B-School application experience with GRE score

Question

Business School application experiences with GRE scores

With nearly all business schools now accepting both the GMAT and the GRE, pre-MBAs find themselves considering which test to take. The million-dollar question, of course, is “which test do admissions officers prefer?” but the answer to that question is “it’s complicated.” Each school has its own method for vetting candidates, so there is no one answer to what “admissions officers” in general prefer.

There are a lot of GMAT vs GRE discussion here in the GMATClub and I am attaching a few links at the bottom of this post. This post's main purpose is to find the application experience with GRE in words of the applicants who have applied to schools only with GRE score. In the next few days, I will be reaching out to several applicants who reported GRE in their application and solicit their views on the following questions.

Please streamline your response on the basis of following questions.

1. What was the primary reason for choosing GRE over GMAT?
2. Which schools did you apply to with GRE score and what is your GRE score?
3. Any schools that asked for a GMAT score after submitting GRE score with your application?
4. Which schools did you get an admit with GRE score?
5. Any other information that would help a pre-MBA student trying to decide on GMAT vs GRE?

GRE application experience with Business schools
User	GRE score	Interviewed at schools	Admitted schools	Link
howdytex2	320 Q155 V165	Duke Fuqua($$$) Oxford Said Emory Goizueta UT McCombs	Duke Fuqua($$$) Oxford Said	post
suwnase	329 Q161 V168	Oxford Said Cambridge Judge ESADE	Oxford Said Cambridge Judge ESADE	post
Gnpth	321 Q164 V157	Kellogg McDonogh Questrom Ross	McDonough Questrom	post
Mgraynap	325 Q161 V164	McCombs Johnson Babson(Carroll)	McCombs Johnson Babson(Carroll)	post

Note I will populate this table as and when I see responses. Please feel free to forward this to any applicant who submitted GRE score for B-School.

GMAT vs GRE

https://gmatclub.com/forum/average-gre- ... 61389.html
https://gmatclub.com/forum/has-anyone-a ... fl=similar
https://gmatclub.com/forum/gmat-vs-gre-257511.html

howdytex2 · Answer

1. I choose the GRE as I had originally planned to go to graduate school for Hospitality Management (gre required) and had already taken a prep class. I did eventually take the GMAt after a panicked month of studying. Suffice to say, I canceled that score.

2. I applied to Oxford Said, Duke Fuqua, UT Texas at Austin McCombs, Emory and USC Marshall.

3. Nope. I also think it is important that I did not get asked to do any additional work before enrollment (I.e a conditional offer) even though

4. I got an admit to Duke Fuqua (with $), Oxford Said. Plus interview invites at Emory + UT McCombs. I withdrew all my applications after admitted to Duke EA.

5. I’ve taken both. Choose the test that plays to your strengths or if you career of choice (top consulting or banking require gmat). The tests are significantly different. If you have strengths in vocabulary or high school standard math- choose the GRE. Problem solving/ critical thinking and grammar - choose the gmat. Take a practice test for each to decide. I wish I would have done that at the beginning.

suwnase · Answer

1. I took the GRE as I was graduating college because I figured I would want to go to school within 5 years but didn't know for what.

2. I applied to the MBA programs at Cambridge, Oxford, and ESADE just a few months before my GRE scores expired and was accepted to all three.

3. Each school told me they had no preference. One (Cambridge, I think) told me that for admissions purposes my GRE score would be immediately put through a GMAT conversion and then no one would know I had actually taken the GRE.

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Gnpth · Answer

1. What was the primary reason for choosing GRE over GMAT?
 GNPTH: There is no specific reason. Each test requires its own prep. I had both GMAT and GRE. But ended up applying with GRE since the percentile scores were higher in GRE.

2. Which schools did you apply to with GRE score?
 GNPTH:I applied to McDonough, Kellogg, Questrom, & Ross

3. Any schools that asked for a GMAT score after submitting GRE score with your application?
 GNPTH: No School will ask for GMAT score after GRE as far as I know.

4. Which schools did you get an admit with GRE score?
 GNPTH: I got interviewed at Kellogg, McDonough and Questrom. And accepted to McDonough and Questrom.

5. Any other information that would help a pre-MBA student trying to decide on GMAT vs GRE?
 GNPTH: Focus on a test which you feel will be best for you. And All school look at the overall picture, not just scores. For Internationals, especially Indians- Have at least above 320+ in GRE and 700+ GMAT for a fair shot at the schools. If your focus is on M7 & Ross, then GRE should be at least 325+ and above 80 percentile on Both verbal and quant. And I guess I don't have to speak about GMAT since many know about it. Follow Souvik posts about the applications. He has an extensive collection of those.

Feel free to reach out to me if any help required.

Regards,
GNPTH.

Mgraynap · Answer

1. What was the primary reason for choosing GRE over GMAT?

I took the GMAT 4 times and just could not get the hang of it. The way questions were asked did not make sense to me. I took the GRE and was immediately more comfortable with the way the GRE asked questions and the kinds of answers they were expecting. I ended up doing much better with the GRE and felt that demonstrated my aptitude more accurately.

2. Which schools did you apply to with GRE score and what is your GRE score?

Kellogg, McCombs, Johnson, BC, score was 325

3. Any schools that asked for a GMAT score after submitting GRE score with your application?

Nope

4. Which schools did you get an admit with GRE score?

So far, BC, have interviewed at McCombs and Johnson. Applying to Kellogg R2.

5. Any other information that would help a pre-MBA student trying to decide on GMAT vs GRE?

Truly, take a practice test of both. I have always been a whiz with English and grammar and just decently good at math, and the verbal portion was even difficult for me. The quant was much more natural for me, however. I would advise non-native English speakers against the GRE, unless English is almost like a 2nd first language for you. Also, memorize vocab for the GRE. Vocab is a HUGE part, so if you’re good at memorization, you might be good at the GRE verbal.

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mitzeemo · Answer

This thread is really helpful! I am presently trying to decide between the GMAT and GRE. I scored a poor 530 on the GMAT (have taken it twice so far). I gave a mock GRE without studying and score a 305. In terms of my background, I am a marketing professional with four years of experience working for big name tech companies in challenging roles. A few questions:

1. Do you think it's possible to bring that GRE score to a 320+ in a month? I'm trying to make Round 2 deadlines for Fall 2020. Now would be a good time to pivot from the GMAT if I have to.
2. What other experiences in terms of extra curriculars / work experience did you bring to the table that you feel may have made the adcom overlook the fact that you opted for GRE vs the GMAT? Although the schools I am targeting don't have a preference, alums have mentioned they still prefer the GMAT.

Any advice would be really appreciated! Thank you

MBAbot · Answer

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B-School application experience with GRE score

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