The GMAT versus GRE: Does It Matter for MBA Applicants?
Aug, 02, 2009
“I wouldn’t accept the GRE if I didn’t understand what it was asking people to do,” Neher says. “It’s definitely not as complicated of a math test, but it still tests logic, general analytic ability, vocabulary, and reading comprehension in the same way the GMAT does,” she says
Still, this is far from enough to make a judgment about which test is better to take. One clear and simple explanation for which test to take is offered by Dr. Joern Meissner, Academic Director at Manhattan Review in an article on the QS TOPMBA website:
Based on Academic Strengths and Weaknesses
- Skills: In general, if you have excellent quantitative skills, look more into the GMAT. If you have outstanding writing and verbal skills with less stellar quantitative skills, consider GRE.
- Background: If you are not a native English speaker, look more into the GMAT.
- What other majors you will apply for: If you are also interested in applying to other graduate programs that do not accept the GMAT, consider GRE.
- Financial Consideration: If you can not afford the GMAT, lean toward the GRE, though both exams do allow for fee waivers.
- Location Consideration: If the GMAT is not offered near you, lean toward the GRE (if it is offered near you)
In summary, based on academic considerations, native English speakers with strong writing and verbal skills and weak math skills should take the GRE. Everybody else should probably take the GMAT. Still the $100 price difference between the two tests make we wonder why GMAT should cost $250 while GRE costs only costs $150. If GRE can force price competition, that would be good thing. As someone who hates authoritarian monopolies, I can’t help but cheer for the entry of GRE into the MBA application testing market. But those who play with fire might get burned, ETS itself might find TOEFL’s dominance of the US English testing market (IELTS is accepted at many US schools, but outside of the UK and the rest of Europe, just not that popular) under attack when Pearson takes on the TOEFL. According to the article in INSIDE HIGHER ED, look for Pearson to start their marketing blitz in October of this year.