If you score well, the GMAT exam can help you be competitive in the MBA Admissions process (most North American MBAs and European English-language business schools require GMAT scores). The GMAT exam for MBA Admissions tests your abilities in graduate-level reading, writing, and math. But how hard is the GMAT? While the test is supposed to be challenging, how hard the GMAT is depends on how you handle a 4-hour test day, the GMAT score you’re aiming for, and how much you need to improve.