Both GMAT and GRE is enough to study business

If one is eager to apply to business schools or to Master’s courses abroad, then they should know that most business schools accept both GMAT and GRE scores. Taking the GRE examination can allow one to apply to both MS and MBA programs whereas if one wants to sit for the GMAT then they can take admission to a host of Indian business schools as well apart from abroad ones.

Which examination to sit for?

Well, it absolutely depends on an individual whether they want to take the GMAT or the GRE examination. But there are a few things that one should know so that they can decide on which examination to sit for.

Both GMAT and GRE are computer based examinations which check the reasoning skills of the examinees. Hence the question types and syllabus for both the examinations are quite similar. The test score validity for both is 5 years and one should not worry to apply to MS and MBA programs a year or two later. But there are some differences between these 2 examinations.

• The test fee of GMAT examination is slightly higher as compared to the GRE test fee.
• GMAT is an adaptive examination. Every question that one answers decides the difficulty level of the next question. If one gets an answer right, then the next question that appears on the screen is more difficult. But if one makes the mistake then the next question is easier. GRE on the other hand is a section adaptive examination. One’s performance in the first section decides the difficulty level of the next section.
• GRE examination allows one to skip questions and review them to go back so that they can change the answers. GMAT does not allow that as it is question adaptive.
• There is a common thing which is a 30 minutes of argument analysis section in both the examinations. GRE has an additional of issue task which requires one to construct their own argument by taking a stand and supporting it with some evidence from the argument.
• GRE is a more vocabulary intensive examination as compared to GMAT. Many test takers can find it quite challenging. GMAT on the other hand is not much vocabulary dependant. It focuses more on the reasoning skills.
• GRE has no data sufficiency question whereas GMAT has around 8 to 11 of them.
• GMAT has at least 10 questions of Integrated Reasoning which involves combining, synthesising and manipulation of the information present in the graphs, charts and tables.

Which is easier to crack?

If one wants an answer to this, then it completely depends on one’s strengths and aptitudes. Most students prefer taking GRE though as they find GMAT to be more challenging. But for both the examinations one has to prepare a lot. One can enrol to GMAT coaching classes Hyderabad or GRE classes for better preparation.

There is no real need to convert the GRE score into GMAT score as most B schools accept both of them.