GMAT, GRE & EA: Which Exam Is The Best Fit For You?

The Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) and the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) are both in the process of launching new, shorter versions. The new GRE went into use Sept. 22, 2023 and retired the old version. GMAT’s new Focus Edition debuts Nov. 7.

With these updates, the choice of which test to take has the potential to be a bigger issue than it has in the past..

The major change in both the GMAT and GRE is that they are considerably shorter, bringing them closer in length to the third option, the Executive Assessment. The changes are designed to improve the test-taking experience, while maintaining validity and providing a reliable score schools can use to assess your potential to succeed in their program.

Historically, the GMAT has been privileged over other entrance exams for MBA admissions, because it is the only standardized exam created for that purpose. Most admissions officers still understand the GMAT better than the GRE, and the GMAT is still the score that’s mentioned in most MBA rankings.

On the other hand, there’s now a major recognition that having a more diverse applicant pool enhances the MBA cohort, and admissions officers perceive that they can expand diversity and attract a different pool of candidates by accepting the GRE. With very few exceptions, most business schools now accept either the GMAT or GRE. More than 200 schools also accept the EA for at least some of their degrees — often for executive or part-time MBA programs — so it’s another option to consider when choosing between exams.

Which exam is the right fit for you, and what are the key differences? Which exam will maximize your chances of admission?

OVERVIEW OF THE GMAT, GRE & EA ASSESSMENTS

	GMAT Focus Edition	GRE	EA
Timing	2 hours 15 minutes	1 hour 58 minutes	90 minutes
Verbal	23 questions (45 minutes) Critical reasoning & reading comprehension	27 questions (2 sections, 41 minutes total	14 questions (30 minutes) Reading comprehension, critical reasoning, sentence correction
Quantitative	21 questions (45 minutes) Assesses problem solving with word problems and tests of algebra areas	27 questions (2 sections, 47 minutes total) Quantitative comparisons, multiple choice, data interpretation, geometry, algebra, and word problems	14 questions (30 minutes) data sufficiency, problem solving
Analytical	Data Insights: 20 questions (45 minutes) Includes data sufficiency questions	Analytical Writing: (1 essay, 30 minutes)	Integrated reasoning: 12 questions (30 minutes) Multi-source reasoning, graphics interpretation, two-part analysis, table analysis
Score Ranges	205–805 (formerly 200-800) Section scores range from 60 to 90	260-340 (unchanged); 130–170 V, 130–170 Q)	100-200 0-20 for each section
Test-taking process	Computer-adaptive test. Difficulty adjusts based on answers to previous questions. Can select order in which sections are taken and can bookmark and review items. Can revise up to three answers per section.	Computer-adaptive test. Difficulty adjusts based on answers to previous sections. Can skip and return to questions, review, and revise answers. Can use a calculator.	Multistage adaptive test: Difficulty of section changes based on results of the previous section. Can review and change answers within modules. Calculator use allowed in the Integrated Reasoning section.

The Purpose of Each Test

Because it’s been around for 50 years, there are decades of validity studies showing that performance on the GMAT is strongly correlated to success (GPA) in the first year of business school.

The GRE, in contrast, is designed as a general assessment for graduate school, whether you are pursuing a master’s degree in history, a PhD in the sciences, or a law or business degree. The GRE is therefore inherently broader. Candidates who are less certain about choosing between graduate programs historically opted for the GRE to qualify them for a range of program types, from business to law. Today more than 90% of US and international business schools accept the GRE scores, and generally there seems to be little preference for one over the other.

The Executive Assessment is a relatively new exam. It was originally designed as an option for Executive MBA applicants, tailored to their more extensive business experience (roughly 15 years out of school, as opposed to three to five for the full-time MBA candidate). The EA is more focused on the issues and concepts that Executive MBA students are going to meet. It can be characterized as a shorter version of the GMAT, as it pulls from the same pool of questions. At only 90 minutes long, it felt much less onerous than the old GMAT and GRE, which ran close to four hours. The EA is also more expensive, but there aren’t as many rules and fees for last-minute changes or other add-on services..

A rundown of the changes in the new GMAT Focus Edition and the GR, is available here. While the GRE has just been shortened, the GRE has more significant structural and functional changes. The GRE has long touted its “friendly” format, which allows test-takers to skip questions, go back and change answers and even use a calculator. THe Focus Edition gives the GRE a run for its money on that front; now you can review and revise up to three questions per section. GMAT also allows you to take the sections in any order you prefer. You can attack the part that is most challenging for you first while you are fresh, or you can start with the section that fits your strengths and build your confidence.

DIFFERENCES TO CONSIDER BETWEEN THE GMAT & GRE:

Calculator use: The GRE allows students to use a calculator, so if your math skills aren’t as sharp, this can be a big antidote to anxiety. (The GMAT allows the use of a calculator for the Data Insights section only and the EA allows one in the Integrated Reasoning section.)
Adaptivity of the tests: The GMAT is computer-adaptive on a question-by-question basis, adjusting the difficulty of questions based on correct or incorrect answers to the previous question. The GRE and EA are only adaptive by section; after you complete an entire section, the difficulty of your next section is adjusted.
Ability to course-correct: All three tests now allow you to go back, review, and revise at least some answers.
Quantitative: With the addition of the new Data Insights section, the GMAT Focus Edition now effectively has two quant sections, so it may hold its reputation as the more challenging in this area. GMAT’s Focus Edition does away with geometry and claims to have no pure algebra in the quant section. Data sufficiency questions have moved to the new Data Insights section, which is combined with verbal and quant sections for the total score.

On the surface, Data Insights seems parallel to EA’s Integrated Reasoning section. In contrast, the mathematical concepts on the GRE are thought to be more straightforward and accessible, and its analytical section is in essay form, involving less pure math. It’s difficult to assess at this time before there is substantial feedback on the new tests, but in the past, the GRE quant was considered less rigorous than the GMAT quant.
Verbal: The GRE typically depends heavily on vocabulary knowledge. THe GMAT has shifted away from grammar and eliminated sentence correction, putting a greater emphasis on critical reasoning and comprehension, as on the EA. That may be easier for some students, but on a test with scaled scores ,it’s going to make high-level achievement on challenging reasoning questions even more valuable.

TIPS FOR CHOOSING BETWEEN EXAMS:

Weigh up your strengths and weaknesses: It’s really important to think about your background, your skill sets, and your aptitude for test-taking, and consider which exam is going to put you in the best light. If you have the runway in terms of advance planning, take a practice exam for each test and see how you fare. Our advice is to discern which test plays best to your strengths.
Consider the GMAT if you excel in quant: At Fortuna Admissions, we tend to advise clients who are strong in quant to go for the GMAT and really commit to your quant test prep. While a good score is a good score on either exam, a great quant score on the GMAT shows a school you have the quant capabilities to do well in the classroom.
Get advice: With all the changes and test prep materials just coming out for the two revised tests, choosing which test to take may be tougher than ever. Talking with a test prep expert is a wise move. Many people will save a lot of time and headaches if they get started studying for the right test.

At the end of the day, remember that the GMAT, GRE or the EA is just one piece of your MBA application. Avoid getting too myopic about garnering a magical score. Rather, consider your application holistically as a narrative you’re crafting with the content of your essays and your letters of recommendation.

It’s critical to keep the big picture in mind: stellar test scores won’t be your golden ticket to HBS if your resume, essays, or letters of recommendation don’t deliver on the sincerity and substance admissions committees are looking for.

For more on how to maximize your time and effort to prep for exams, read our related article, 7 Essential Tips for GMAT Prep, or view the full webinar recording: Admissions Exams Decoded.

Caroline Diarte Edwards is Director of Fortuna Admissions and former Director of MBA Admissions and Financial Aid at INSEAD. If you’d like more guidance on applying to a European business school, reach out to Fortuna for a free consultation.