Has Anyone ACTUALLY gotten into a top program w/ GRE scores?

Question

Hey all - apologies if this isn't the right place to post this, but I couldn't find a better option.

I plan to take both the New GRE next month AND retake the GMAT after more studying (didn't do so well the first time around).

From looking at practice questions, it seems like, for whatever reason, the GRE is a much more intuitive test for me. While I intend to try hard for a good score on both exams, my prediction is that I will do much better on the GRE.

My ultimate goal is NYU, and I've directly asked their admissions team, who told me:

"Thank you for your interest in NYU Stern. Applicants who submit GRE scores in lieu of GMAT scores are not held in lesser regard. Taking the GRE exam will not have a negative impact on your application. We do not have any statistics on the average GRE score.

Best regards, 
NYU MBA Admissions "

But I know everyone says that, in actuality, the GMAT is held in higher regard.

Just curious if anyone on here actually has made it into a top MBA program with GRE scores only??

Help!! Would love to hear some honest stories of what's happened to applicants who apply with only GRE. Do they ask in interviews why you took that test instead of GMAT?

blg529 · Answer

I have never heard of anyone who has gotten into a top school with the GRE but I also don't know of any applicants personally who applied using the GRE. IMHO though I think it's a waste of time to study for both. Rather than splitting my time between studying for two pretty different tests, I would use all of that time to try to get my best possible score on the GMAT. But that's just me.

method · Answer

I was at a fair last night, and someone asked the Duke rep about this. He said you might mention the choice of GRE in the optional. The most common reason he sees is that people wanted to have more options with respect to types of programs.

lala10 · Answer

Interesting timing. My friend told me last night that some guy from her work, who is now at HBS, applied with a GRE score last year. So yes, it does happen. But, it certainly isn't the norm, I don't think.

gmatcracker24 · Answer

what i have heard is - That schools are still apprehensive about GRE and prefer GMAT over GRE.They are pretty comfortable in judging a person's capability to sustain in a Bschool using GMAT in as compared to GRE.

asimov · Answer

I know a guy at Fuqua with only GRE score, but he is a dual-degree. He still went to took the GMAT afterwards. The problem with GRE only is that some employers ask for GMAT score. It's hard for them to compare two different tests.

cheetarah1980 · Answer

My sorority sister is at Darden now and she applied with only a GRE score. I think the reason why you don't hear many GRE applicant success stories is because there just aren't that many applicants applying with the GRE.

mariem · Answer

Ah, thank you all so much for your input and stories! Keep 'em coming.

My hope is I'll do well enough on the GMAT the second time around (weak in Quant the first time) and if anything, could just submit GRE in addition to GMAT scores, in case I get a passable but not great GMAT and a much better Quant score on GRE... could perhaps just use it to help prove I'm not COMPLETELY math incompetent?

but it's really a relief to hear at least a few people have gotten by on GRE alone.

Definitely interested in any other stories/input/personal experience you guys have!

LSEguy · Answer

I have scores from both these tests. Used to GRE for getting into graduate school (MSc). The score is still valid, but I still took the GMAT since it is the test which is actually preferred by most MBA programs.

Thankfully my performance in both the tests is almost the same. 1500 & 740

Thankfully my performance in both the tests is almost the same. 1500 & 740

novanative · Answer

There is a GRE to GMAT conversion, and that's what at least some of the b schools that accept GRE scores do.

Oskie · Answer

Hi all, 1350 GRE here. I applied about 2 years ago to MIT Sloan and was interviewed and accepted. I was also interviewed at other schools, too. Due to entrepreneurial pursuits, I put business school off for a while but I thought I'd share some of my experiences. Feel free to ask questions if you are interested. I've been through the process several times.

mariem · Answer

Hey Oskie! When you interviewed at schools, did they ask you why you submitted GRE instead of GMAT?

mangostar · Answer

Honestly I think some people prefer to take the GRE because it's less expensive. I know that's why I chose to take it. I think that a short sentence in the Additional Info essay should take care of the problem. Most Adcom members I've spoken to (Kellogg, Ross) maintain that they hold the GRE and GMAT in equal regard.

Oskie · Answer

Thankfully, no one questioned my GRE score during interviews. I actually reported both my GMAT and GRE scores. My GMAT was definitely not as competitive as my GRE score. I think admission officers (in my opinion) just want to see a level of aptitude; if they see that in a high GMAT or GRE, they are okay with it. I can't speak for every school obviously, I just think that it probably wasn't THAT big of a deal to have two standardized exams on my application. Back then, the GRE wasn't accepted at many schools so I only did this for Stanford GSB and MIT Sloan. Hope this helps!

akhilbajaj · Answer

It is nice to hear that about interviews and admits with only GRE. I took GRE little less than 5 years back. The score is going to expire in a few months. Considering that I scored 1440 on GRE which equals 720 on GMAT according to the ETS tool; should I apply to B-schools with GRE score or take GMAT now?

I tried searching on some B-school websites. Yale doesn't mention anything about GRE acceptance. I haven't done an extensive research though. Are the B- schools accepting GRE still very limited?

jumsumtak · Answer

'vanishingnerd' got into both Tuck and Yale (this year) with only GRE (1440). So, its doable.

I'm still thinking though, whether average GMAT scores of a class include the 'converted' GRE scores.

[EDIT]: Found a nice and detailed 3-part post by GmatNinja. https://www.gmatninja.com/2012/12/26/dif ... dmissions/

RR666 · Answer

Took the GRE and only the GRE (wanted to apply to economics masters programs at the beginning).

In: Booth/Yale SOM/McCombs

I am a white male with a quantish degree and quantish job (structuring in IB) so no "extenuating circumstances".

I obviously got a good score but nothing jaw-dropping (97th percentile quant and 96th percentile verbal)

aerien · Answer

Not to take this completely off topic, but I'd say scoring in the top 5% of test takers in both quant and verbal is really good...perhaps even a little jaw dropping

Posted from my mobile device

RR666 · Answer

Thank you! Though I think that on average the people taking the GMAT have a better level than people taking the GRE, especially for the quant part. People going to education studies or even art schools take the GMAT.

CobraKai · Answer

They don't (because there's no "true" equivalent). This can work to some applicant's advantage if he/she has a stellar profile/accomplishments but just a mediocre GRE score. The schools don't report GRE scores, so they won't be admitting someone that'll bring their average down.

As much as schools like to say they use a holistic approach, they still want their mean/median GMAT to be 700 or better, which means they can only admit so many with scores in the 600s. Admitting someone with GRE scores doesn't effect the GMAT scores for ranking purposes.

Note: This is just an observation of how admissions committees are aware of the media rankings game. While this might help a few applicants, I still don't think this is a reason to take the GRE over the GMAT. Especially since the recruiting game can involve your GMAT score.

Has Anyone ACTUALLY gotten into a top program w/ GRE scores?

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