Taking the GMAT vs the GRE

Having trouble obtaining the score you’re targeting on the GMAT? You’re not alone. The GMAT can be a painstaking standardized test – even more so following the addition of a new section in June. While the GMAT remains the norm for MBA applicants, there now over 800 programs that accept the Graduate Record Exam, or GRE.

Think of the GRE as basically the SAT adapted for post-collegiate students. It consists of three sections covering verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing. In the first section, you will be asked to complete forty questions in an hour focusing on vocabulary and grammar. This section is much like its cousin on the SAT, but on steroids and with an undergraduate English degree. You’ll want to study up on grammar rules and broaden your vocabulary to prepare.

The second section, quantitative reasoning, is one hour and ten minutes of forty mathematical questions. It may help to revisit some old high school notes or classes to get through this section, especially given that many college graduates today have limited exposure to algebra, geometry and trigonometry. The third section are two half-hour essays – again, these will rely on strong analytical and writing skills and an ability to write quickly under time constraints.

The GRE is proving to be a more affordable and potentially less stressful alternative to the GMAT for many MBA applicants. After a revision last August, some top MBA programs took the step to begin accepting the GRE in place of the GMAT. The revision expanded the test by an hour and added more questions similar to the GMAT in style.

Take a practice GMAT and GRE to see which test plays most to your strengths. But be sure to first check that the schools you plan on applying to accept the GRE. If they do, consider taking either. If they don’t, you certainly won’t be alone in taking the GMAT!