gmat vs gre for mba (2025): which test should you take?

deciding between gmat vs gre for business school can feel overwhelming—especially since many mba programs accept both. you’re probably wondering:

• does it even matter which test i take?
• will one test give me a competitive edge over the other?

the short answer: both tests are widely accepted, but the right choice depends on your individual strengths, background, and career goals.

in this guide, we’ll walk you step-by-step through key considerations to help you confidently choose the best exam for your mba journey. we’ll hear directly from admissions officers at top mba programs and discuss scenarios when one test might be strategically better for you than the other.

lastly, we’ll examine both exams in detail. we even have free practice tests for both gre and gmat, so you can dive right in and see which you perform the best on.

by the end of this article, you’ll know exactly how to pick the test that maximizes your chances for admission—and feel ready to tackle it with confidence.

table of contents

admissions-related

• gmat vs gre: acceptance landscape
• do mba programs actually prefer the gmat over the gre?
• what truly matters to admissions?
• specific situations favoring one test over the other
• can you convert a gmat score to a gre score?
• should you skip the gmat or gre entirely? (test waivers and test-optional programs)
• special considerations for international students

exam-related

• gmat vs gre: exam structure differences
• content differences between the two exams
• how does it feel to take the gre vs gmat?
• gmat or gre: which is easier? – take a practice test!

decision checklist

• gmat vs gre: which is best for you?

gmat vs gre: acceptance landscape

virtually every business school around the globe accepts the gmat (the graduate management admission test, designed by the graduate management admission council). in fact, more than 7,700 programs at over 2,400 universities worldwide accept gmat scores.

meanwhile, the gre (the graduate record examinations, produced by the educational testing service) is accepted by a substantial and growing number of business schools—over 1,300 globally, including most top-ranked programs.

here’s what some of the top mba programs explicitly say about gmat vs gre acceptance:

bottom line: both tests are broadly accepted, but always verify specific school requirements to ensure your chosen test aligns with your target programs.

do mba programs actually prefer the gmat over the gre?

many students wonder if mba admissions committees secretly prefer one test over the other. the truth? admissions officers consistently state they have no preference. here’s what they’ve said directly:

chicago booth: “we accept the gmat or the gre, and we truly have no preference… just take whichever one you’ll think you’ll do best at after you take a couple practice tests.” – kara northcutt, senior director of admissions — gradtalk episode #15

yale som: “we accept each (either the gre or gmat)… we weight each equally… we’re admitting roughly the same rates.” – bruce delmonico, assistant dean of admissions — gradtalk episode #13

vanderbilt owen : “my personal advice would be take the one that you’ll be most successful at or that you’re most comfortable with. i mean, we really are open to all of (the standardized tests).” – amanda fend, director of mba recruiting — gradtalk episode #12

ultimately, your best strategy is to choose the test that best highlights your skills and aligns with your strengths.

want to hear more from admissions officers? see our interview highlights here:

what truly matters to admissions?

if test preference isn’t the deciding factor, what truly matters to mba admissions teams? two key things:

• your performance on the test
• how the test supports your overall story

your performance on the test

given that many business schools have no preference towards either test, it’s more about percentiles. that is, how well did you do in comparison to other test takers? if you score in the 90th percentile on the gre vs the 80th percentile in gmat, that gre score is going to stand out more.

• gre score percentiles
• gmat score percentiles

with that said, it really comes down to the requirements and averages listed by the schools that you’re interested in. if your gmat score meets or surpasses the averages listed by a school but your gre score doesn’t, then you’ll want to submit your gmat score.

• gre scores for top universities
• top mba programs

average gre and gmat scores for the top 20 mba programs

this chart was compiled from data about each program’s incoming class of 2025. many schools still list the average scores for the prior version of the gmat (aka “classic gmat”) , so we’ve also added a column that shows the corresponding gmat focus score, per gmac’s score concordance table.

how the test supports your overall story

the test you choose should strategically enhance your overall application narrative. for instance, if your undergraduate gpa was lower, a high test score can offset academic concerns. similarly, if you’re switching careers or coming from a non-quantitative background, a strong test score can help illustrate readiness for rigorous mba coursework. therefore, pick the test that you’ll perform the best on.

similarly, pick the test that allows you to show off your individual strengths. are you a master of vocabulary and communication? go crush the verbal and writing sections of the gre. or do you excel at analyzing data? then showcase that ability on the gmat’s data insights section.

remember, admissions committees aren’t judging your specific choice of test—they’re evaluating how effectively that test score—along with the rest of your application—demonstrates your fit for their program.

specific situations favoring one test over the other

again, mba programs officially express no preference between the gmat and gre. however, there are certain individual circumstances that can make one exam more strategically advantageous for you.

you’re targeting finance or consulting careers → gmat

the gmat remains the traditional standard for industries like finance, consulting, and investment banking. top firms in these industries frequently prefer or expect gmat scores during recruiting processes. so, if this is where your career aspirations lie, this may swing your decision over to the gmat.

you’re considering other disciplines → gre

on the flip side, maybe you haven’t decide on a career yet. maybe you haven’t decided if business school is right for you. if you’re eyeing multiple graduate programs besides an mba, then the gre is your ticket since it offers much more flexibility. gre scores are widely accepted across various disciplines, including law school.

can you convert a gmat score to a gre score and vice versa?

the short answer is: no. the longer answer is: you can’t directly compare the scores of both exams because they represent very different things. case in point, half of the gre tests verbal (and with a greater emphasis on vocabulary), but only one-third of the gmat does. similarly, half of the gre consists of quant questions, whereas math makes up two-thirds of the gmat (given its emphasis on mathematical reasoning skills in the data insights section).

test takers, admissions officers, and even test makers would all love some kind of calculator that converts gmat scores to gre scores and vice versa! however, no such accurate tool exists in reality. ets years ago attempted to offer one, but they have since removed it given its inherent flaws. and gmac has gone on record to say that there’s simply no formula that allows you to equate the two exams.

the good news is that business schools know very well about the asymmetries described above. thus, if you submit gmat scores, they’ll evaluate you in the context of other gmat test takers. likewise, if you submit gre scores, they’ll assess you in relation to other gre takers.

should you skip the gmat or gre entirely? (test waivers and test-optional programs)

some mba programs now offer test waivers or test-optional admissions, meaning you may not need to submit gmat or gre scores at all. but before opting out, it’s crucial to understand what this means for your application.

you might consider a waiver if you:

• have strong undergraduate academic performance (high gpa, rigorous coursework)
• possess substantial quantitative or analytical professional experience
• can clearly demonstrate readiness for mba coursework without a test score

however, even if a school is test-optional, submitting a strong gmat or gre score can significantly enhance your application by demonstrating commitment, academic preparedness, and resilience—especially if you’re a career switcher or coming from a nontraditional background.

emory goizueta: “i don’t recommend a test waiver for everyone. i think the standardized test score continues to be a good way to reinforce to the admission committee that you can handle the rigor of the academic classroom, especially if you are coming from an undergraduate that was maybe liberal-arts heavy, or you’ve had a career that is outside of some of the more typical business type careers.” — melissa rapp, associate dean of graduate admissions — gradtalk episode #17

in short, test waivers can be beneficial, but they aren’t a shortcut. always evaluate your strengths and application holistically—and submit a score if it genuinely bolsters your profile.

special considerations for international students

if you’re applying from abroad, deciding between the gmat and gre involves additional considerations, particularly around test availability and english language proficiency.

test availability and access

both the gmat and gre are widely accessible globally, but availability can vary significantly by country. before making a decision, ensure that your preferred test (gmat or gre) is readily accessible in your area, either at local test centers or via online at-home testing options. your location may also incur different fees and costs.

english language considerations

if english isn’t your first language, each test’s format may align differently with your language strengths:

• the gre relies heavily on advanced vocabulary and navigating complex sentence structures, both of which can be challenging if your english fluency isn’t advanced.
• the gmat instead emphasizes critical reasoning and analytical reading, so there is far less vocabulary to learn to navigate this test. gmac’s latest research supports this as well.

for a more detailed look at the verbal sections of both exams, read on in this article.

gmat vs gre: exam structure differences

let’s now dive into the exams themselves!

quick comparison

sections, number of questions, and length

gre

the gre has 5 sections:

• issue essay – 30 minutes for 1 essay
• 1st quantitative reasoning – 21 minutes for 12 questions
• 2nd quantitative reasoning – 26 minutes for 15 questions
• 1st verbal reasoning – 18 minutes for 12 questions
• 2nd verbal reasoning – 23 minutes for 15 questions

after the essay section, the order of the remaining sections is random.

gmat

the gmat has 3 sections:

• data insights – 45 minutes for 20 questions
• quantitative reasoning – 45 minutes for 21 questions
• verbal reasoning – 45 minutes for 23 questions

at the start of the test, you choose the order of the sections that you’ll see.

cost

gre

within the united states and its territories, the gre costs $220 for the exam itself. there may be additional fees for various services, such as sending out additional score reports. for more information, see how much does the gre cost?

gmat

the gmat costs $275 if you take the exam in a test center or $300 if you take the test online.

content differences between the two exams

quant section

both exams test math topics that you covered in high school. it’s primarily a lot of algebra and statistics. the main difference is that the gre tests geometry, but the gmat doesn’t.

as for question types, half of the gre and all of the gmat quant questions are standard multiple choice. the gre introduces a little more complexity with numeric entry (you have to write in your answer) and multiple answer (select 1 or more answers that are correct).

key differences

additionally, the gre has a unique question type: quantitative comparison. it comes with its own strategies that can be learned, but it definitely adds another layer of reasoning that can be tricky.

lastly, the gre math section allows you to use an on-screen calculator whereas the gmat does not (gmat only lets you on the data insights section).

to recap, when thinking about whether you would do better on gre or gmat math, consider:

• how comfortable are you with geometry?
• how well do you do on questions that aren’t multiple choice?
• how important to you is calculator access?

for examples of all the unique gre math question types, check out gre math practice questions with explanations.

verbal section

the gre and gmat verbal sections do have some similarities, but they diverge a lot more compared to the math sections.

both exams test reading comprehension with passages that are similar in length and based on similar topics. they also ask a similar number of questions (around a dozen). the majority of questions are standard multiple choice, but the gre has a couple wrinkles. the first is that some questions are multiple answer (select 1 or more answers that are correct). and there is an occasional select the sentence (you have to click on the right sentence in a passage).

both exams also test critical reasoning (aka paragraph argument), but the gmat asks this question a lot more. expect to see around 10 of these on the gmat but only 2 or 3 on the gre.

key differences

where the gre is most different is with its text completion and sentence equivalence questions, which comprise nearly half of the verbal section. these test not only your knowledge of vocabulary words (many of which are often advanced) but also your ability to parse complex grammar. though you’re not directly tested on grammar, being able to navigate tricky sentences to discern clues and meaning is an important skill.

so, when thinking about whether you’d perform better on gre verbal or gmat verbal, be sure to ask yourself:

• how strong is your vocabulary?
• how well do you perform on critical reasoning (aka paragraph argument) questions?

for examples of all the unique gre verbal question types, check out gre verbal practice questions with explanations.

gmat unique section – data insights

one third of the gmat is devoted to rather unique question types that involve a combination of math, verbal, and data interpretation. data sufficiency is the most unique type, and you’ll probably see around 6 of these. the rest of the section (14 questions) typically deals with charts and tables and graphs. and these are found in a variety of formats, such as two-part analysis and multi-source reasoning.

whereas the gmat devotes nearly an entire section to charts and graphs, the gre asks only a handful of data interpretation questions. so, if this is a weak area for you, then the gre may be the better exam for you. with that said, you can always improve your data skills (which will be helpful for both exams!).

for examples of all the unique gmat data insights question types, check out guide to gmat data insights.

gre unique section – issue essay

only the gre has an essay section built into the exam itself. you get 30 minutes to analyze a passage and construct your response in a clear and concise manner. it’s important to note that this essay is graded separately from the math and verbal sections. your essay is scored from 0 to 6 and is independent from your overall scaled gre score.

for an example of a gre issue essay prompt, check out gre issue essay: strategies + 8 real student essays with scores.

the gmat’s separate essay

though the gmat focus has no essay section itself, certain business schools may require you to take the business writing assessment exam, too. in that case, similar to the gre, you would get 30 minutes to analyze a provided argument and critique its reasoning.

to date, only two business schools ask for this writing assessment, and only once you’ve reached the interview stage. harvard business school explicitly requires you to take this extra assessment if you submit a gmat score. and mit sloan may require you to take it if they deem it necessary.

how does it feel to take the gre vs gmat?

difficulty adaptivity

one thing that sets the gmat versus other exams is that it’s “question adaptive.” this just means that, within a section, the question you see next is determined by your performance on earlier questions. for example, if you’ve answered 4 hard math questions correctly in a row, your next math question is going to be even harder.

the gre, on the other hand, is section adaptive. for example, the first verbal section is 12 questions of a mix of difficulties. depending how well you do on that entire section, the 2nd verbal section will either be easier, about the same, or harder. it’s important to note that which 2nd section you get has a large impact on your score. if you don’t do well on the first section, even acing the easy 2nd section may only get you an average score in the end.

pacing and guessing

another unique feature of the gmat is that there’s no “go back” button while you’re taking the exam. so, if you don’t know how to answer a question, you’re forced to guess and move on. depending on how you like to take tests, this can be very stressful.

you may get a chance to revisit a question at the very end of a section. but the gmat has some unusual rules. you can only view previous questions in a section after you’ve answered all of its questions. and even then, you’re only allowed to change the answer to a maximum of 3 questions.

as for the gre, you are free at any time to jump to any question within a section. this opens up a lot more strategies since you could:

• quickly click through the entire section to answer the questions you find easiest first
• skip a question that looks hard at first glance and return to it whenever you want to tackle it
• answer your favorite question types first (say, multiple choice) before doing other types

in short, the test-taking experience is quite different for both exams. for most, the gmat is the more challenging exam given its question adaptivity and no option to freely skip between questions.

test options and test dates

both tests can be taken in person at a test center or online at home. the gre and gmat are both offered throughout the year, though you should register early for your preferred test date—especially if you want to take the exam at a test center. for more information on test dates and registering for an exam, see:

• gre test dates
• gmat test dates

amount of studying required for the gre or gmat

this depends greatly on what your starting point is and how far you are from your target goals. if you’re already familiar with the exam content and/or are already scoring well on practice tests, then you may only need a month or two to further refine your score. but if you’re just starting out and/or need to increase your score by a considerable amount, then you may choose to study for several months. the amount of time you have each day to study is also a consideration.

for more information as well as recommended study schedules, take a look at:

• how long should i study for the gre?
• how long should you study for the gmat?

gmat or gre: which is easier? – take a practice test!

from the sections above, you may already be forming an opinion as to whether the gre or gmat is easier for you. you can also read some of our own thoughts here:

• how hard is the gre?
• how hard is the gmat?

but the single best way to tell is to take a practice test in each. that will give you the best idea as to how difficult the tests are, which question types are the most challenging, and which exam you’ll perform the best on. these can also serve as a good indicator of where you currently stand and how much studying may be ahead of you.

• free gre practice test
• free gmat practice test

also, if you don’t have time to take a full test in each, try a shorter diagnostic quiz. these won’t give you the full test experience, but they’ll still give you a good idea of your strengths and weaknesses in both exams. and the short time that you spend on this can go a long way in answering whether gmat vs gre is better for you.

• gre diagnostic quiz
• gmat diagnostic quiz

gmat vs gre: which is best for you?

use this checklist to weigh your strengths, goals, and preferences—so you can choose the test that sets you up for mba success.

choose the gmat if you:

• excel in logic, critical reasoning, and data interpretation
• prefer a structured, adaptive format that rewards getting hard questions right
• are confident under strict pacing without skipping around within a section
• are set on a career in finance, consulting, and investment banking

choose the gre if you:

• are stronger in verbal reasoning, vocabulary, and essay writing
• prefer a test that allows you to navigate freely within sections
• appreciate having access to a calculator on the quant section
• are considering multiple graduate programs, not just business school

still not sure? consider the following

• after having taken a practice test, which exam felt more intuitive or matched your test-taking style?
• which test would you feel more confident prepping for in the available time you have?

closing thoughts

deciding whether the gmat vs gre is the better option for you involves an honest evaluation of your goals, skills, and strengths and weaknesses. the good news is that you’ve already started down the right path just by reading this post!

no matter whether you decide to take the gmat or gre, we’re here to help. check out magoosh gre prep or magoosh gmat prep today!