The GMAT or GRE might not be the first step on your path to graduate school or business school, but they’ll probably be involved in the application process. Nevertheless, many prospective graduate students will start worrying about “the test” and which one to take before they have chosen which universities or programmes they will apply to. It’s crucial to decide your goals before determining whether to take the GMAT or GRE, and then work backwards from there. We’ll go over some critical considerations you should make before choosing a test, as well as significant distinctions and similarities between the GMAT and GRE, below.
What are your goals?
You’re aware that you want to pursue an advanced degree, but what if you aren’t yet certain of your interests? Think about your long-term career objectives and what you want to achieve, and then research which degree—an MBA, a Master’s, or a PhD—would help you move closer to achieving those objectives.
Typically, an MBA will be more beneficial if you’re looking for leadership positions in management, logistics, or consulting. You will gain a strong foundation in management, marketing, finance, and economics as a result of your MBA, which will prepare you to take on business difficulties. A Master’s or PhD may be a better choice for you if you want to gain specific knowledge. When you are a graduate student, you can focus on a subject that intrigues you and develop a more thorough understanding of topics you feel passionate about.
Consider taking your standardized test when you’re still in school or just after if you don’t know what you want to pursue right now but are quite certain you’ll make that next move in the next five years. The optimal time to take either test is when your fundamental maths is still fresh and you are already in the habit of studying every day. Your GMAT and GRE scores are both valid for five years.
Key Differences Between GRE and GMAT:
- While they’re both paper/computer based. The GRE is meant for admissions to graduate schools in general, wehreas GMAT is specifically for Management schools and programs.
- The GMAT was launched in 1953, the GRE was first offered in 1949.
- The Educational Testing Service was in charge of administering the GRE. In contrast, the GMAT is administered by the Graduate Management Admission Council.
- GMAT last upto 3.5 hours, whereas the GRE can last from 3.5 hours on paper to 3.75 hours on the computer.
- The GRE is used to apply for admission to doctoral and postdoctoral programs at various universities. The goal is to apply for admission to graduate-level management programs at business schools, as opposed to the GMAT.
Elements of the GMAT and the GRE that are similar
The GMAT and GRE share several similarities:
- Both require reading comprehension and early high school math (arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis).
- Both call for writing essays (1 on the GMAT, 2 on the GRE)
Things to consider:
- Take the GRE if you’re not sure which career path you’ll choose. Given that many business schools accept both the GRE and GMAT, it will keep all of your opportunities open.
- The admissions committee may prefer that applicants take the GMAT, even though many business schools will accept both the GRE and GMAT. Do some research and talk to people.
- Consider taking the GMAT if you don’t have much experience working with statistics and performing quantitative analysis.
- The GMAT’s quantitative component focuses more on word problems than straightforward maths, and the GMAT’s Integrated Reasoning section will evaluate your ability to understand data, even though both the GRE and GMAT rely on the same fundamental high school maths.
- Additionally, the numbers used in GMAT questions are often simpler than those used in GRE questions. In terms of scoring, the GMAT is also more forgiving than the GRE. You can get numerous high-difficulty GMAT questions wrong and yet receive a score that is comparable to or higher than your GRE counterpart.
- Take the exam on which you will perform the best and where you feel most comfortable. You should submit your application with the best percentile score you can to be considered for admission to highly selective MBA and graduate programs. Taking a practice or diagnostic exam is the simplest approach to choosing which test you are most comfortable with. You’ll get a solid understanding of the format, material, and timing of each exam.
WHAT DO BUSINESS SCHOOLS PREFER—GMAT or GRE?
About 90% of applicants to business schools submit GMAT scores, but the number of GRE submissions increases every year. Both the GMAT and the GRE are widely accepted by colleges, but can using the results from one exam give you an edge?
In the US, business schools accept GMAT or GRE results in about 90% of cases. You can look up which business schools accept the GMAT and which MBA programs accept the GRE. A school may not necessarily evaluate the exams equally just because it accepts the results of either exam.
Some business schools favour the GMAT over the GRE for three key reasons. First, they believe that the GMAT’s questions, particularly those in the Quantitative and Integrated Thinking portions, evaluate abilities and information that are more closely related to what you’ll need to know to succeed in business school, such as more complex reasoning and data interpretation.
Another factor is that some schools think that submitting GMAT results demonstrates your commitment to and certainty about entering business school.
In addition, the majority of applicants to business schools still choose to submit GMAT results rather than GRE scores, and the GMAT is more widely accepted by business schools. Therefore, these institutions are more adept at evaluating GMAT results and what they reveal about your skill levels in many domains. In the event that a business school obtains GRE scores from a candidate, they might not be able to draw as much insight from them due to a lack of familiarity with the test and/or they might need to translate the scores to the GMAT scale in order to evaluate them.
Consequently, more business schools are choosing the GMAT over the GRE, albeit they are still a minority. Most schools do not favour one exam over the other, and even those that do nearly always accept results from either examination.
Prepare with Rostrum
Due to the vast number of highly talented applicants and low acceptance rates, the best business schools in the world need extensive preparation. For instance, top business schools like Harvard Business School, HEC, and Wharton, for instance, have admittance rates of between 7% and 15%. What are the requirements to get in?
You may be able to join the top 12% and get assistance from our specialists in doing just that! Every candidate is unique, and Rostrum Education takes care to meet your individual needs. From determining your interests to reserving your seat, we assist you at every step of the way. We assist students from all around the globe and now operate centres in India and the United Arab Emirates.