GMAT Focus Edition pattern and score scale
The GMAT Focus Edition replaced the classic GMAT in early 2024 and is now the only version of the exam. It has three sections, each 45 minutes long, and every section counts equally toward your total score.
| Section | Questions | Time | Score range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Reasoning | 21 | 45 min | 60–90 |
| Verbal Reasoning | 23 | 45 min | 60–90 |
| Data Insights | 20 | 45 min | 60–90 |
| Total | 64 | 2 h 15 min | 205–805 |
GMAC deliberately made every Focus score end in a 5 (605, 645, 705 and so on) so that schools can tell at a glance that it is not a classic 200–800 score. There is no separate essay (AWA) on the Focus Edition.
How the GMAT Focus total score is calculated
Each section is computer-adaptive at the question level: the next question you get depends on how you answered the previous ones. Your section score (60–90) reflects both how many questions you answered correctly and how difficult they were. Unanswered questions at the end of a section carry a penalty, so finishing every section matters.
GMAC states that the three sections are equally weighted in the 205–805 total, but it does not publish an exact formula. Reported score combinations show that the total follows this relationship almost exactly:
Formula
Total ≈ (Quant + Verbal + Data Insights) × 20/3 − 995, rounded to the nearest score ending in 5
The check is easy: three 90s give 270 × 20/3 − 995 = 805, and three 60s give 180 × 20/3 − 995 = 205. In practice, every 3 points you add across your sections is worth 20 points on your total.
Why your official total could differ by 10 points
GMAC computes the total from your underlying performance, not by adding the rounded section scores you see. Occasionally that produces a total 10 points away from the formula. Treat the calculator’s result as accurate to ±10.
Worked examples
| Quant | Verbal | Data Insights | Sum | Total | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85 | 85 | 85 | 255 | 705 | 98.0% |
| 90 | 85 | 80 | 255 | 705 | 98.0% |
| 86 | 84 | 82 | 252 | 685 | 95.8% |
| 80 | 80 | 80 | 240 | 605 | 70.3% |
| 83 | 82 | 80 | 245 | 635 | 81.9% |
| 75 | 78 | 72 | 225 | 505 | 27.1% |
Notice that 85/85/85 and 90/85/80 both give 705. Because the sections are equally weighted, it does not matter which section your points come from — although individual programs may still look closely at your Quant score.
GMAT Focus score chart with percentiles
The full 205–805 scale with the section-score sum that produces each total, GMAC’s percentile rank and the equivalent classic (10th edition) score from GMAC’s official concordance table.
| Focus total | Section sum (Q+V+DI) | Percentile | Classic GMAT equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 805 | 270 | >99.9% | 790–800 |
| 795 | 268 or 269 | >99.9% | 790 |
| 785 | 267 | >99.9% | 780–790 |
| 775 | 265 or 266 | >99.9% | 780 |
| 765 | 264 | 99.9% | 780 |
| 755 | 262 or 263 | 99.9% | 770–780 |
| 745 | 261 | 99.7% | 770 |
| 735 | 259 or 260 | 99.5% | 760–770 |
| 725 | 258 | 99.1% | 760 |
| 715 | 256 or 257 | 98.8% | 750–760 |
| 705 | 255 | 98.0% | 750 |
| 695 | 253 or 254 | 97.4% | 740–750 |
| 685 | 252 | 95.8% | 730–740 |
| 675 | 250 or 251 | 94.8% | 720–730 |
| 665 | 249 | 92.1% | 710–720 |
| 655 | 247 or 248 | 90.5% | 700–710 |
| 645 | 246 | 86.7% | 690–700 |
| 635 | 244 or 245 | 81.9% | 680–690 |
| 625 | 243 | 79.2% | 680 |
| 615 | 241 or 242 | 76.4% | 650–680 |
| 605 | 240 | 70.3% | 650 |
| 595 | 238 or 239 | 67.1% | 640–650 |
| 585 | 237 | 60.6% | 620–640 |
| 575 | 235 or 236 | 57.4% | 610–620 |
| 565 | 234 | 50.9% | 600–610 |
| 555 | 232 or 233 | 47.8% | 580–600 |
| 545 | 231 | 41.9% | 570–580 |
| 535 | 229 or 230 | 39.2% | 560–570 |
| 525 | 228 | 34.0% | 550–560 |
| 515 | 226 or 227 | 31.5% | 530–550 |
| 505 | 225 | 27.1% | 530 |
| 495 | 223 or 224 | 25.1% | 500–530 |
| 485 | 222 | 21.3% | 490–500 |
| 475 | 220 or 221 | 19.7% | 470–490 |
| 465 | 219 | 16.6% | 460–470 |
| 455 | 217 or 218 | 15.2% | 450–460 |
| 445 | 216 | 12.7% | 440–450 |
| 435 | 214 or 215 | 11.6% | 410–440 |
| 425 | 213 | 9.6% | 400–410 |
| 415 | 211 or 212 | 8.7% | 380–400 |
| 405 | 210 | 7.1% | 370–380 |
| 395 | 208 or 209 | 6.4% | 350–370 |
| 385 | 207 | 5.2% | 350 |
| 375 | 205 or 206 | 4.7% | 320–350 |
| 365 | 204 | 3.8% | 310–320 |
| 355 | 202 or 203 | 3.4% | 300–310 |
| 345 | 201 | 2.7% | 280–300 |
| 335 | 199 or 200 | 2.4% | 250–280 |
| 325 | 198 | 1.9% | 250 |
| 315 | 196 or 197 | 1.7% | 240–250 |
| 305 | 195 | 1.3% | 230–240 |
| 295 | 193 or 194 | 1.1% | 220–230 |
| 285 | 192 | 0.8% | 210–220 |
| 275 | 190 or 191 | 0.7% | 210 |
| 265 | 189 | 0.5% | 210 |
| 255 | 187 or 188 | 0.4% | 200–210 |
| 245 | 186 | 0.3% | 200 |
| 235 | 184 or 185 | 0.3% | 200 |
| 225 | 183 | 0.2% | 200 |
| 215 | 181 or 182 | 0.2% | 200 |
| 205 | 180 | 0.1% | 200 |
Percentiles are updated every year
GMAC refreshes its percentile tables annually in the third quarter of the year, using the previous few years of test takers. Your score itself never changes, but the percentile shown on a school’s screen can shift by a point or two.
What is a good GMAT Focus score?
Using GMAC’s July 2025 percentiles:
| Focus score | Percentile | Classic equivalent | How it reads |
|---|---|---|---|
| 705 | 98.0% | 750 | Elite — top 2% |
| 685 | 95.8% | 730–740 | Top-tier MBA median range |
| 655 | 90.5% | 700–710 | Strong for top-20 programs |
| 645 | 86.7% | 690–700 | The old '700' equivalent |
| 605 | 70.3% | 650 | Above average |
| 555 | 47.8% | 580–600 | Around the median |
For context, Harvard Business School’s Class of 2027 profile reports a median GMAT Focus score of 685, with the middle 80% of the class between 645 and 735, and median section scores of 84 Quant and 86 Verbal. HBS also states there is no minimum score. Other M7 and top European schools publish their own class profiles every autumn — always check the latest numbers on the school’s site rather than relying on third-party lists.
- 655–705+ keeps you in range for the most selective programs.
- 605–645 is competitive for many strong US, European and Indian one-year programs, especially with good work experience.
- Below 555 is under the median test taker; consider a retake if your target schools report much higher averages.
How to set a GMAT Focus target score
- List five to eight schools and note the median (or middle-80%) GMAT Focus score from each school’s latest class profile.
- Aim for the median of your most ambitious school, not the bottom of its range.
- Work backwards to a section-score target. Because every 3 section points equals 20 total points, it is easy to plan where the extra points will come from.
- Take an official practice exam, enter your section scores above and track the gap.
| Target total | Section sum needed | Average per section | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 705 | 255 | 85.0 | 98.0% |
| 685 | 252 | 84.0 | 95.8% |
| 655 | 247 | 82.3 | 90.5% |
| 645 | 246 | 82.0 | 86.7% |
| 605 | 240 | 80.0 | 70.3% |
| 555 | 232 | 77.3 | 47.8% |
If your Quant is already at 85+, it is often quicker to add points in Verbal or Data Insights — a 3-point gain in any section moves your total by the same 20 points.
GMAT Focus vs GRE for business school
Most business schools accept both tests. If you already have a GRE score, our GRE to GMAT calculator applies ETS’s official prediction formula and shows an estimated Focus equivalent. To understand your GRE section scores and ETS percentiles, use the GRE score calculator.
Your test score is only one part of the application. Schools also look at your undergraduate record — convert it with the CGPA to GPA calculator — and a strong GMAT can also strengthen your case for merit-based funding.
Common mistakes with GMAT Focus scores
- Comparing a Focus score with a classic score. A 645 Focus is not a weak score — it sits at the same percentile as a 690–700 on the old exam.
- Simply adding the three section scores. The sum (180–270) has to be rescaled to 205–805.
- Neglecting Data Insights. DI counts for exactly one third of the total, the same as Quant and Verbal.
- Leaving questions unanswered. Running out of time costs more than guessing on the last few questions.
- Quoting outdated percentiles. Use the current GMAC table; older charts show different percentiles for the same score.
Planning an undergraduate degree abroad instead? Try the SAT score calculator.