GMAT vs GRE (Harvard, Stanford, etc.)

[KenanGarrett]

Does anyone know if the top business schools actually favor a GMAT score over a GRE score? I know they say they will take either one, and that the tests don't have preference over one another, but psychologically I feel as though a GMAT score of 700 would seem better than a GRE 700. And if this is true, I'm not sure if the admission officers act on that impulse.

[suburban]

I'm with you on this... I really need to know the answer to that question too, and I bet others do too.

[youngjames]

I'm not sure if the perspective has changed much since I was on the adcom at Kellogg, but we almost always looked at intellectual ability thru the GMAT and not the GRE. I'm sure the GRE is an acceptable alternative, but all things being equal, my sense is that the adcom members "understand" the GMAT much better than the GRE. It's a more consistent measuring stick than the GRE. My advice is to stick with the GMAT unless you have a large discrepancy in scores.

[PrepMBA.AlexLeventhal]

Even though most wind up taking the GMAT, the GRE is still very viable. I have clients each year get into top schools with the GRE.

I think schools wanted to encourage great candidates who were not initially on the MBA track and who might have already taken the GRE. But if you are a recent grad and have not taken the GRE, then the GMAT is probably your best move.

Alex

[beatthegmat]

I wrote an opinion about GMAT vs. GRE a while back: https://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2010/12/ ... ke-the-gre

The opinion is 2 years old but I still stand by it. Take it with a grain of salt though--I am afterall the founder of a GMAT website.