If you took the GRE and are wondering how you’d do on the GMAT (or perhaps you’re considering taking the GMAT), figuring out your performance on the other test can be difficult – mainly because test takers for each exam often have a different skill set. With that being said, this article has compiled the necessary information to help you on your GRE to GMAT score conversions.
1.1 GRE to GMAT differences
GRE stands for the Graduate Record Examinations General Test, while GMAT is the abbreviation for the Graduate Management Admission Test. Both tests are used to examine some skill sets vital to real-world business and management success. Those are critical reasoning, reading comprehension, logic, quantitative solving. High scores of GMAT or GRE would be a great competitive advantage to top schools as these are internationally delivered tests which aim to ensure that applicants are prepared for the rigors of advanced study.
However, what is the difference between the two tests, which test is easier to take or how my GRE score converted to GMAT score are some frequently asked questions and we are here to help you find out all of them.
Here is a table that outlines the principal differences between the GMAT and GRE:
|
Differences |
GRE |
GMAT |
|
Number of business schools accepting them |
required for admission to most graduate schools and a growing number of business schools. |
required for admission to most business schools. |
|
Test Fees |
$205 |
$250 |
|
Test validity |
5 years |
5 years |
|
Test design |
|
|
|
Test structure |
|
|
|
Test time |
|
3.5 hours |
|
Scoring system |
Verbal and Quantitative scores from 130 to 170 in 1-point increments. |
GMAT score ranges from 200 to 800 in 10-point increments. |
1.2 Test comparison
|
Section |
GMAT |
GRE |
|
Analytical Writing |
|
|
|
Integrated Reasoning |
|
|
|
Quant |
(problem-solving by multiple-choice and data sufficiency questions)
|
|
|
Verbal |
|
(Sentence Equivalence, Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, Text Completion)
|
When given the option, students who excel in grammar and vocabulary opt for the GRE, and those who are math-oriented choose the GMAT to suit their natural abilities and academic inclinations.
Here are some examples showing the differences between the two tests.
In verbal section:
|
GMAT Sentence Correction Example 1. Major League Baseball policy prohibits use of anabolic steroids, HGH, and no illegal drugs.
|
GRE Text Completion Example 2. Tentatives, fearful even, his first forays into the theatrical arts were hardly _______.
|
Answer: 1.b – 2.d
In Math section:
|
GRE Multiple Answer Example 3. If x > 0 and two sides of a certain triangle have lengths 2x + 1 and 3x + 4 respectively, which of the following could be the length of the third side of the triangle? Indicate all possible lengths
|
GMAT Problem Solving Example 4. The profits of QRS company rose 10% from March to April, then dropped 20% from April to May, then rose 50% from May to June. What was the percent increase for the whole quarter, from March to June?
|
Answer: 3.a, c, e – 4.b
2.1 GRE to GMAT conversion chart
Please note that this is the estimated GMAT scores based on an applicant’s GRE scores and it may not be perfectly equivalent to an applicant’s actual performance on the GMAT exam due to the measurement error inherent in both tests. For this reason, an estimated score range is reported around each estimated GMAT score.
For example, you may be good at vocabulary, but not at grammar. This imbalance will work against you on the GMAT. Likewise, you might have scored 90% on the GRE quant, but since the quant difficulty for the GMAT is much stiffer you will in likelihood not score 90% on the GMAT quant section.
The below GRE to GMAT conversion chart is based on the data provided by GRE’s Comparison tool for business schools.
|
GRE Verbal Reasoning score |
GRE Quant Reasoning score |
GRE Score |
GMAT Score |
GMAT Verbal scaled score |
GMAT Quant scaled score |
|
170 |
170 |
340 |
800 |
46 |
51 |
|
169 |
169 |
338 |
790 |
45 |
51 |
|
168 |
168 |
336 |
780 |
44 |
50 |
|
167 |
167 |
334 |
760 |
43 |
49 |
|
166 |
166 |
332 |
740 |
42 |
48 |
|
165 |
165 |
330 |
730 |
41 |
47 |
|
164 |
164 |
328 |
710 |
40 |
45 |
|
163 |
163 |
326 |
690 |
39 |
44 |
|
162 |
162 |
324 |
670 |
38 |
43 |
|
161 |
161 |
322 |
660 |
37 |
42 |
|
160 |
160 |
320 |
640 |
36 |
41 |
|
159 |
159 |
318 |
620 |
35 |
39 |
|
158 |
158 |
316 |
610 |
35 |
38 |
|
157 |
157 |
314 |
590 |
34 |
37 |
|
156 |
156 |
312 |
570 |
33 |
36 |
|
155 |
155 |
310 |
560 |
32 |
34 |
|
154 |
154 |
308 |
540 |
31 |
33 |
|
153 |
153 |
306 |
520 |
30 |
32 |
|
152 |
152 |
304 |
500 |
29 |
31 |
|
151 |
151 |
302 |
490 |
28 |
29 |
|
150 |
150 |
300 |
470 |
27 |
28 |
|
149 |
149 |
298 |
450 |
26 |
27 |
|
148 |
148 |
296 |
440 |
25 |
26 |
|
147 |
147 |
294 |
420 |
25 |
24 |
|
146 |
146 |
292 |
400 |
24 |
23 |
|
145 |
145 |
290 |
390 |
23 |
22 |
|
144 |
144 |
288 |
370 |
22 |
21 |
|
143 |
143 |
286 |
350 |
21 |
19 |
|
142 |
142 |
284 |
330 |
20 |
18 |
|
141 |
141 |
282 |
320 |
19 |
17 |
|
140 |
140 |
280 |
300 |
18 |
16 |
|
139 |
139 |
278 |
280 |
17 |
14 |
|
138 |
138 |
276 |
270 |
16 |
13 |
|
137 |
137 |
274 |
250 |
15 |
12 |
|
136 |
136 |
272 |
230 |
15 |
11 |
|
135 |
135 |
270 |
220 |
14 |
9 |
|
134 |
134 |
268 |
200 |
13 |
8 |
|
133 |
133 |
266 |
200 |
12 |
7 |
|
132 |
132 |
264 |
200 |
11 |
6 |
|
131 |
131 |
262 |
200 |
10 |
4 |
|
130 |
130 |
260 |
200 |
9 |
3 |
2.2 Average GRE vs GMAT scores at top 10 business school
The landscape for the GRE and GMAT has changed slightly the past few years since more and more business schools are accepting the GRE in lieu of the GMAT for admission. Below is a list of GMAT and GRE scores updated in 2020 of some famous schools if you are aiming for the MBA degree:
|
P&Q Rank & School |
2020 GMAT |
2020 GRE |
|
The Wharton |
732 |
324 |
|
Harvard Business School |
730 |
326 |
|
Stanford GBS |
732 |
330 |
|
Booth School of Business |
731 |
324 |
|
Kellogg School of Management |
732 |
324 |
|
MIT Sloan School of Management |
728 |
324 |
|
Columbia |
732 |
310 |
|
UC- Berkeley |
726 |
323 |
|
Yale SOM |
730 |
329 |
More and more business schools accept GRE and the answer for the question “Should I….?” normally is “it depends’ ‘. In this case, it depends on whether you want to pursue an MBA or an MS and if you want to go for an MBA, GMAT is the answer.
GMAT is a better fit for those applying for MBA as it is designed to test skills that help assess MBA admission committees so those who can hit GMAT with high scores also get through the MBA program. Secondly, you also show the clarity of your career track to your aiming Business Schools when taking the GMAT. They can wonder about your certainty of joining a business graduate program while GRE is accepted for other graduate programs as well. Last but not least, most universities are used to comparing GMAT scores of application as they are more comfortable interpreting the GMAT scores. You never know if business schools tend to convert GRE scores to GMAT scaled scores to compare all the applications.
The advice here is that you should spend some time taking mock exams of both as you weigh your options also can be of great value, as there is nothing like getting the “test day experience” for an accurate feel of which feels right for you.
Playing to your strengths is also a factor. If your dream school can confirm that it values both tests equally, simply choose the one you think you’ll do best in. Lastly, whether you’re taking the GMAT or GRE for MBA admission, make sure you go into the test fully prepared!
Simply speaking, your GMAT performance should be within the top 22% all over the world in the last 3 years to get a 700 GMAT score. Of course, if you choose a less competitive school, normally the pressure to have a high GMAT will be not as high.
GMAT is a challenging test that most b-schools’ applicants have to pass. However, the return is worth the hard work. With good GMAT scores, you have one step closer to your dream b-schools and even some scholarships. Even some industries, such as consulting or investment banking, also look at the GMAT score of an MBA candidate to decide whether they want to interview or not. You can find out more information in our related article below:
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