Most business schools require Graduate Management Admission Test or Graduate Record Examinations scores for MBA programs, although these standardized tests are just one part of the application.
“Once upon a time, MBA programs strongly preferred the GMAT,” says Luke Anthony Pena, principal of consulting and business development at Menlo Coaching, an MBA admissions consulting firm. “In this moment in time, MBA programs strongly encourage applicants to choose the exam where they can score the highest and best demonstrate their readiness and preparation for the rigor of a graduate MBA program.”
The GMAT and GRE vary in length, subject matter and price, so here’s what MBA applicants should know before deciding which test to take.
GMAT vs. GRE
The GMAT, administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council, underwent format changes in 2023, including reducing the total test time from more than three hours to 2 hours and 15 minutes. Test-takers must complete 64 questions across three sections: quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and data insights.
GMAT pricing varies per country. Test-takers in the U.S. pay $275 to take the exam at a test center and $300 for online delivery. Meanwhile, those respective prices are $250 and $275 in Ghana and $285 and $310 in Denmark, for instance. There are additional fees for extra score reports, exam rescheduling or cancellation.
[Read: What the GMAT Is and How to Prepare for the Test.]
The GRE — administered by the Educational Testing Service — is shorter at 1 hour and 58 minutes and can be taken at a testing center or proctored online at home. Verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning components are divided into two sections each for a total of 54 questions, plus an essay that assesses analytical writing ability.
The test is section-level adaptive, meaning the difficulty of a section depends on performance on the previous section. All test-takers, except those in China, are charged $220 per exam, with added fees for additional score reports or testing changes. The cost to take the GRE in China is $231.30.
Prospective graduate students “should take the test that they feel the most comfortable with,” says Lawrence Mur’ray, executive director of admissions and financial aid at Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. “It is easy to fall into, ‘I have to take the GMAT,’ but everyone has their own sort of testing style and testing preferences. These two exams are designed to be a little bit different. They should just take advantage of the many, many options for practice exams for both of these to figure out which one is going to give them the best presentation of a test score.”
Factors to Consider When Deciding Between the GMAT, GRE
Most business programs that accept both the GMAT and GRE view scores equally in the application, experts say.
“Schools are really worried about their pipelines and just making sure that they have a really healthy pipeline,” says Adam Witwer, chief product officer at the Graduate Management Admission Council. “And I think if they were to send that signal, ‘We only take this over that,’ they might be potentially eliminating candidates from applying to their programs.”
So when choosing between the two options, test-takers should consider their desired discipline and the strength of their math and writing skills.
[Read: How Existing Student Loan Debt Affects Graduate School Prospects]
Desired Discipline
Many graduate and professional programs — not just business schools — use GRE scores, which are valid up to five years.
“Students who are interested in double majors or dual-degree programs, or if they just happen to change their mind, won’t have to take another exam as opposed to the GMAT, which is intended only for business school,” says Chrystal Molnar, executive director of global higher education at ETS.
For candidates considering business school and other options, ?the GRE is probably better, Witwer says. “But if you’re definitely sure that you want to have a career in business specifically and you’re going for an MBA, then I think GMAT is the right choice for you.”
Math Strength
Consider your math history and test-taking aptitude, says Esther Magna, principal MBA admissions consultant at Stacy Blackman Consulting.
Applicants who “view themselves as math-strong usually do better on the GMAT because it (has) a more rigorous quantitative aspect,” she says. “And then by contrast, the GRE is lighter on the math side and easier on the verbal. Those that are maybe more liberal arts-educated, maybe an international relations major from undergrad — maybe they kind of avoided math historically and they’re just better on the verbal side — we would encourage them to give an extra look to the GRE because their overall score will look better.”
However, Magna adds, there are always exceptions.
Writing Capabilities
The GMAT’s essay section was eliminated in 2023 alongside other changes. The GRE’s 30-minute writing section measures a test-taker’s ability to “articulate and support complex ideas,” “construct arguments” and “sustain a focused and coherent discussion,” according to the ETS website.
“Applicants should consider how they feel about having a written component,” Pena says. “Sometimes non-U.S. applicants like to have a written section to be able to further prove their comfort with writing and the English language.”
[READ: 7 Deadly Sins of Business School Applicants]
How to Prepare for the GMAT or GRE
Many free and paid GMAT and GRE preparation options are available. For instance, ETS and GMAC offer online practice tests, boot camps and courses, some free. Practicing helps reduce test-day anxiety, experts say.
“The format of the exams can feel foreign and unfamiliar to people that have not sat for them before,” Pena says. “It is extremely common on someone’s first practice exam or someone’s first real exam to feel disoriented and uncertain about the format they are facing. That unfamiliarity dissipates a great deal once somebody has more reps, completes more practice questions and feels like they understand the format of the exam better.”
However, don’t wait until the fall before you plan to enroll in graduate school to start preparing for either test, Mur’ray says.
“People should really think longer term in terms of preparing for the test,” he says. “Most people take the test more than once, and if you think that you’re only going to need to take the test once and you wait until October, November, December to take the test, now you’ve put yourself into a bind because round two (MBA application) deadlines are in January and February.”
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GMAT vs. GRE: Key Differences Between the Tests originally appeared on usnews.com
