couldn't. </p>
<p>For example, with the SAT, there are 3 sections: critical reading, math, and writing. Each section is worth 800 points. In math, for example, you are asked X amount of questions and you do the whole
(number right)-(number wrong *.25)
and find the corresponding score on a chart.</p>
<p>With the GMAT, there are 2 essays, a math and verbal section, and it all adds up to 800. The 2 essays (awa) "is scaled from 0-6 in half-point increments".</p>
<p>Now where does the AWA come into play with your score? How is the math and verbal section split up? 400 vs 400? What goes on???</p>
<p>I know that the questions depend on our responses and your first responses are really important. As far as I understand, you start off with like 500, then if you get it right you go to 540, then if you get it right 570, then wrong 550, etc...or something like that, but how does that play in with both the verbal and math section, and how is your score affected by the AWA sections?</p>
<p>Thank you for your time and help, I'm just very confused.</p>
<p>The AWA does not affect your 800 score. You get two scores - one that has a max of 800, and the AWA score from 0-6. When you take the test on the computer, you'll get your 800 score but the AWA won't come until you get your official score report in the mail a couple weeks later.</p>
<p>I really can't explain how the 800 score is calculated. The quant and verbal subscores are usually below 51 or so, so they obviously aren't additive. Keep in mind, a 51 on either section is insanely high, and I'm not sure if a 51 is attainable on the verbal. It's really weird. On your score you'll get your two subscores, plus percentiles for both subscores, then you'll get your combined score with a percentile for your total combined score. </p>
<p>So you can get a 90th %ile on the math and a 98th %ile on verbal, but your overall %ile will be 99th. It doesn't always make the most sense, but just do the best you can and it won't matter.</p>
<p>It is true that the computer will adapt to your previous answer. But it won't start you off at a 500 and move you up and down, since the sections are scored separately.</p>
<p>Thanks for the help.</p>
<p>If the AWA section doesn't affect your score out of 800, what does it affect? What's the point of it? When looking at universities' average scores I only see a score out of 800, I don't see anything out of 6. So is the AWA important? It seems important but I just don't know how it affects the score yet... </p>
<p>About starting off with 500, I got that off a Princeton Review. I guess they were just giving an example of how it works. Thanks again.</p>
<p>The AWA is typically used as a writing sample, and is typically not regarded as being very important when compared to the measured sections of the GMAT.</p>
<p>Just to clarify on GMAT scoring, the computer adapts the test to the questions that you answer. It may ask you a 500 level question, and if you get that right it could go up to a 600 level question, all the way up. If you don't answer the lower level questions correctly, you'll never get a chance to answer the higher level questions. The computer will try to zero in on your level by what types of questions you are able to answer correctly.</p>
<p>Also, there will be some "test questions" thrown into the mix that won't affect your score.</p>
<p>You can't really compare the SAT to the GMAT...they are two different animals. If you are serious about taking this test, you should take a prep course. Since you are in NY...I'd suggest Manhattan GMAT.</p>
<p>For the AWA, as long as you don't completely bomb it, you'll be fine. I guess if you get at least a 3.5, they won't care.</p>
<p>Thanks again.</p>
<p>I wasn't trying to compare the GMAT to the SAT, rather I wanted to know if there was a clear score-breakdown for the GMAT like there is for the SAT. Thanks for suggesting Manhattan GMAT, I'll be sure to tell my brother (I'm a freshman in college, he will be taking it soon). I find it comforting that the AWA isn't that important and isn't in the score out of 800.</p>