GMAT vs GRE – Which One to Choose?

GMAT vs GRE – Globally, many b-schools accept GMAT or GRE scores for admission into MBA programs, which means that the aspirants can either appear for a GMAT test or GRE exam. While GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is a computer adaptive test intended to assess certain analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal and reading skills of candidates in written English for use in admission to a graduate management program only, the GRE or Graduate Record Examination is a standardized test that is an admission requirement for most graduate schools in the United States.

The GRE is administered by the Educational Testing Service whereas the GMAT is conducted by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC). Before you decide which test to take, research the business schools that you find interesting and inquire if they accept GRE or GMAT scores. The candidates should also take note of the fact that the GMAT/GRE scores are valid for 5 years, which means the candidates can choose the best management or graduate schools within the time frame and/or can also improve their exam scores before applying for the admissions.

In this article, we will explore the prospects of both the GMAT and the GRE.  We will list the differences between both the tests so that the aspirants understand their benefits as per their own requirements and make a sound decision about which graduate test to appear for.

GMAT vs GRE – Structure and Scoring

The main difference between GMAT and GRE is that GRE is used for admissions into various graduate school programs, while the GMAT is only used to apply for business schools. The GMAT has four sections: Analytical writing, integrated reasoning, quantitative and verbal sections. In GMAT, the scorecard received by a candidate consists of a composite score which can range from 200 to 800. And, this composite score takes into account the scores of the verbal and quantitative sections only. Also, the verbal and quantitative sections both have score ranges of 0-60, in one-point increments. The score range for analytical writing is 0-6, in half-point increments, and the score range for the integrated reasoning section is 1-8, in one-point increments. The GMAT is taken on a computer and is an adaptive test. Adaptive testing is used to get more accurate scores by selecting specific questions with varying difficulty levels from a larger pool.

The GRE has three major sections: Analytical Writing, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning. In GRE, the score range for the analytical writing section is 0-6, in half-point increments. Both verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning are scored the same way. Their score range is 130-170, in one-point increments. The scores of the three sections are generally reported separately and are not combined into a single composite score.

In the GMAT exam, each individual question determines the difficulty of the next question, whereas, in the GRE, the candidate’s score on the entire section determines the difficulty of the next section on that subject.

GMAT and GRE Structure and Scoring Table

GMAT vs GRE – Which exam section is tough in GMAT and GRE?

The verbal sections on the GMAT and the GRE tests similar skills: reading comprehension, critical thinking and grammar. There isnt a much of a difference between the two, however, the GRE is generally considered to have a slightly more challenging verbal section. It tends to include challenging vocabulary and reading passages, and non-native English speakers can find it difficult to solve.

The GMAT has two sections that test math skills: the quantitative section and the integrated reasoning section. Within the quantitative section, there are two types of questions: problem-solving and data sufficiency. Quantitative reasoning tests the skills in the following areas: algebra, arithmetic, data analysis and geometry. The majority of questions are MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions), however, there will be several numeric entry questions where the applicants have to enter the correct answer instead of selecting from the given choices.

Also, read – GRE GRADUATE RECORD EXAMINATION (GENERAL TEST)

Key differences in the quantitative sections of GMAT and GRE

Both of the exams have many similarities but the GMAT is more focused on grammar, while the GRE test focuses on vocabulary more aggressively.

The verbal section of the GMAT tests the candidates’ ability to understand written material, evaluate arguments on different topics, and identify and correct errors in written material. The verbal section of GMAT asks three types of questions: reading comprehensions,  critical reading, sentence corrections, whereas, in GRE,  text completion and sentence equivalence along with reading comprehensions are asked in the verbal section. The inforgraphic below shows the key differences between GMAT and GRE.