The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) are the two most common admission tests taken by students aspiring to enroll in MBA programmes internationally.
If you are at the stage where you are considering taking these exams, then it is quite natural to be confused about whether you should take the GMAT or GRE. While both these exams aim to qualify you for an MBA degree, there are certain differences between them. Read on to know more…
GMAT: The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), an alliance of top graduate business schools, administers the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). The test assesses a candidate’s analytical writing, critical reasoning, and logical skills which are particularly important for business and management studies.
GRE: The Educational Testing Service (ETS) administers the GRE or the Graduate Record Examination, as a tool for evaluating applicants for post-graduate course admissions. Since results from the GRE are recognised for thousands of courses around the world, it is regarded as one of the biggest evaluation processes for post-graduate admissions across the globe. Over 1,200 business schools worldwide currently accept the GRE, including several prestigious institutions, like Harvard and Columbia.
Both the GMAT and the GRE are computer-adaptive tests. In some places where computer facilities aren’t available, the GRE test may be administered in paper format, but the same does not apply to GMAT.
Another major difference is how the questions are ordered. For the GMAT, one cannot go back to any previous question because each question is based on how you answered the one before it. On the other hand, within each section of the GRE, the questions remain the same, though the second sets of both the verbal reasoning and quantitative aptitude sections vary in difficulty based on how you did on the first sets.
Despite the fact that the topics covered in the GRE and GMAT are similar, the degree of difficulty has been said to differ between the two exams.
Compared to the GMAT, the GRE's verbal reasoning section is generally more challenging and lays a greater emphasis on vocabulary. In contrast, the GMAT places a greater emphasis on grammar, reasoning, and logic and is therefore more suitable for students with average vocabulary.
Given that the GRE is more focused on numbers than the GMAT, its quantitative aptitude section is again significantly easier. The GMAT’s quantitative section, on the other hand, is more rigorous and requires a more methodical approach.
This is of course a significant decision, requiring both money and time obligations. Make sure your choice is well-considered and in accordance with your objectives and skills before deciding between the GRE and the GMAT. A GRE may be a better option if you might contemplate switching from a management course to another master's programme later. A GMAT may be ideal if you are determined to pursue an MBA but have not decided on a business school because more institutions accept it.
While taking either greatly increases your options since more than 1,200 MBA institutions now accept GMAT or GRE scores for business school applications, do check the specific requirements from your business school of choice.
