GMAT preparation
A study tracker built for GMAT Focus Edition preparation
GMAT Focus Edition replaced the classic GMAT in February 2024 - shorter, three sections instead of four, no essay, and Data Sufficiency moved out of Quant into a new Data Insights section. All three current sections are equally weighted into the 205-805 total, which makes a single blended mock score less useful than three separate ones.
GMAT at a glance
| Format | 3 sections, 64 questions, 2 hours 15 minutes total, one optional 10-minute break |
|---|---|
| Sections | Quantitative Reasoning (21 Q), Verbal Reasoning (23 Q), Data Insights (20 Q) - 45 min each |
| Scoring | Total 205-805 (always ending in 5); each section scored 60-90, equally weighted |
| Negative marking | None for a wrong answer, but unanswered questions at section end are penalised |
| Adaptivity | Question-level within each section, not just section-level |
| Score validity | 5 years; up to 5 attempts per rolling 12 months, no lifetime cap since Oct 2024 |
Not the GMAT your seniors sat
The classic GMAT was retired after January 31, 2024. GMAT Focus Edition removed the essay entirely, dropped Sentence Correction from Verbal, moved Geometry out of Quant, and folded Data Sufficiency plus the old Integrated Reasoning question types into a new Data Insights section that now counts toward the main score.
Prep material written before 2024 is describing a test you can no longer sit. If a resource still talks about a separately-scored essay or Sentence Correction drills, it predates the current format.
A wrong answer costs nothing extra - an unfinished section does
There is no direct mark deducted for an incorrect answer, but finishing a section with questions unanswered triggers a real completion penalty on top of scoring zero on those questions. The correct response to running low on time is fast guessing on everything remaining, not leaving the tail of a section blank.
Three equally-weighted sections, one adaptive engine each
Unlike the classic format - where the essay and Integrated Reasoning sat outside the main score - all three current sections (Quant, Verbal, Data Insights) are weighted equally into the 205-805 total, and each is adaptive at the question level independently. A candidate strong in Quant but weak in Data Insights cannot rely on one section to carry the total the way old-format prep advice sometimes assumed.
You also choose the order of the three sections at the start of the test, from six possible sequences - which section you put first is a real strategic choice worth rehearsing under mock conditions before exam day.
A five-year score with room for more than one attempt
A GMAT Focus Edition score is valid for 5 years, and you can attempt it up to 5 times within any rolling 12-month period, at least 16 days apart - and since October 2024 there is no lifetime cap on total attempts. That makes it realistic to track prep across more than one real sitting, not just a single exam day.
GMAT study tracker: common questions
- Is this GMAT study tracker free?
- Yes. Unlimited subjects, sessions and mock logs, with no payment and no coaching package attached.
- Is the classic GMAT still offered?
- No. GMAT Focus Edition has been the only version offered since February 1, 2024. The classic GMAT was retired after January 31, 2024.
- How many sections does GMAT Focus Edition have?
- Three: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights - 45 minutes and roughly 20-23 questions each, for 2 hours 15 minutes total.
- Does GMAT Focus Edition have negative marking?
- Not for a wrong answer directly. There is a real penalty for leaving questions unanswered at the end of a section, so guessing rather than skipping is the correct approach when time runs short.
- What happened to the GMAT essay and Sentence Correction?
- Both were removed in GMAT Focus Edition. The essay (Analysis of an Argument) is gone entirely, and Sentence Correction no longer exists as a Verbal question type - Verbal now tests only Reading Comprehension and Critical Reasoning.
- How is GMAT Focus Edition scored?
- Total score 205-805, always ending in 5. Each of the three sections is scored 60-90 individually and weighted equally into the total.
- How many times can I take GMAT Focus Edition?
- Up to 5 times within any rolling 12-month period, with a minimum 16-day gap between attempts. There has been no lifetime cap since GMAC removed it in October 2024.
- Does it work for exams other than GMAT?
- Yes. Nothing is hardcoded to one exam - your subjects define it. Presets exist for CAT, JEE, NEET, GATE, GRE, XAT, UPSC, NMAT, BANK PO and IELTS, and any other exam can be typed in.
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