Executive Assessment (aka mini-GMAT)
Format, syllabus, exam fees, preparation
Executive Assessment Exam: What is it?
To be concise, the Executive Assessment (EA) is a mini-GMAT. It has been created by GMAC, the same team that owns and manages the GMAT. In other words, the Executive Assessment tests the same skills as a GMAT does.
However, the format is an express version of the garden variety GMAT, designed to accommodate the rather busy life of an experienced professional.
The difficulty level is also aimed at evaluating the so-called readiness to enter a rigorous business program for advanced professionals.
How do schools use the Executive Assessment test score?
Applicants targeting Executive MBA programs, with years of work experience and ample seniority, can use the EA to show how prepared they are for the EMBA.
Schools evaluate the candidates – their skill level – as well as knowledge gaps that need to be addressed before they make it through the entry door.
How is it different from GMAT?
The Executive Assessment vs GMAT comparison is valuable to anyone who is looking to fit a business degree in their tireless pursuit of an ongoing and well-established career.
Despite its similarity in format and purpose, there are some stark contrasts. We have tabulated both in the interest of clarity.
Experts cite the difference in preparation time and the duration of the exam as the selling points to employees with advanced designations and a lot of out-of-office responsibilities that usually keep their back-to-school aspirations at bay.
– The Executive Assessment (EA), or mini-GMAT takes only a month to prepare and all of 1.5 hours to complete. So, squeezing it in the middle of other priorities is pretty conducive.
– You can reschedule the test without additional costs as long as you are out of the 48-hour window, prior to taking the test. So any last-minute work schedule or emergency can easily take over without hampering the pocket.
| Executive Assessment | GMAT | |
|---|---|---|
| Structure and duration per module | Integrated Reasoning (12Q in 30 min)
Verbal (14Q in 30 min) Quantitative (14Q in 30 min) |
Analytical Writing Assessment or AWA (30min Essay)
Integrated Reasoning (12Q in 30min) Quantitative (31Q in 62min) Verbal (36Q in 65min) |
| Total Time | 90 min | 3.5 hours |
| Exam Fee | $350 (USD) | $250 (USD) |
| Score Reports | Scores are available immediately. Official scores within 24 hours of the test | Four out of scores are available immediately (not AWA). Official score reports (including AWA score) available within 3 weeks of the exam |
| Exam Rescheduling | More than 48 hours before the test – No Fee
Within 24-48 hours before the test – $75 (USD) |
More than 7 days before the test – $60 (USD)
Within 7 days of appointment – $250 (USD) |
| Exam Cancellation | Cancellation up to 24 hours before the assessment – $100 (USD) | More than 7 days before the test – $80 (USD) refund
Within 7 days of appointment – No Refund |
| Score Cancellation | Cannot cancel score | Cancel score for $25 (USD)
Reinstate cancelled score $50 (USD) |
| Number of times you are allowed to take the exam | Twice. You can retake the test after 24 hours of the first attempt. | Once in a 16 day period. Up to 5 times a year. |
Executive Assessment Scores
As mentioned before, the EA exam is designed keeping in mind the flexibility required off busy working folks.
As a price for the flexibility, the exam fee – to start with – is steeper than a normal GMAT test. This covers any last-minute changes in the test-taker’s plans – namely rescheduling.
The $350 covers not just the fee for the exam but also allows for room to reschedule or send scores to schools without any additional cost.
The EA contains three resulting scores from the three individual sections, each of which use a scale of 0 to 20.
The total scale ranges from 100 to 200. All the scores are available immediately after the test and the official score report is made available within 24 hours.
Because of the very limited number of attempts, of the EA, GMAC doesn’t allow any score cancellation.
So, if you are unsure of immediate score reporting to the selected schools at the end of the test, you should refrain from selecting any. Additional score reports don’t require any cost.
How to prepare for the EA?
EA is designed to not have to spend long hours, days and months preparing for the test, as one would with GMAT.
The assessment tests high level understanding of the tools one would regularly employ in their experienced profession – reasoning, data analysis and interpretation, and communication.
So, separate extensive preparation of those very skills is not required.
However, GMAC does recommend practice to obtain familiarity of the format.
You can try the sample questions available on the GMAC website or (recommended) choose to purchase one of the many Official Preparatory material listed here.
Executive Assessment Syllabus and Sample Question Types
There are three sections in the EA. The question types are the same as in GMAT. Here are the details.
Integrated Reasoning
This section has 12 questions in 30 mins. It measures the ability to understand and assess information. So, data analysis and interpretation are crucial here. The question types and sample questions.
– Multi source reasoning: Test takers are presented with multiple sources of data related to a single topic. They are asked to reference relevant information from these sources to respond to multiple choice or yes/no questions.
– Graphics interpretation: As is evident from the name, test takers have to understand the information contained in a graph or a graphical image. Questions are short, pull-down or fill in the blanks type.
– Two part analysis: Test takers are provided with information and they have to use two independent components of this information to arrive at a solution.
– Table analysis: Simply put, test takers have to analyse the information given in a table format to respond to true/false type questions.
For more specific examples, check out these Integrated Reasoning Sample Questions
Read Integrated Reasoning in GMAT – Scoring, sample questions, practice and more
Verbal
This is 14 questions in 30 mins. It measures the skill to process arguments based on the understanding of the content presented in standard English.
– Reading comprehension: Test takers are presented with a passage and questions whose responses are contained in the passage.
– Critical reasoning: Also presented with a short passage, candidates are required to choose the correct response to a related, but independent, question. The response is essentially their reasoning of an argument that is implied, suggested, or hidden in some form, in the passage.
– Sentence correction: Candidates are given an incorrect sentence whose correct response is among a set of given multiple choices.
For typical problems, check out these Verbal Reasoning Sample Questions
Read
– GMAT Preparation: How GMAT Critical Reasoning is structured
– GMAT Critical Reasoning: How to tackle logical flaws in CR questions
– GMAT Critical Reasoning Tips – Necessary vs Sufficient
– More on GMAT Critical Reasoning here
– GMAT Verbal reading vs everyday reading
– GMAT Sentence Correction Preparation: Comparison and Parallelism
– GMAT Sentence Correction: Most common errors
Quantitative
There are 14 questions in 30 mins. It tests the ability use logic and reasoning skills to understand and interpret data. Mathematics, at high school level, is essential to succeed in this section.
– Data Sufficiency: Test takers don’t have to calculate the answer. It simply tests whether the given data is enough to solve the problem.
– Problem Solving: These are typical problems that require some form of mathematical calculation to arrive at the correct response. Answers are given in a multiple choice format.
For sample questions, check out these Quantitative Reasoning Sample Questions
Read
– GMAT Quantitative Tips: Data Sufficiency
– GMAT Data Sufficiency questions
– GMAT Quantitative Section Preparation
– GMAT Preparation: How to master the art of guessing on GMAT Maths
– More on GMAT Quantitative here
List of B-Schools accepting Executive Assessment scores
A number of schools are realizing the effectiveness of an assessment that directly correlates with how well senior executives are in tune with business education. By accepting these scores these business schools have been able to not only assess the EMBA readiness, of their applicants, but also orient their curriculums to fill skill gaps they may persistently notice. The number of schools participating in EA compatibility have been growing. As of 2019, there are nearly 70 b-schools worldwide that accept EA scores. Some of the popular ones, and the corresponding program, are included in the table below.
| Business School | Program |
|---|---|
| Berkeley Haas | MBA for Executives
Evening & Weekend MBA |
| Chicago Booth | Executive MBA Program |
| ESADE Business School | Executive MBA |
| ESMT Berlin | Executive MBA |
| Great Lakes Institute of Management | Post Graduate Executive Program in Management |
| INSEAD | The Global Executive MBA Program
Executive Master in Finance |
| London Business School | Executive MBA Program
EMBA-Global Americas and Europe LBS Sloan Masters in Leadership and Strategy |
| MIT Sloan | Sloan Fellows Program
Executive MBA |
| Wharton | MBA Program for Executives |
| Schulich School of Business | Kellog-Schulich Executive MBA |
Here is a complete list.
If you’re looking for professional help with your applications, MBA Crystal Ball has some of the best consultants for Executive Assessment programs listed above. To know how we can help, feel free to drop us a line at info[at]mbacrystalball[dot]com