GMAT vs GRE: Which Exam Is Your Passport To Studying in the United States?

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Wondering which exam will get you into the best universities in the United States? Check out our latest blog post to find out which GMAT or GRE is your passport to a successful academic career.

GMAT vs GRE: Which Exam Is Your Passport To Studying in the United States?

With both exams being accepted by over 1,400 accredited universities for acceptance, the GMAT and the GRE are two of the most popular graduate admission exams in America. As a result, these two tests have become your passport to studying at institutions across the United States and many other countries.

According to statistics from The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), there are over 100 programs that require you to submit scores from either exam as part of their application process. However, it is essential to note that not all schools accept either test--some may only consider one or none.

What is GMAT?

The GMAT is a standardised test used by many graduate schools in the United States. It measures your skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and writing.

The GMAT is mainly required for those who want to enrol in a business school or an MBA program. Almost primarily, it is utilised for entrance to business-specific programs.

GMAT Format

  • Analytical Writing Assessment: There is one 30-minute essay in the section. You have to analyse and write a critique of a given argument for this part of the exam.
  • Integrated Reasoning Section: Your capacity to use data to answer challenging problems will be evaluated by the Integrated Reasoning portion, which is not a part of the GRE.
  • Verbal Section: In this section, you'll be asked questions about reading comprehension, critical thinking, and sentence correction.
  • Quantitative Section: A few examples of questions are "Data Sufficiency" problems, which ask you to decide whether you have enough data to answer a particular topic, and quantitative problems will be present in this section.

What is GRE?

Numerous graduate institutions, including law and business schools, examine the GRE when deciding who gets into their programs. It measures your skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, and writing.

You can have up to five attempts at the GRE in any 12-month rolling period (once every 21 days). You can select which test results you wish to submit to the colleges you're applying to if you take the exam more than once.

GRE Format

  • Analytical Writing: In this part, you'll be required to formulate your argument on a subject and assess another person's argument.
  • Verbal Reasoning: This section has three questions: reading comprehension, text completion, and sentence equivalence.
  • Quantitative Reasoning: Multiple-choice questions with one or more answers about arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis are the topics covered in this section.

Differences Between GRE and GMAT

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FAQ

Should I take GMAT or GRE?

There are pros and cons to both the GMAT and GREs. The GMAT is a more challenging exam, but the GRE has become more prevalent in recent years. It is also worth noting that the GMAT is accepted in more countries than the GRE.

It's challenging to get into business school. Therefore, you shouldn't sign up for a GRE or GMAT without trying a practice paper.

Here are four tips to help you decide between the GMAT and the GRE:

  • Learn about the scoring policies at your target business schools.
  • Take a GMAT and GRE diagnostic exam.
  • Select the graduate programme type you want to enrol in.
  • Compare GMAT and GRE scores after graduation.

GMAT vs GRE: Which is easier?

In contrast to the GMAT, the GRE's math component is typically simpler and offers calculators for all quantitative questions. Test takers with solid editing skills may favour the GMAT's verbal component, while those with excellent vocabulary skills may favour the GRE.

When do you take the GMAT?

The GMAT should be taken 12 to 18 months before your desired business school program starts. For instance, you should ideally have your GMAT score prepared before August 2022 if you apply to a school that begins in the fall of 2023.

When do you take GRE?

The GRE should be taken 2-3 months prior to your application deadline. This will allow you to retake the test if you're dissatisfied with your result, relieving last-minute stress.

GMAT vs GRE Scores for MBA Programs?

An acceptable GMAT score is often above 700 if you wish to enrol in one of the finest business schools. An exceptional score is 740 points or higher, while an average score is around 550 points.

A GRE score of 310 to 315 is considered good, while a score of 325 is exceptional for admission to the top 20 US business school.

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Prateek Swain

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