This page states the key differences between GMAT vs GRE. Choosing a better test among many becomes easier when the comparison between tests is made. Read the below article to know the differences.

GMAT vs GRE

It is a fiercely competitive world and to succeed in this world, having an advanced degree is very helpful. When students are in search of achieving greater heights in academics, they tend to discover many entrance exams which will work as a key to the next step of the academic growth.

Aptitude tests are much in demand now, as it is needed to pursue higher studies in native or foreign countries. GMAT and GRE are one of the many aptitude tests conducted to test whether the candidate is eligible to join the program offered by the university. These tests are conducted to select suitable candidates for post graduate studies.

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) is the test conducted to assess the candidate’s eligibility to join the post graduate program in business studies. This exam is taken by candidates to join business administration courses such as MBA, Master Of Accountancy etc in a country such as United States and other countries where English is the language used as mode of instruction.

GRE(Graduate Record Exam) is the test conducted to prove the ability of candidate to get admissions in English speaking countries and it is a subject oriented test, which means it can be taken to pursue higher studies in subjects such as psychology, computer science etc.

The score of both GMAT and GRE are valid for 5 years and it is almost similar to each other in terms of the sections in test. Both the tests are conducted in Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) format. Although GMAT and GRE are similar in many ways there are few key points which make them different from one another.

The following table describes the differences between the questions and time format of GMAT and GRE:

Sections In Test	GMAT	GRE
Quantitative	37 Questions, 75 Minutes	28 Questions, 45 Minutes
Verbal	41 Questions, 75 Minutes	30 Questions, 30 Minutes
Analytical Writing Assessment	Essay 1 - 30 Minutes       Essay 2- 30 Minutes	Essay 1 - 45 Minutes Essay 1 - 30 minutes

 

This table shows the basic differences between GMAT and GRE under various factors:

 

Basis Of Difference	GMAT	GRE
Administration	It is administered by GMAC	It is administered by ETS
Test Locations	It has fewer test centers	It has more test centers
Fee Structure	it costs US $140	It costs US $250
Student Background	This test is taken by students who wish to pursue only management studies	This test is taken by the candidates who can apply for various programs and not limited only to management studies
Programs Accepting the Test	It is accepted by programs such as MBA and Master Of Accountancy	It is accepted by programs such as graduation in Psychology, physics and computer Science

 

GMAT and GRE have similar major sections in test but the sub-sections included in the major sections differ from one another. Both these tests have three major sections namely, verbal, quantitative and analytical writing. The analytical writing section is similar for both. The following table explains the major differences between the other two sections:

Section	GMAT	GRE
Verbal Section	Sentence Correction Reading Comprehension Critical Reasoning	Sentence Correction Reading Comprehension Analogy Antonym
Quantitative Section	Problem Solving Data Sufficiency	Problem Solving Quantitative Comparison

 

In recent times, many universities consider even GRE scores for admissions into MBA courses. While it depends on individual universities to set their criteria for selecting the candidates, it is important that the candidate should decide and do a research well in advance to know which universities accept the test score taken up by the test taker. 

The scores matter a lot for the next step for proceeding on further steps to pursue the career which is your dream. So the ball’s in your court, you choose which test is more beneficial to you.

Posted in: GMAT