The computer adaptive test (CAT) is more than just a computerized version of a paper-and-pencil test. The GMAT CAT is called "adaptive" because the computer assigns questions based on your responses to previous questions. So, if you get the first question right, the second question should be a little harder but if you get the first question wrong, the second question should be a little easier. Harder questions generate higher scores and easier questions lower scores.

Answering Question

When you start a section, the computer first assumes you have an average score and it gives you a medium difficulty question. Questions at the start of a section won't be easy ones - unlike the conventional paper-and-pencil version of the test - so don't answer them expecting easy questions. Instead, be on the lookout for answer-choice traps.

Questions are not all worth the same to your score. How much a question raises or lowers your score depends on where the question is in the section. A question early on in a section will affect your score more, for better or worse, than one later on.

Since the questions at the beginning of a section are worth more points than those later on in the section, pay particular attention to them and take your time. Double-check your answers. The first five questions in a section are critical to your score. While not as vital to your score, questions 5 through 10 are also very important -- they affect your score more drastically than questions later on. Be more careful on these questions too, than on ones towards the end of a section and plan to spend more time on them.

Guessing Answer

The CAT shows you only one question at a time and does not allow you to see the next question until you've responded to the one at hand.

Obviously, you must answer a question before moving on to the next one on the CAT. You cannot skip questions like you could on the paper-and-pencil test. So if you are given a question you cannot answer on a CAT, you should guess. Guess intelligently and strategically - eliminate any wrong answer choices that you can spot and guess among those remaining.

Don't Skip...

The CAT doesn't allow you to come back to questions you've already answered and double-check your work later on. That's because each right or wrong answer directly effects the next question the test gives you.

Be as sure as possible that you've got a question right before moving on. Once you've noted and confirmed your answer, that's it.

...And Always Answer

There is a penalty for every question that you do not answer. If you only have a minute or two left, and several questions remaining, you should guess at random rather than leave them unanswered. Also, pace yourself so that you have time to mark an answer for every question in the section.

What About the Essays?

For the Analytical Writing Assignment (AWA), you type your essays at the same terminal on which you take the rest of the test. Expect a basic word-processing package where you can cut-and-paste items and "undo" your last command, but don't expect luxuries like a spell-checker, grammar-checker, or thesaurus. And since you type your essays, people who type slowly will now be at a disadvantage. So be sure to sharpen your typing skills.

Section wise Strategies