GRE vs. GMAT for Business School

JonFrank

Hey Guys, today let's discuss GMAT vs. GRE. As always, if you have a question about your application, feel free to leave a comment here or send me a private message here or onWechat. I'm happy to help!

The GMAT is required by many business schools. But more and more often, graduate business programs are also accepting the GRE. If you have recently decided to get a graduate degree in business, you may wonder which of the two exams you should take. Here are some things to consider.

What kind of degree do you want?

Whether you should take the GRE or GMAT depends a lot on the type of business degree you’re interested in. If you heart is absolutely set on an MBA, then the GMAT is the exam you should prioritize. The GMAT is accepted by nearly every MBA program out there. And even as the GRE gains more acceptance by business programs, there are still many MBAs that absolutely require the GMAT.

On the other hand, if you are not sure which type of business degree you want, and are open to graduate degrees other than the MBA, the GRE is probably a good option for you. The GRE is accepted by programs for a wide variety of business disciplines, such as management information systems, finance, business analytics, public administration, and so on. And of course, you’ll also find some MBA programs that do accept the GRE. So this exam is a pretty good catch-all for graduate studies in business.

What are your academic strengths and weaknesses?

These two exams are similar in many ways. But they play to different academic abilities. GRE Verbal is very focused on vocabulary, while GMAT Verbal tests grammar much more rigorously. GRE and GMAT Math are very similar in terms of question types, but GMAT Math is harder than GRE Math, especially because of the highly complex math problems found in the GMAT’s Integrated Reasoning section. On the other hand, the GRE is harder than the GMAT in terms of writing. The GMAT only contains one essay question– an argument analysis. But the GRE requires two essay questions; they have an issue analysis in addition to their argument essay.

So ask yourself: Are you better at writing or math? Are you more comfortable with English grammar or vocabulary? Make sure you double check official test materials for both exams to see which content you feel the most confident with. This GRE vs. GMAT comparison can help you choose the exam that’s right for you.

Which test is best for your budget?

When deciding between these two exams, you should also look at costs. The GRE is significantly more affordable than the GMAT. The basic GRE test fee is $195 compared to the GMAT’s $250 testing fee. GRE prep materials are cheaper on average for the GRE too. For instance, the GRE Official Guide costs $38 new, while the GMAT OG is $45.

JonFrank

lhy830409 发表于 2017-11-8 19:24
Hi Jon,

My name is Lion, I am now working in France. Before that, I was working in chicago from 201 ...

Hey Lion,
You may Wechat or email me about your questions

Email: jfrank@mba2005.hbs.edu
Wechat: JonFrankHBS

Best,
Jon Frank

lhy830409

Hi Jon,

My name is Lion, I am now working in France. Before that, I was working in chicago from 2012 to 2017. I am now going to prepare for an MBA either in France, England or USA. Hopefully I can get your help. thanks.

Lion

JonFrank

ivan2012 发表于 2017-10-22 13:11
Hi Jon,
i got 710 in GMAT, while it seems quite difficult for me to achieve a better score after sev ...

Hey there,
Well it’s hard to say in a vacuum without knowing everything else about your profile, but in general a 720 should be enough for Top20 (though maybe not enough for Top10).

Although if you write me back with more detail about the rest of your profile, I will be able to provide you with a better answer.

Best,
Jon Frank

ivan2012

Hi Jon,
i got 710 in GMAT, while it seems quite difficult for me to achieve a better score after several another try.
Is 710 good enough to apply for Top 20 B-school MBA? My GPA point is 3.8/4, will this GPA compensate a little for my GMAT score? Thank you.  

JonFrank

LKZGSBGJ 发表于 2016-7-5 09:43
Hey Jon. Thanks for your advice. This article is all from the applicants' perspective as far as I'm  ...

Hey there!
Good question. Not really to be honest. There may be a small preference for GMAT because the scores are more used for B-school. But if you have a good reason to take the GRE go ahead and do that.

Best,
Jon Frank

LKZGSBGJ

Hey Jon. Thanks for your advice. This article is all from the applicants' perspective as far as I'm concerned. Aside from this, is there any preference of GMAT over GRE form the Adcom's perspective? Thanks.