GRE vs GMAT: Which Test Should You Take?

If you are applying to a business school, you often face a choice: send a GRE score, a GMAT score or sometimes either. If you are applying to other graduate programs, the GRE is more common. The two tests overlap but feel different, and choosing well can save you months of preparation.

This guide compares them on structure, scoring and fit. We checked the current formats at the official test makers on the date shown above, and we leave out fees and test dates, which change.

Quick comparison

The GMAT's current version is the Focus Edition, which the test maker also calls the GMAT 11th Edition.

GRE structure

The GRE General Test was shortened in September 2023. It now includes:

• Analytical Writing: one 30-minute "Analyze an Issue" task, always first.
• Verbal Reasoning: two sections, with 12 questions in 18 minutes and 15 questions in 23 minutes.
• Quantitative Reasoning: two sections, with 12 questions in 21 minutes and 15 questions in 26 minutes.
• An unscored research section may appear, always last.

The second Verbal and second Quantitative sections adapt to your performance on the first. Verbal and Quantitative are each scored from 130 to 170, and Analytical Writing from 0 to 6 in half-point steps. Older guides describe the longer test of about three hours and 45 minutes, so check any material's date.

GMAT structure

The GMAT Focus Edition has three sections of 45 minutes each:

• Quantitative Reasoning: 21 questions of problem solving.
• Verbal Reasoning: 23 questions, covering reading comprehension and critical reasoning.
• Data Insights: 20 questions, including data sufficiency, multi-source reasoning, table analysis, graphics interpretation and two-part analysis. An on-screen calculator is available in this section.

The total is 64 questions in about two hours and 15 minutes, with one optional break. The total score runs from 205 to 805, with section scores from 60 to 90, and the three sections are weighted equally. Scores are valid for five years.

How the content differs

Quantitative

Both cover arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data. The GRE quant section emphasizes problem solving and quantitative comparison with an on-screen calculator in its own form. The GMAT's Quantitative Reasoning section focuses on problem solving without data sufficiency, which has moved to Data Insights, and the GMAT puts additional emphasis on data interpretation in the Data Insights section. If you prefer straightforward math to data puzzles, check which you find easier.

Verbal

The GRE Verbal section includes reading comprehension, text completion and sentence equivalence, which test vocabulary and sentence logic, so a wide vocabulary helps. The GMAT Verbal section focuses on reading comprehension and critical reasoning, with less emphasis on obscure vocabulary and more on analyzing arguments.

Writing

The GRE includes an Analytical Writing section scored from 0 to 6, with one task, the issue essay. The GMAT Focus Edition has no essay section, which some applicants prefer.

Data

The GMAT's Data Insights section is distinctive, testing how you work with multiple sources, tables and graphs, which reflects business decisions. The GRE tests data in its Quantitative section and in some questions, but has no equivalent standalone section.

Which test do programs accept?

This is the most important factor. Check:

• Business school admissions pages, which usually state which tests they accept and whether they prefer one. Many accept both, and a growing number have waivers or flexibility.
• Non-business graduate programs, which most commonly accept the GRE. Some accept the GMAT, but check.
• Joint and professional degrees, which may have their own requirements.

Policies change between years, so look at the current requirements for each program on your list. If you are applying to a mix of business and other programs, the GRE is usually the more flexible choice, since it is widely accepted. If you are focused on business school and want a test that fits the program, the GMAT is the traditional choice.

How to decide

1. List your target programs, and check which tests each accepts, and whether any has a stated preference.
2. Take a diagnostic of each, under timed conditions, using official practice tests where possible.
3. Compare your scores and how each felt. Many people find one clearly more comfortable.
4. Consider your strengths: strong vocabulary and writing may favor the GRE, and strong data and logical skills may favor the GMAT.
5. Consider your plans: if your plans may include non-business degrees, the GRE keeps doors open.
6. Decide and commit to one test, and plan your preparation around it.

Converting scores between the two tests is imprecise. Rather than guessing, look at each program's published score ranges for the test you plan to take.

How to prepare

Preparation for both follows the same pattern:

• Take a diagnostic and identify weak areas.
• Use official materials for realistic questions and the current format.
• Practice the question types and strategies.
• Practice under timed conditions, on the actual interface where possible.
• Review every mistake and keep an error log.
• Take full-length tests to build stamina.
• Space your study over several weeks or months.

Our guide to how to use past papers explains how to learn from practice tests, and it applies directly. For the broader overview, see our guide to standardized tests explained.

Retakes and score reporting

You can often retake either test, and policies on how schools treat multiple scores differ. Some programs consider your highest score or your best sections, and some see all scores. Check the test maker's rules on how often you can test, and how scores are reported. Do not retake without changing your preparation.

Accommodations

If you have a disability or health condition, you can apply to the test maker for accommodations, such as extra time. The process takes time and needs documentation, so start well before your test date.

Common mistakes

1. Choosing based on rumors about which is easier.
2. Not checking program requirements.
3. Using outdated prep material from the older, longer formats.
4. Skipping timed practice.
5. Studying only your strong section.
6. Taking both tests without a reason.

Cost, timing and logistics

Rather than quoting fees that change, here is what to check. Look at the test maker's current price and any rescheduling fees. Check how far ahead you need to book, since popular dates and locations fill up. Compare the options for taking the test, such as at a test center or at home, and the technology requirements for each.

Find out how soon your scores are reported and how to send them to schools, and whether there are limits on how often you can test. Write down the application deadlines for each program, and work backward to choose a test date that leaves room for a retake if you want one.

Case: choosing between the two

Imagine an applicant to a mix of programs: one MBA and two master's degrees in public policy and economics. The MBA accepts both tests, and the other two accept the GRE and do not mention the GMAT. Here the GRE is the practical choice, because a single test serves all three applications. Now imagine an applicant who is certain about business school and whose target programs publish GMAT score ranges and make no mention of the GRE.

They may prefer the GMAT. In either case, a practice test of each will confirm which feels more natural, and a few hours spent on it can save weeks of preparing for the wrong exam.

The bottom line

The GRE is widely accepted across graduate fields, and the GMAT is aimed at business schools, which often accept both. Check your programs' requirements first, take a diagnostic of each, compare your results and then prepare thoroughly for one. Steady, timed practice with official materials is what raises scores on either.