If you’re applying to business school and trying to decide between the GMAT and the GRE, here’s my bottom line: taking the GRE instead of the GMAT may SUBSTANTIALLY improve your chances of getting accepted to an MBA program.

It sounds crazy, right? But hear me out — the data backs this up. And I say this as an HBS grad who took the GMAT herself (back when dinosaurs roamed the earth, a.k.a. when the GRE wasn’t accepted at most business schools).

Here’s the simple framework:

Want ACCEPTANCE at the best school possible? Take the GRE.

Want a MERIT SCHOLARSHIP? Take the GMAT (but only if you’re confident you’ll score 30–50+ points above the school’s average).

That’s it. That’s the TLDR. But if you want to understand WHY, keep reading.

The Data: GRE vs. GMAT Acceptance Percentiles

Let’s start with a real example. At Stanford GSB, the most recent class profile reports an average GMAT of 738 (on the old 10th-edition scale) — that’s roughly the top 3–4% of all GMAT test-takers. The average GRE? 164 Quant and 164 Verbal — which lands closer to the top ~15% on the quant side. (Stanford publishes these figures in its official MBA class profile.)

Read that again. Top 3% vs. top 15%. That’s a MASSIVE difference in the level of test performance required for the same school.

And it’s not just Stanford. At HBS, the scores of GRE-submitting students — converted to a GMAT-equivalent — tend to come in somewhat lower than those of students who submit actual GMAT scores. (HBS’s class profile shows a median GMAT of 730 alongside median GRE scores of 164 Quant / 164 Verbal.) This pattern holds across virtually every top MBA program.

Meanwhile, GRE submissions have climbed from a small minority a decade ago to roughly 30–44% of the class at top programs today — 44% at both Stanford and HBS in the most recent cycle, and even a majority at some schools. The GRE is now mainstream in MBA admissions.

(If you’re trying to figure out where YOUR scores fall relative to your target schools, ApplicantLab‘s Strengths & Weaknesses module generates a personalized diagnosis report that tells you exactly how competitive your profile is at each program — including your test scores. It’s a great place to start before you go down a study rabbit hole.)

Why GRE Scores Are “Forgiven” More Easily

So why does this gap exist? There are several factors working in your favor when you submit GRE scores:

1. You’re Competing Against a Weaker Pool

GMAT test-takers are almost exclusively business school applicants. These are people who tend to be quantitatively strong — bankers, consultants, engineers. The competition is FIERCE.

GRE test-takers? That’s a MUCH more diverse pool. We’re talking humanities majors, education students, psychology PhDs, art historians. Lovely people, all of them — but on average, they’re not quant powerhouses. The result: it’s significantly easier to score in a high percentile on the GRE simply because the comparison group is less quantitatively competitive.

2. The Psychology of Familiarity

The GMAT has DECADES of admissions intuition built around it. Every admissions officer has internalized rules of thumb like “need 700+ for M7” or “over-represented candidates need 740+.” They see a 680 and they FEEL something about it.

GRE scores? Most admissions officers still have to pause and think — “Hmm, let me look up what our GRE range was last year…” Less familiarity means less harsh, reflexive judgment. That ambiguity works in YOUR favor.

3. Rankings Historically Downplayed GRE Scores

For years, US News MBA Rankings highlighted GMAT scores but largely ignored GRE data. This meant schools had less incentive to push GRE averages higher for rankings purposes. While rankings methodologies have evolved, the institutional habits and culture around GRE scores remain more relaxed.

4. The Psychology of Numbers

A 3-point swing on the GRE (say, 160 to 163) just FEELS less dramatic than a 40-point swing on the GMAT (680 to 720) — even though those differences represent roughly equivalent performance gaps. Smaller numbers = less psychological weight for the person reading your file. It’s not rational, but admissions is a HUMAN process.

A Note on the GMAT Focus Edition

If you DO decide to take the GMAT, be aware that the GMAT Focus Edition (which replaced the old GMAT) has had some growing pains. Early concordance tables that mapped old GMAT scores to new Focus Edition scores turned out to be somewhat unreliable — actual scores have tended to come in LOWER than what the concordance tables predicted.

Need a concrete example? Stanford’s most recent class reported an average GMAT Focus score of 689 — versus 738 on the old 10th-edition scale. HBS’s median Focus score came in at 685. Those lower numbers reflect the Focus Edition’s different scoring — and they’re exactly why leaning on old concordance tables to set a target can mislead you.

The bottom line: if you’re using old concordance tables to set your GMAT target score, build in a buffer. And honestly? This scoring uncertainty is yet another reason the GRE may be the simpler, more predictable choice.

The Business Writing Assessment (BWA) Wrinkle

Here’s another thing to keep in mind: several top programs — including HBS and MIT Sloan — now require applicants who submit GMAT Focus Edition scores to ALSO complete an additional writing assessment (the BWA). This is because the new GMAT Focus Edition dropped the Analytical Writing Assessment that the old GMAT included, and these schools still want evidence of your writing ability.

The GRE, by contrast, still includes an analytical writing section as part of the standard test. So if you take the GRE, you’re done in one sitting. Take the GMAT Focus Edition for certain schools, and you’ve got an extra task on your plate. (I wrote a full explainer on the BWA here — short version: don’t panic, and as of late 2025 it’s free.)

(Speaking of writing: when you’re ready to tackle your MBA essays, ApplicantLab’s Career Vision and Why MBA modules walk you through building a compelling narrative step by step — the same frameworks I used to coach applicants when I was doing this full-time.)

When to Consider the GMAT

Look, I’m not saying the GMAT is NEVER the right choice. Consider the GMAT if ALL of the following apply:

• You’re historically a strong standardized test performer (90th–95th+ percentile on tests you’ve taken in the past)
• You’re confident you’ll score 30–50+ points ABOVE the school’s reported average
• Merit scholarship money is a primary goal (schools “buy” high GMAT scores to boost their rankings stats, so a sky-high GMAT can unlock scholarship dollars)

If all three of those are true, the GMAT could actually be a strategic asset. But if even ONE of those doesn’t apply, the GRE is likely your better bet.

Reasons to Avoid the GMAT

• Limited study time (the GMAT’s question-adaptive format rewards deep, sustained prep)
• You’re testing close to your application deadline with no time for a retake
• Your quant skills are rusty or you don’t have an advanced math background
• You’ve historically underperformed on standardized tests relative to your actual academic ability
• You’re in an over-represented applicant pool where GMAT scores are scrutinized especially harshly (looking at you, Indian male engineers in consulting)

“But the GRE Verbal Is Harder!”

Yes, GRE verbal IS harder in many ways — it tests obscure, pedantic vocabulary that has basically zero relevance to business. (When’s the last time a case study required you to know the word “perspicacious”?)

But here’s the thing: admissions committees care MORE about your quant ability. Students fail finance and accounting, not “human capital management.” A slightly lower verbal score on the GRE is much more forgivable than a slightly lower quant score on the GMAT.

For non-native English speakers specifically: strong TOEFL or IELTS scores can offset a lower GRE verbal. So can strong grades in English-language undergraduate or graduate programs. Schools tend to look at the full picture when it comes to English proficiency — they’re not going to reject you solely based on GRE verbal if everything else points to strong communication skills.

So What Should You Do?

For MOST applicants — especially those who aren’t elite standardized test performers — the GRE is the strategically superior choice for maximizing your admission chances at top MBA programs.

Lower relative performance on the GRE seems to be more easily “forgiven” in admissions than equivalent performance gaps on the GMAT. The data shows it, the incentive structures explain it, and the psychology of admissions reinforces it.

If you’re still unsure which test to take — or how your scores stack up against your target schools — ApplicantLab’s Strengths & Weaknesses module can help you figure out exactly where you stand. The module generates a personalized diagnosis report covering every dimension of your candidacy (not just test scores), and it’s available as part of a free trial — no credit card required.

Good luck out there. You’ve got this.