Graduate & Business School Admissions
Executive Assessment
Executive Assessment
Free Executive Assessment practice questions 88 questions with full answer explanations. No sign-up. Start practice →Overview
The Executive Assessment is a business-school admissions test from GMAC (the body behind the GMAT), designed specifically for experienced professionals applying to Executive MBA and similar programmes. It is deliberately shorter than the GMAT: 90 minutes, 40 questions, and three equally weighted sections - Integrated Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning.
The pitch is that it measures the reasoning skills you have built over a career rather than rewarding months of test cramming, so the typical candidate prepares for far fewer hours than a GMAT taker would. Scores run on a 100-200 total scale, are valid for five years (and reportable for up to ten), and the test is accepted at a growing list of programmes - though far fewer than accept the GMAT or GRE, so confirming your target schools accept it is the first thing to do.
✓ Who it is for
- Experienced professionals applying to an Executive MBA or a programme that accepts the Executive Assessment
- Candidates who want a shorter sitting and a lighter preparation load than the full GMAT
- Senior applicants confident their analytical reasoning is solid and who do not want to relearn test-taking from scratch
✕ Who it is not for
- Applicants to programmes that do not accept the Executive Assessment - confirm acceptance first.
- Full-time MBA applicants who want the most widely recognised score; the GMAT or GRE fits better.
- Anyone who wants unlimited retakes to chase a score - the lifetime limit is four attempts.
Exam structure
| Integrated Reasoning | 12 questions in 30 minutes. Multi-Source Reasoning, Graphics Interpretation, Two-Part Analysis and Table Analysis - reading data from tables, graphs and text and combining it to answer. |
|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 14 questions in 30 minutes. Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning and Sentence Correction - understanding arguments, evaluating logic and editing for clear, correct English. |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 14 questions in 30 minutes. Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency - arithmetic, algebra and basic geometry, with no calculator on the quant section. |
| Scoring | Each section is scored 0-20 and the three are weighted equally to produce a 100-200 total score. There is no fixed pass mark; schools set their own expectations. |
Realistic study time
- Typical candidate (GMAC guidance) ~30 hours over a few weeks
- Rusty on quant or new to the format ~40-60 hours, weighted toward the quant and IR sections
Bars show relative effort, not a guarantee. Your time depends on background and study method.
Turn this into a week-by-week schedule with the Study Plan Generator.
What it really costs
Fees change and vary by region. Confirm the current amount on the official site before you register.
Want your full out-of-pocket figure? Try the Cost Calculator.
Salary & career value
Indicative ranges for orientation only - not surveyed data, and not financial or career advice. Sources and date below.
Pass rate: Not applicable - the Executive Assessment is scored on a 100-200 scale, not pass or fail, and GMAC does not publish a pass rate. Each school decides what total score it considers competitive.
Jobs that often ask for it:
- Executive MBA candidate
- Senior manager or director pursuing a graduate business degree
- Mid-to-late-career professional changing or accelerating track
Is it worth it?
Worth it if your target Executive MBA programme accepts it and you want a shorter test with a far lighter preparation load than the GMAT. The main risk is acceptance: fewer schools take it, so confirm your programmes do before choosing it over the GMAT or GRE. If you are aiming at a full-time MBA or want the most widely recognised score, the GMAT or GRE is usually the safer pick.
Not sure this is the right exam for you? Compare your options with the Exam Finder.
Compare Executive Assessment with other exams
Independent, like-for-like comparisons to help you choose the right one.
What to do next
First confirm your target schools accept the Executive Assessment. If you also want a backup that more programmes recognise, compare the Executive Assessment with the GMAT before you commit.
On exam day
Take it at a test center or online with remote proctoring. The three sections are delivered in a multistage adaptive format, so the questions you see adjust to your performance. You get a short break in the middle, and the whole sitting is about 90 minutes plus check-in.
Keeping your certification
There is nothing to renew. Scores are valid for 5 years and remain reportable to schools for up to 10 years; after that you would retake the assessment if a programme still required a score.
FAQ
- How long is the Executive Assessment?
- About 90 minutes of testing: three 30-minute sections (Integrated Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning) with a short break, plus check-in time on the day. That is roughly an hour shorter than the current GMAT.
- How is the Executive Assessment scored?
- Each of the three sections is scored from 0 to 20, and the sections are weighted equally to produce a total score from 100 to 200. There is no pass mark; each school sets its own expectations for a competitive score.
- How many questions are on the Executive Assessment?
- 40 questions in total: 12 Integrated Reasoning, 14 Verbal Reasoning and 14 Quantitative Reasoning. The sections are delivered in a multistage adaptive format.
- How long are Executive Assessment scores valid?
- Scores are valid for five years and remain reportable to schools for up to ten years. So you can sit it well before you apply, within that window.
- How many times can I take the Executive Assessment?
- Up to four times in your lifetime - two at a test center and two online - and you must wait at least 24 hours between attempts. Plan your attempts, since the lifetime limit is low compared with the GMAT.
- How much preparation does the Executive Assessment need?
- GMAC suggests the typical candidate prepares for around 30 hours, far less than a GMAT taker. The idea is that it measures reasoning you have built over a career rather than rewarding heavy cramming, though candidates who are rusty on quant often need more.
- Is the Executive Assessment easier than the GMAT?
- It is shorter and needs less preparation, but the questions draw on the same reasoning skills, so 'easier' is the wrong word. It is a lighter, more time-efficient test aimed at experienced applicants, not a watered-down GMAT.
- How much does the Executive Assessment cost?
- The registration fee is US$350, the same whether you test at a center or online, plus any applicable taxes. Cancelling within 24 hours forfeits the fee, so book carefully. Confirm current pricing on mba.com.
- Do business schools accept the Executive Assessment?
- A growing list of programmes accept it, especially Executive MBA tracks, but far fewer than accept the GMAT or GRE. Always confirm directly with your target schools before choosing it.
Related exams
- GMAT Focus Edition - Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC)
- GRE General Test - ETS (Educational Testing Service)
Free study resources
- GMAC - Free Executive Assessment questions sampler ↗
- mba.com - Learn about the Executive Assessment ↗