GMAT vs GRE

Confused between GRE and GMAT? Once a student decides to go for a masters, this choice is probably the first decision he/she has to undergo. I usually give 2 tips to anyone wanting help on this decision:

1. The quant section of the GMAT is more applicative than GRE, so if it is not your forte, consider the GRE. Generally, the GMAT is ideal for those who have strong quantitative and analytical skills, and excel at interpreting data presented in charts, tables, and text to solve complex problems. The GRE math section, on the other hand, tends to be more straightforward. However, it must be noted that GRE’s English section is quite challenging. It has direct questions testing your vocabulary while GMAT questions are more about testing your hold on grammar and interpretation.

2. If you’re still confused about which one to go for, a good way of finding out which one might be a better fit is to give an official practice test for both GRE and GMAT as a diagnostic experiment to analyze where you stand. Is one score significantly better than the other? Did you find one of the two considerably more challenging? Doing this can really help you identify which format you’re more comfortable with.

Irrespective of the choice of exam, it is imperative for your score to be at least 690+ on the GMAT and 315+ on the GRE if you are aiming for top universities. However, there are also many good unis, particularly in some countries, where you can apply without a GRE or a GMAT while still enjoying a bright cohort and good reputation.