MBA Aspirants to Face New Question Types Such as Multi-Source Reasoning,
Table Analysis, Graphics Interpretation 

Available for Interview: Kaplan Test Prep GMAT Expert 

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO)

Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Carina Wong, carina.wong@kaplan.com, 212.453.7571

New York, NY (October 20, 2011) – With the launch of the GMAT’s new Integrated Reasoning section less than eight months away, 67% of admissions officers have not yet seen sample questions from the new section provided by the test maker, according to a Kaplan Test Prep survey of 265 of the top MBA programs across the United States.*  Paradoxically, 59% believe that Integrated Reasoning, which adds four new question types to a test that only had five types previously on the Quantitative and Verbal sections combined, will make the GMAT  more reflective of the business school experience.

The four new question types measure test takers’ ability to organize, synthesize, and evaluate information from multiple sources and in different formats. The question types include:

• Table Analysis:  Test takers will be presented with a sortable table of information, similar to a spreadsheet, to be analyzed to find whether answer statements are accurate.
• Graphics Interpretation: Test takers will be asked to interpret a graph or graphical image, and select the option from a drop-down list to make response statements accurate.
• Multi-Source Reasoning: Questions are accompanied by two to three sources of information. Test takers must examine all the relevant information which may be a combination of text, charts, and tables to answer questions.
• Two-Part Analysis: A question will involve two components for a solution. Possible answers will be given in a table format with a column for each component and rows with possible options; test takers will be asked to consider the options provided.

“The new Integrated Reasoning section introduces question types that are unprecedented among major admissions tests,” said Andrew Mitchell, director of pre-business programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “To use a sports analogy, these question types test your ability to think like a coach rather than a player. The team you field and the plays you make depend on your analysis of a variety of factors, sources of information, and opinions. To continue the analogy, the coach must weigh and evaluate competitive factors, player strengths and weaknesses, team dynamics and a host of other issues that all impact each other.  Adding the Integrated Reasoning section is a good step in terms of reflecting higher-level analytical skills, but there’s no question that the new GMAT will be more challenging than the current one.”

Mitchell points out that doing well on the Integrated Reasoning section will be especially important because test takers receive a separate score for this section—poor performance on the new section can’t be masked by stronger performance on the rest of the test. The exam’s test length will remain at around 4 hours (including breaks), since the new section replaces one of the essays.

Below is a Kaplan-created sample question from the GMAT’s new Integrated Reasoning section, which could also be found and downloaded at: http://press.kaptest.com/gmatsamplequestion.

For more information about Kaplan Test Prep’s survey on the business school admissions landscape and the GMAT’s Integrated Reasoning section set to launch in June 2012, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

*The survey was conducted by phone in July and August 2011 and included responses from 265 of the nation’s top MBA programs, including 16 of the top 25 – as designated by U.S. News & World Report.  Kaplan Test Prep also annually conducts surveys of admissions officers at colleges, graduate schools, law schools and medical schools.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com) is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses.  Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry.  With a comprehensive menu of online offerings as well as a complete array of print books and digital products, Kaplan offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as professional licensing exams for attorneys, physicians and nurses.   Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services.

# # #