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The Quantitative Section on the GMAT is unnecessary (Discussion)

oLahav said – Fri, 23 May 2008 19:19:41 -0000 ( Edit Link )

Why do business people , good ones anyway, need math skills?

They’ve got their own calculators, and sometimes a whole team of engineers or accountants, to take care of their math issues for them. Some questions, mostly financial ones, make sense. But why test a potential MBA student on geometry, and shapes, and algebraic concepts they’ll never see while working as a manager or anywhere in their future?

Think about it, most math in the GMAT is high-school level, and they admit you probably haven’t seen it in a while, so you have to prepare. But if you haven’t seen it while getting your BBA, is it likely you’ll see it in the near future as an MBA student or as a manager?

I get the point that the GMAT writers think it helps measure critical thinking and logical reasoning skills… but aren’t there better ways to test for those skills than 37 questions about math you haven’t seen in about 5 years?

That’s why I think that the math section on the GMAT is not necessary and should be removed. They should have some questions related to BUSINESS situations that can actually be applicable to MBA courses and work after that. Maybe a few math questions about general financial analysis and data management, but that’s it.

Feel free to refute me if you feel like it…

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acrosstheuniverse said – Fri, 23 May 2008 20:31:50 -0000 ( Flag Edit Mark / Unmark Best Link )

Now I wouldn’t say I’m much of a math buff myself, but I would have to disagree and say that in some cases it is needed. Especially when you’re a manager, you are to oversee others along with the whole picture. This can only be done correctly, if you understand the process of how things come together, not just the result. For example if you’re working with a group of engineers, or just overseeing the income statements of a business, to be able to understand, use and critically think using mathematics is key.
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acrosstheuniverse said – Fri, 23 May 2008 20:34:04 -0000 ( Flag Edit Mark / Unmark Best Link )

I do agree with you however on what you’re saying of the inclusion of actual business situations. It would make sense that if you’re going be dealing with managerial conditions, you should have some sort of background in it. The only thing about that is how are these measured to be just as standardized as the rest of the test? What if one test taker had more experience in the field than another?
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1. oLahav said – Tue, 27 May 2008 16:13:06 -0000 ( Flag Edit Link )
  
  I’ll agree with that. I think the key here is, if you think about it, if a person specialized in an area or has more experience, he has more chances of success in that field than others. So no, you can’t standardize it very well, but it should still reflect MBA performance fairly well, which is the point of the GMAT.
  
  On the other hand, I disagree with your point that managers should be able to understand every small aspect of the business, or even the details of the process as a whole. I believe it’s the final outcome that counts. Really, you don’t care how the pen you’re using is made, you just care that it works and doesn’t break. It’s the same in business, a manager’s job is to make sure things work properly together and to bind the various aspects made by lower-level employees. Using geometry, combinatorics or stats isn’t part of that, it’s part of the specific design a manager doesn’t have to know.
  
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GaneshM said – Wed, 06 Aug 2008 16:31:57 -0000 ( Flag Edit Mark / Unmark Best Link )

This is certainly important to have skill in quantitative session. A manger is intends to ensure the works are going on well and ontime. Though you are using all the means to complete the tasks, you should be able to do it at any situation. Like when there is no electricity you have to search for alternate. That you have to plan. for some reasons rather than electronic gadgets we can do ourselves in less time. That’s the reason why even banks and all competiitive exams are giving important to this aspect.
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shagun said – Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:08:53 -0000 ( Flag Edit Mark / Unmark Best Link )

i am of the opinion that the math problems are a tool to test rather than a test by themselves…...
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