Deciding Between GRE and GMAT? Here are the Key Differences

Over 1,200 MBA programs globally now accept the GRE in lieu of the GMAT for admissions. While both the GRE and the GMAT are accepted in MBA admissions, the two exams actually differ quite a bit from one another.

US News recently spoke with experts about what makes each exam unique and what applicants should consider when deciding on which an exam to take.

GMAT EMPHASIZES MATH SKILLS

If you’re more comfortable with math, you’ll want to consider taking the GMAT over the GRE, as the GMAT includes more quantitative questions.

“As a result, students with stronger math skills may want to take the GMAT in order to demonstrate those skills,” Dan Edmonds, a test-prep tutor with IvyWise, tells US News. “Further, if you plan to apply to a program that values math skills, that program may look more favorably on the GMAT than the GRE.”

On the flip side, the GRE caters more towards those with strong literary skills.

“The GRE verbal section is generally more difficult than the GMAT verbal section; that difficulty is in large part driven by the extent to which the GRE tests tough vocabulary,” Edmonds tells US News.

“One essential difference between the tests is that the GRE requires you to do the arguing, whereas in the GMAT you analyze what has been argued,” Stacy Blackman, founder of Stacy Blackman Consulting, says. “The style expected from GRE test readers is more abstract and draws from various sources and disciplines for examples or references, whereas the GMAT is more concrete and analytical. This supports the suitability of the GRE for the more academically-minded student.”

GRE: SAVE AND RETURN OPTION

One of the biggest benefits of the GRE is the option for test-takers to save and return to challenging questions during each section—which can help reduce test anxiety and stress. Experts say the save and return option on the GRE is a small, but noticeable difference between the two exam experiences.

“In practice, the time constraints are so tight on both exams that you don’t really have time to come back anyway, but just knowing that you could makes a big difference for some people,” Stacey Koprince, content and curriculum lead with Manhattan Prep, tells US News. “It allows them to let go more easily, where, on the GMAT, they might get completely stuck and really mess up their timing, and therefore, their score.”

Sources: US News, Stacy Blackman Consulting, MBA and Beyond

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