GMAT vs GRE: how they differ
The GMAT is GMAC's business school admissions test; the GRE General Test, from ETS, is used for graduate programs and business schools. Many business schools accept either, so check each program first. The formats differ in length, sections, scoring scale and how each adapts to you.
GMAT vs GRE at a glance
| GMAT | GRE | |
|---|---|---|
| Set by | GMAC | ETS |
| Sections | Quantitative Reasoning: 21 questions, 45 minutes; Verbal Reasoning: 23 questions, 45 minutes; Data Insights: 20 questions, 45 minutes | Analytical Writing: 1 task (Analyze an Issue), 30 minutes; Verbal Reasoning: 12 + 15 questions, 18 + 23 minutes; Quantitative Reasoning: 12 + 15 questions, 21 + 26 minutes |
| Testing time | 2 hours 15 minutes, plus one optional 10-minute break | About 1 hour 58 minutes |
| Scoring | Total 205–805; each section 60–90, weighted equally | Verbal and Quantitative 130–170 each, in 1-point steps; Analytical Writing 0–6, in half points |
| Adaptive? | Computer adaptive: the test selects each question in response to your earlier answers. | Adaptive by section: the second Verbal and the second Quant section are set by how you did on the first. An unscored section may be included, or an identified research section at the end. |
| Essay | No essay section | One Analyze an Issue task, 30 minutes, always first |
| Order and review | At a test center or online. You choose the section order, can review any question, and can change up to three answers per section. | Analytical Writing always comes first; the second Verbal and Quantitative sections depend on the first. |
| Previous format | The previous (10th) edition was scored 200–800; those scores are not comparable with the 205–805 scale. | Until 22 September 2023 the test ran about 3 hours 45 minutes with two essays (Issue and Argument). |
How to decide
Start with the programs: if all of them accept both tests, the choice is about format. The GMAT is three 45-minute sections with no essay, adapts question by question, lets you choose the section order and change a few answers, and is scored 205–805. The GRE is shorter, opens with an essay, adapts by section and reports Verbal and Quantitative separately on 130–170. Taking a timed practice test of each is the most direct way to see which format you handle better.
What differs, and who each may suit
The GMAT may suit you if you:
- Are applying only to business schools that accept it
- Want to choose your section order and be able to review and change answers
- Would rather not write an essay on test day
- Are ready for Data Insights, a 45-minute section of its own
The GRE may suit you if you:
- Are applying to graduate programs outside business, or to both
- Want a shorter test: about 1 hour 58 minutes
- Are comfortable writing a 30-minute essay at the start
- Want Verbal and Quantitative reported as separate scores
Frequently asked questions
- Do MBA programs accept the GRE?
- Many do. Admissions policies are set by each school, so check the admissions page of every program you apply to.
- Is the GMAT harder than the GRE?
- Neither is harder across the board; they test differently. The GMAT adapts question by question across Quantitative, Verbal and Data Insights; the GRE adapts by section and starts with an essay.
- Are old GMAT scores comparable with the current scale?
- No. The previous (10th) edition was scored 200–800; those scores are not comparable with the 205–805 scale.