GRE or GMAT: which should you take?
Take the GRE if any program on your list — now or later — sits outside business school, because ETS says the GRE General Test is accepted at thousands of graduate, business, and law schools worldwide (accessed 2026-08-07). Take the GMAT Exam if your plans are business-only and its Data Insights section suits how you think, because GMAC builds it specifically for graduate business education (accessed 2026-08-07). When both exams are accepted, as they are at each of the programs cited below, take the one you can score higher on repeatedly. There is no universally easier test, so acceptance comes first, evidence from official practice second, and reputation never.
GMAT vs GRE: side-by-side comparison
Every row below comes from the exam owners' own pages: ETS for the GRE structure and timing, GRE score scales and five-year reporting window, and GRE retake rules; GMAC for the GMAT Exam structure and timing, GMAT score scale, and GMAT retake and validity policies (all accessed 2026-08-07).
| Comparison | GRE General Test | GMAT Exam |
|---|---|---|
| Total testing time | About 1 hour 58 minutes | 2 hours 15 minutes |
| Sections | Five: Analytical Writing, two Verbal Reasoning, two Quantitative Reasoning | Three, 45 minutes each: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Data Insights |
| Questions | 54 Verbal and Quantitative questions plus one writing task | 64 questions, no essay |
| Scores reported | Verbal 130–170, Quantitative 130–170, Analytical Writing 0–6; no combined total | Total Score 205–805 in 10-point increments, plus a 60–90 score for each section |
| Minimum wait between attempts | 21 days | 16 calendar days |
| Attempts per rolling 12 months | 5 | 5 |
| Lifetime attempt cap | None published by ETS | No lifetime limit |
| Score validity | Reportable for 5 years after the test date | Valid for 5 years from the test date |
| Distinctive content | One Analyze an Issue writing task; basic on-screen calculator on Quantitative Reasoning | Data Insights: data sufficiency, tables, graphics, and multi-source reasoning |
What is the main difference between the GRE and GMAT?
The GRE serves a wider range of applications: ETS says it is accepted at thousands of graduate, business, and law schools worldwide (accessed 2026-08-07). GMAC describes the GMAT as designed specifically for graduate business education (accessed 2026-08-07). That makes future non-business applications an important reason to consider the GRE, while a business-only plan may make the GMAT's specialization more relevant.
How do GRE and GMAT question styles differ?
The GRE provides a basic on-screen calculator for Quantitative Reasoning (accessed 2026-08-07). The GMAT Exam includes a Data Insights section covering data sufficiency and integrated reasoning (accessed 2026-08-07). Those are not small cosmetic differences: they change the work you practice and the way you manage time.
Do MBA programs prefer the GMAT or GRE?
There is no single policy across business schools. Stanford GSB says either the GMAT or GRE is required and it has no preference (accessed 2026-08-07). Wharton requires either GMAT or GRE results (accessed 2026-08-07), and Chicago Booth likewise requires the GMAT or GRE (accessed 2026-08-07). These examples show why you should read the current policy for your own list instead of relying on a general rule.
Is the GRE easier than the GMAT?
Not in a way that applies to everyone, and the reverse question — is the GMAT harder than the GRE — has the same answer. A calculator, a Data Insights section, the verbal task mix, and the pacing can help one test taker while hurting another. Use official practice material from both exam owners, compare how consistently you execute each format, and choose before investing deeply in one preparation path.
How do GRE and GMAT retake limits and score validity compare?
Both exams allow five attempts in a rolling 12-month period. ETS requires 21 days between GRE test dates, while GMAC ordinarily requires 16 calendar days between GMAT attempts. The current GMAT FAQ confirms there is no lifetime limit (retake policies rechecked 2026-09-10). Do not choose a test based on the obsolete eight-attempt GMAT cap. Both have a standard five-year score window; use the linked guides for reporting exceptions, special retake restrictions, and deadline planning.
A practical GRE vs GMAT decision order
- List the tests accepted by every program you may apply to.
- Compare the current formats, not memories of the classic GMAT or the former longer GRE.
- Try official material for both and judge performance, pacing, and repeatability rather than reputation.
- Consider whether you need the GRE's wider graduate-school use or the GMAT's business-school focus.
- Commit to one exam unless your program list or evidence gives you a concrete reason to switch.
Can you compare a GRE score with a GMAT score?
Only approximately. ETS publishes a GRE Comparison Tool that predicts a GMAT score from GRE Verbal and Quantitative scores (accessed 2026-08-07), but a prediction is not an exact equivalent or an earned GMAT result.
Sources
Every source below was accessed on the listed date. Pages — especially department admissions pages — change without notice; the links go to the live versions.
- Learn About GRE — ETS. Accessed 2026-08-07.
- The GMAT Exam (GMAT Focus Edition) — GMAC. Accessed 2026-08-07.
- GMAT Exam Content — GMAC. Accessed 2026-08-07.
- GRE General Test Quantitative Reasoning Overview — ETS. Accessed 2026-08-02.
- GRE General Test Structure — ETS. Accessed 2026-08-07.
- Getting Your GRE General Test Scores — ETS. Accessed 2026-09-10.
- GRE Test Registration — ETS. Accessed 2026-09-10.
- GMAT Exam Structure — GMAC. Accessed 2026-08-07.
- Evolving the Score Scale with the GMAT Focus Edition — GMAC. Accessed 2026-08-07.
- GMAT Exam Policies — GMAC. Accessed 2026-09-10.
- GMAT Exam FAQs — GMAC. Accessed 2026-09-10.
- GRE General Test Comparison Tool for Business Schools — ETS. Accessed 2026-08-07.
- Stanford GSB MBA: GMAT & GRE — Stanford University. Accessed 2026-08-07.
- Wharton MBA Application Guide — University of Pennsylvania. Accessed 2026-08-07.
- Chicago Booth Full-Time MBA Admission Requirements — University of Chicago. Accessed 2026-08-07.
Related guides
Sources and corrections
Sources last checked 2026-08-07Every source cited on this page was checked on the date shown, and we update the page when a source changes. If something looks wrong, tell us and we'll recheck it.