GMAT/revised GRE? Trying to understand what will suit me

I agree with Chris that you should take a practice GRE and see where you stand. Make sure to take the practice test under official conditions, just like the real test. (I'm assuming you took practice GMAT tests also - if not, then take a practice GMAT under official conditions.)

Then you can see how you did on the two - if one test is a lot easier for you, the answer is made for you! (Note: the reason I'm telling you to take a practice GMAT, even though you have a real GMAT score, is this: we don't know right now how much nerves might have affected you on the real test, so if we want to make a true comparison, we need to do so on a "level playing field" - two practice tests.)

Also, you may want to read the below article I wrote last year (I just copied it here) - it discusses some of the issues in deciding between the GRE and the GMAT. I originally wrote the article before the GRE switched to the new version in August of last year, so I just edited to update a bit.


Should I take the GMAT or the GRE?
Stacey Koprince, ManhattanGMAT, copyright 2011

Many business schools, including Stanford, Harvard, and Wharton, accept either the GMAT or the GRE. Which one should you take, and how can you decide?

There are two aspects to consider: whether you would have a significant scoring advantage on one test versus the other, and whether certain schools have shown a preference for one exam over the other. We’re going to address the first aspect in this article; we’ll leave the second consideration for the admissions consultants. (To date, no school has reported a preference for one exam over the other.)

Both exams consist of multiple-choice quantitative and verbal sections, as well as an essay-writing section. Both tests are also scheduled to be revamped significantly: the GRE in August of this year (2011) and the GMAT in June of 2012. [So the GRE has switched to the new version now, but not the GMAT.]

So let’s take a look at the structures of the tests.

Quant

The two exams test high-school level math (including number properties, algebra, geometry, and statistics) and currently use fairly similar question types. Both tests have standard “problem-solving” questions – the basic math multiple choice questions that appear on any multiple-choice math test. The tests also have questions that combine elements of quant content and mathematical logic; on the GMAT, these are called Data Sufficiency and, on the GRE, these are called Quantitative Comparisons. The GRE also includes a small number of Data Interpretation questions, where we’re given a table or graph and we have to answer several questions about the presented data.

The general consensus is that GRE math is easier than GMAT math. I’ve taken both exams and agree; GRE math is markedly easier than GMAT math. The new GRE contains two 35-minute quant sections. The quant sections still test high-school level math, but the proportion of questions involving data interpretation and quantitative reasoning increased. In addition, new question formats include things like “fill in the blank” answers (no multiple choice options) and multiple choice questions that can have more than one right answer (you must select all of the correct answers in order to earn any credit). Most people feel that this has made the GRE quant harder than it used to be, but still not as hard as GMAT quant.

In June 2012, the GMAT will also launch its revised CAT. It appears that the quant section will not change; rather, a new Integrated Reasoning section will be added to the exam (and one of the two essays will be cut). This new section will combine math content, data interpretation, and logic. The question forms have not yet been finalized, but the samples I have seen were either on a par with the current GMAT quant section (in terms of difficulty).

I would guess that the new GMAT quant will continue to be more challenging in general than GRE quant, though there is no way to know for sure until after both revisions have actually launched.

Verbal

The two tests are more similar in terms of their emphasis on comprehension-type questions, though the GRE will also include components of vocabulary while the GMAT will include components of grammar. Generally speaking, then, if you are better with vocab, you may prefer the GRE; if you’re better with grammar, then you may prefer the GMAT.

Essays

Of course, nobody cares as much about the essays (because the schools don’t). Currently, both tests require us to write two essays. After the GMAT revision, that test will require only one. Other than that, the only thing I have to say about the essays is this: you aren’t going to base your decision (about which test to take) on the essays, so there’s nothing else for us to discuss!

Take-aways

As a general rule, GRE quant is somewhat easier than GMAT quant.

On the verbal side, the GRE is better for those with a strong vocabulary, while the current GMAT is better for those with strong grammar skills.

Still not sure what to do? Take a practice test! Two, actually. Take both a GMAT and a GRE under 100% official conditions, including the essays. Take them several days apart; don’t give yourself an artificial handicap on one by taking it later in the same day.

Ideally, take the official practice tests provided by the official test writers. (Yes, I know we normally save those for later in our study, but this decision is important enough that you want to make sure you’re basing it on the best data that you can get. Just don’t review the tests in much depth afterwards; then you can repeat the test in a few months after you’ve forgotten all of the questions.) If there’s a significant difference in your starting percentile ranking, your question has been answered.

Let us know what you decide and how you decided; your fellow students will appreciate your insight. Good luck!