GRE vs GMAT with widely varied splits

[wahooM1]

Hi-
Although I believe my overall GMAT score is sufficient at 730, my quant score is poor - 69th percentile. My older (but still valid) GRE score is significantly better balanced at 95th percentile verbal and 87th percentile quant. According to the score predictor available from ETS, my GRE score should equate to about a 710 overall GMAT (though they admit a large margin of error). I studied aerospace engineering as an undergrad, which I originally thought would mitigate the score. After receiving two first-round rejections, however, I'm starting to wonder if the low score is unacceptably incongruous with my background. Any advice on which score to submit would be appreciated.

[Stacey Oyler]

Hi,

Thanks for your post. Many schools are indeed open to accepting GRE scores these days - the general thought behind this is to attract candidates to bschool who perhaps initially didn't have it on their radar. However, comparing the GMAT and GRE is like comparing apples and oranges.

In regard to your particular situation, keep in mind that the adcom looks at your undergraduate quant performance, quant skills used in your professional experience as well as any additional coursework one might have taken. If you have a quant heavy major in college or a job where quant skills are used daily then your 69% isn't as much of an issue. However, since you have already taken the GRE, it would not hurt for you to mention the score in an optional essay. If you truly have concerns about your score and feel your school and work experience don't help balance it out, then you should plan to write an optional essay to help mitigate the issue - this is where you can mention your GRE score.

I hope this helps!

Stacey