GRE vs. GMAT, Part I: MBA Admissions
You can now apply to virtually any top MBA program with a GRE score. If you’re struggling with the GMAT, the GRE might sound awfully tempting: GRE quant questions are much more straightforward than GMAT quant questions, the GRE exam is slightly shorter than the GMAT, and on the GRE you can skip around within a section as much as you’d like.
The GRE offers a more pleasant test-taking experience than the GMAT, but you might be wondering: can you actually get into top MBA programs with only a GRE score? The answer is “yes,” but the GRE may be a better option for some test-takers than for others.
How many students apply to MBA programs with the GRE vs. the GMAT?
If you choose to apply to an MBA program with a GRE score, you certainly won’t be alone.
Most students admitted to MBA programs apply with a GMAT score, but the GRE has surged in popularity in recent years. In 2019, about 13.5% of accepted students applied to top MBA programs with the GRE. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, that number has shot up to about 30%.
Why the increase? Well, the number of GRE applicants was already on the rise before the pandemic. Then, when testing facilities across the world were shuttered in early 2020, the GRE did a much better job at rolling out an online version of the test than the GMAT did. The online GRE was available before the online GMAT, and the early version of the online GMAT required students to use an annoying digital notepad instead of a regular whiteboard.
Many GMAT test-takers switched to the GRE during this time, and MBA programs fully embraced the GRE in order to mitigate the difficulty of applying for grad school during a pandemic.
Since the 2020 application cycle, the percentage of students applying to MBA programs with the GRE has remained about steady at roughly 30 percent. There are no signs that the GRE will overtake the GMAT anytime soon, but at least for the foreseeable future, it appears that a very significant number of MBA applicants will take the GRE.
What does the increase in GRE applications mean for MBA Admissions?
MBA programs’ continued embrace of the GRE will likely impact admissions in several ways:
MBA admissions are likely to continue becoming more “test-neutral.”
Since the GRE became an option at MBA programs more than a decade ago, admissions officials have consistently said that they are “test-neutral” and have no preference for the GMAT vs. the GRE. However, because the vast majority of MBA candidates applied with a GMAT score for so many decades, the GMAT was the de facto gold standard for MBA admissions, and the GRE was a sideshow. With more balanced GRE and GMAT applicant numbers, admissions offices may actually become more test-neutral. This will continue as programs assess how their GRE admits have performed in the program.
The GRE now impacts some MBA program rankings.
Previously, schools did not report GRE scores to the US News MBA rankings list. Now, the vast majority of programs do report their GRE scores, and as more and more students apply with the GRE, this metric will weigh more heavily in the rankings equation. This means that MBA programs may start to place more emphasis on higher GRE scores.
The “GRE side door” may be closing.
Back when GRE scores didn’t impact MBA program rankings, the GRE was a great way for interesting candidates to be admitted without stellar GMAT scores. A “check the box” GRE score could carry an otherwise strong profile through to acceptance. Now that more applicants are submitting a GRE score, interesting candidates might face more competition on the test-score front.
Should you take the GMAT or the GRE for MBA admissions?
If schools are becoming more test-neutral, you’re probably wondering which test you should include on your application. Here are some guidelines to help you make a decision:
If any of these apply to you, you might be better served by taking the GMAT:
You can get an elite GMAT score in a reasonable amount of time.
An outstanding GMAT score sends a very clear message that you’re capable of excelling in your MBA classes, and it will also boost your target program’s ranking. So if you can score well over the median GMAT score for your target program without too much effort and expense, apply with the GMAT.
You need to stand out from the crowd.
Even if you’ll face an epic struggle to achieve an elite GMAT score, you still may need to go for it. If you’re competing for a spot against a ton of other MBA candidates with similar work experience, educational backgrounds, and overall profiles, then you might need an eye-popping GMAT score in order to be competitive at your target MBA programs. So even if it’s going to require an enormous amount of effort, you might need to take a swing at the GMAT.
You’re amazing at GMAT quant but struggle with verbal.
GMAT quant is generally tougher than GRE quant, so a high GMAT quant score will really highlight your quant chops. Conversely, most students find it easier – relatively speaking – to improve on GMAT verbal than on GRE verbal. So if verbal is your weak point, the GMAT might be the better fit for you.
If any of these apply to you, the GRE might be your best bet:
You have a really strong MBA profile outside of your test score.
If you’re the kind of student that schools love to admit – someone with fascinating work experience, interesting goals, or a unique background, for example – then you may be able to “check the box” with a decent GRE score instead of battling for an elite GMAT score. As mentioned above, this may change as MBA program rankings become increasingly tied to GRE scores. But for now, the GRE is a great option for uniquely appealing candidates.
You’re good at verbal and struggle with quant.
GMAT quant (and Data Insights) can feel weird and difficult, while GRE quant is more straightforward and narrower in scope. So if quant isn’t really your thing — or if you’d just like to spend less time studying quant — then you may have better luck on the GRE than the GMAT.
So should you completely avoid the GRE if you’re applying to business school? Not at all! Obviously, admissions committees are open to admitting students without a GMAT score. But unless you have some very specific test-taking preferences, it’s unlikely that the GRE will greatly improve your chances of admission, either.