GMAT and GRE – a comparison
How does the GMAT compare to the GRE? Some pointers are mentioned below.
GMAT & GRE – Comparison of the exam formats, focus areas, scores and fees
Let us first focus on the test formats.
Focus Areas
Let us take a look at the test contents and the corresponding focus areas.
| GMAT | GRE |
|---|---|
| QUANT | |
| Number properties & Inequalities Arithmetic – percents, interest, ratios, rate and work, rate and distance Geometry – triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, circles, solids Algebra – equations, functions Statistics Combinatorics, probability, & sets | Number properties & Inequalities Arithmetic – percents, interest, ratios, rate and work, rate and distance Geometry – triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, circles, solids Algebra – equations, functions Statistics Combinatorics, probability, & sets |
| Focus: Numbers, Inequalities, Arithmetic, Geometry | Focus: Arithmetic, Numbers, Algebra |
| Questions are tricky and more involved Types – MCQ or Data Sufficiency No calculators allowed | Questions easier, more direct Types – MCQ (one or more options correct), Quantity Comparison, or Numeric Entry On-screen calculator allowed |
| VERDICT – TRICKY, DIFFICULT | VERDICT – DIRECT, EASIER |
| VERBAL | |
| Reading comprehension, logic based Critical Reasoning, grammar & usage based Sentence Correction | Reading comprehension, vocabulary based Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence |
| Focus: Grammar and logic | Focus: Vocabulary |
| VERDICT – DIFFICULT, but you have an advantage if you can analyze situations logically | VERDICT – DIFFICULT, but you have an advantage if your vocabulary skills are good |
| ANALYTICAL WRITING | |
| 1 essay – analyze an argument | 2 essays – analyze an argument and an issue |
| INTEGRATED REASONING | |
| Charts, graphs and logic based reasoning | No such section |
A few other points of comparison
Comparison of Scores
The GRE has come up with a tool which can be used to compare GMAT and GRE scores and get a decent idea of where you stand in case you want to decide with which score to apply. The tool is old, but will serve the purpose in most cases.
A few of the scores have been presented below. However, this should be good enough to give an idea of the other scores as well (taken from the GRE score conversion tool by ETS).
Hope you have now got a good idea about how the GMAT compares to the GRE.
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