The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) are both widely accepted admissions tests for graduate and business schools. However, it is crucial to understand the differences between the two tests to determine which one is best suited for your graduate school aspirations.
Key Takeaways
- GRE is typically taken for general graduate courses, while GMAT is taken for business-related graduate courses.
- Both tests have three main sections, but GRE’s perfect score is 2400, while GMAT’s perfect score is 800.
- GRE has a longer duration of 3 hours, while GMAT lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes.
The GRE is an entrance exam accepted by most graduate and business schools in the U.S and many other graduate schools worldwide. It measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills that are not related to any specific field of study. The GRE General Test is offered year-round at computer-based test centers worldwide and at paper-based test centers in areas where computer-based testing is not available. The General Test fees range from US$160 to US$205.
The GMAT is an admission test accepted by many graduate and business schools worldwide, specifically those graduate programs focusing on business and related fields. Like the GRE, the GMAT has three sections, but it is stricter when it comes to time limits. The GMAT is also available in paper format and computer-adaptive format and is available year-round at test centers worldwide. The cost to take the GMAT exam is US $250 globally.
Both GRE and GMAT can be taken by a candidate only once every 31 calendar days and no more than five times in a 12-month period. It is essential to know their differences to recognize which exam you should take to pursue your graduate school dream. However, if you have already taken one of them, it is no longer necessary to take another.
