GMAT or GRE?

Hello, curiousgeorge13. We cross paths again. Of course, both of your scores are excellent, but that Q49 on the GMAT™ represents a slight drop in form, compared to the rest. (Congrats on that perfect essay, by the way. You did not have that score in hand when you first posted.) Based on percentiles by section, the GRE® score is better, and ETS's GRE Comparison Tool also predicts a higher GMAT™ score: 800, in fact. From what I have read, some schools are open to accepting GRE® scores because certain business school rankings only report GMAT™ scores, so such schools can brush the GRE® scores under the rug if less desirable. At a school such as HBS, though, to be honest, I doubt it makes any difference whatsoever. There will be enough talented applicants to span a desirable range. In fact, you can see for yourself on its website that the class profile reports both GMAT™ and GRE® scores:

https://www.hbs.edu/mba/admissions/class-profile/Pages/default.aspx

You would fit in comfortably on the higher end of the spectrum in either case. I guess I would consider whether I wanted to go with the 80 percent from the 2021 cohort who submitted GMAT™ scores or the 20 percent who opted for the GRE®. I like to go against the grain, and I also like to put my best foot forward, so I would probably submit the GRE® scores. I hope the other aspects of your application package are in place: work experience, GPA, and so on. If you rely too heavily on a great test score to get in, then that just will not cut it at a school like HBS. Again, too many high-shooting, high-scoring candidates share the same dream, and that 730 median (163V, 163Q GRE®) is more carefully considered than simply recruiting the students with the highest scores.

Best of luck to you, whatever you decide.

- Andrew