GMAT vs. GRE: Which is Right for You?

With more business schools accepting the GRE, should applicants jump on this bandwagon and register for the GRE instead of the GMAT?

No. I continue to recommend taking the GMAT over the GRE, especially if you are from the more traditional backgrounds, such as private equity, banking, or consulting.

My first reason for taking this stand is that there is a lack of comparable data over long periods about the correlation between the GRE and performance in business school.

The second is that I am not convinced that when it comes to the admissions evaluation that the GRE is viewed with the same level of respect or confidence that the GMAT engenders.

This bears asking “what is the main motivation behind MBA programs accepting the GRE, aside from the fact that their competition is doing so?” Simply put it is a quest for talent.

Business schools recognize that they can attract candidates considering graduate schools that have already taken the GRE (the entrance exam for Master’s and Ph.D. programs in Engineering, Sciences, Psychology, Education, etc.) or are planning to do so.

For now, I continue to consider the GMAT as the “go-to” test. If you have a non quantitative background and you ace the GMAT it leaves no doubt in the minds of the Admissions Boards that you can handle the academic rigor of their programs.

Case in point, ask yourself why some schools ask you to report both your GMAT and GRE score. If both were viewed equally it shouldn’t matter which one you took. You should be able to report either one.