Deciding between GMAT and GRE for MBA programs can feel overwhelming because most business schools accept both. The right choice depends on many factors: your individual abilities, your background, your career goals, and more. You want to choose the test that not only best showcases your strengths but also demonstrates your fit with your desired MBA programs.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through key considerations to help you confidently choose the best exam for your MBA journey. We’ll hear directly from admissions officers at top MBA programs and discuss scenarios when one test might be strategically better for you than the other.
By the end of this article, you’ll know how to confidently pick the test that maximizes your chances for admission.
Table of Contents
- GMAT or GRE for MBA: Acceptance Landscape
- Do MBA Programs Actually Prefer the GMAT over the GRE?
- What Truly Matters to Admissions?
- Specific Situations that Favor GMAT vs GRE for MBA
- Should You Skip the GMAT or GRE Entirely for Business Schools?
- GMAT vs GRE: The Tests Themselves
GMAT or GRE for MBA: Acceptance Landscape
Virtually every business school around the globe accepts the GMAT (the Graduate Management Admission Test, designed by the Graduate Management Admission Council). In fact, more than 7,700 programs at over 2,400 universities worldwide accept GMAT scores.
Meanwhile, the GRE (the Graduate Record Examinations, produced by the Educational Testing Service) is accepted by a substantial and growing number of business schools—over 1,300 globally, including most top-ranked programs.
Here’s what some of the top MBA programs explicitly say about GMAT vs GRE acceptance:
| Region | School | What their website says (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. | Harvard Business School | “We do not have a preference toward one test or the other” |
| U.S. | MIT Sloan | “You will submit a GMAT or GRE score” |
| U.S. | Chicago Booth | “You need to submit your scores on the GMAT or GRE” |
| U.S. | Wharton | “We don’t have a preference for one test over another.” |
| Europe | London Business School | “Prepare for and take your GMAT or GRE” |
| Europe | INSEAD | “Have your GMAT or GRE test scores sent to INSEAD” |
| Asia | National University of Singapore Business School | “GMAT or GRE is acceptable for the NUS MBA application” |
| Asia | Indian School of Business | “Provide a valid GMAT or GRE score (test-center only)” |
Bottom line: Both tests are broadly accepted, but always verify specific school requirements to ensure your chosen test aligns with your target programs.
Do MBA Programs Actually Prefer the GMAT over the GRE?
Many students wonder if MBA admissions committees secretly prefer one test over the other. The truth? Admissions officers consistently state they have no preference. Here’s what they’ve said directly:
Chicago Booth: “We accept the GMAT or the GRE, and we truly have no preference… just take whichever one you’ll think you’ll do best at after you take a couple practice tests.” – Kara Northcutt, Senior Director of Admissions — GradTalk Episode #15
Yale SOM: “We accept each (either the GRE or GMAT)… we weight each equally… we’re admitting roughly the same rates.” – Bruce DelMonico, Assistant Dean of Admissions — GradTalk Episode #13
Vanderbilt Owen : “My personal advice would be take the one that you’ll be most successful at or that you’re most comfortable with. I mean, we really are open to all of (the standardized tests).” – Amanda Fend, Director of MBA Recruiting — GradTalk Episode #12
Ultimately, your best strategy is to choose the test that best highlights your skills and aligns with your strengths.
Want to hear more from MBA admissions officers? See our interview highlights here:
What Truly Matters to Admissions?
If test preference isn’t the deciding factor, what truly matters to MBA admissions teams? Two key things:
- 1. Your performance on the test
- 2. How the test supports your overall story
1. Your Performance on the Test
Given that many business schools have no preference towards either test, it’s more about percentiles. That is, how well did you do in comparison to other test takers? If you score in the 90th percentile on the GRE vs the 80th percentile in GMAT, that GRE score is going to stand out more.
With that said, it really comes down to the requirements and averages listed by the schools that you’re interested in. If your GMAT score meets or surpasses the averages listed by a school but your GRE score doesn’t, then you’ll want to submit your GMAT score.
Average GRE and GMAT Scores for the Top 20 MBA Programs
This chart was compiled from data about each program’s incoming class of 2025. Many schools still list the average scores for the prior version of the GMAT (aka “Classic GMAT”) , so we’ve added a column that shows the corresponding GMAT Focus score, per GMAC’s score concordance table.
| School | Average GRE Score | Average GMAT Classic Score | Average GMAT Focus Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford GSB | 328 | 738 | 685 |
| UPenn (Wharton) | 324 | 728 | 675 |
| Northwestern (Kellogg) | 326 | 731 | 685 |
| University of Chicago (Booth) | 325 | 728 | 675 |
| MIT (Sloan) | 325 | 730 | 685 |
| Harvard | 326 | 740 | 695 |
| NYU (Stern) | 326 | 732 | 685 |
| UC Berkeley (Haas) | 324 | 733 | 685 |
| Yale | 330 | 720 | 675 |
| Dartmouth (Tuck) | 322 | 726 | 675 |
| University of Virginia (Darden) | 321 | 716 | 665 |
| Columbia University | 322 | 730 | 685 |
| Duke (Fuqua) | 318 | 715 | 665 |
| University of Michigan – Ann Arbor (Ross) | 322 | 719 | 665 |
| Cornell (Johnson) | 324 | 710 | 655 |
| Carnegie Mellon (Tepper) | 324 | 705 | 655 |
| UT-Texas – Austin (McCombs) | 321 | 704 | 655 |
| Emory (Goizueta) | Does not disclose | 709 | 665 |
| University of Southern California (Marshall) | 323 | 722 | 675 |
| Indiana University (Kelley) | 322 | 685 | 635 |
2. How the Test Supports Your Overall Story
The test you choose should strategically enhance your overall application narrative. For instance, if your undergraduate GPA was lower, a high test score can offset academic concerns. Similarly, if you’re switching careers or coming from a non-quantitative background, a strong test score can help illustrate readiness for rigorous MBA coursework.
Michigan Ross: “(A test score) helps to shape your overall application. If you’re going to be able to handle the academic rigor of the program—in your first semester, you’re taking accounting, statistics, operations, a lot of quantitatively-heavy courses—we want to make sure that you’re going to be able to handle that.” — Michelle Pava, Associate Director of Admissions, Full-Time MBA — GradTalk Episode #7
Similarly, consider which test allows you to show off your individual strengths. Are you a master of vocabulary and communication? Go crush the Verbal and Writing sections of the GRE. Or do you excel at analyzing data? Then showcase that ability on the GMAT’s Data Insights section.
Remember, admissions committees aren’t judging your specific choice of test—they’re evaluating how effectively that test score—along with the rest of your application—demonstrates your fit for their program.
Specific Situations that Favor GMAT vs GRE for MBA
Again, MBA programs explicitly express no preference for the GMAT or the GRE. However, there are certain individual circumstances that can make one exam more strategically advantageous for you.
You’re Targeting Finance or Consulting Careers → Choose GMAT
The GMAT remains the traditional standard for industries like finance, consulting, and investment banking. Top firms in these industries frequently prefer or expect GMAT scores during recruiting processes. So, if this is where your career aspirations lie, the GMAT is the pick for you.
You’re Considering Other Disciplines → Choose GRE
On the flip side, maybe you haven’t decide on a career yet, and maybe you haven’t decided if business school is right for you. If you’re eyeing multiple graduate programs besides an MBA, then the GRE is your ticket since it offers much more flexibility. GRE scores are widely accepted across various disciplines, including law school.
Should You Skip the GMAT or GRE Entirely for Business Schools?
Some MBA programs now offer test waivers or test-optional admissions, meaning you may not need to submit GMAT or GRE scores at all. But before opting out, it’s crucial to understand what this means for your application.
You might consider a waiver if you:
- Have strong undergraduate academic performance (high GPA, rigorous coursework)
- Possess substantial quantitative or analytical professional experience
- Can clearly demonstrate readiness for MBA coursework without a test score
However, even if a school is test-optional, submitting a strong GMAT or GRE score can significantly enhance your application by demonstrating commitment, academic preparedness, and resilience—especially if you’re a career switcher or coming from a nontraditional background.
Emory Goizueta: “I don’t recommend a test waiver for everyone. I think the standardized test score continues to be a good way to reinforce to the admission committee that you can handle the rigor of the academic classroom, especially if you are coming from an undergraduate that was maybe liberal-arts heavy, or you’ve had a career that is outside of some of the more typical business type careers.” — Melissa Rapp, Associate Dean of Graduate Admissions — GradTalk Episode #17
In short, test waivers can be beneficial, but they aren’t a shortcut. Always evaluate your strengths and application holistically—and submit a score if it genuinely bolsters your profile.
GMAT vs GRE: The Tests Themselves
In this article, we’ve focused on the two exams from the perspective of MBA admissions. Take a look at our other article for a detailed comparison of the content of the two exams, as well as as which test-takers tends to perform better on which test.
Or dive right into sample questions from both tests to see for yourself which exam will help your application stand out the most:
Whichever test you choose, Magoosh is here to help. Check out a Magoosh GMAT Premium plan or a Magoosh GRE Premium plan for the strategies and practice you need for either exam. And if you start studying for GMAT and later decide you want to take the GRE instead, you can switch for free.
