The GMAT changed on April 16, 2018. The Quantitative Reasoning Section dropped from 37 questions in 75 minutes to 31 questions in 62 minutes. The Verbal Reasoning Section dropped from 41 questions in 75 minutes to 36 questions in 65 minutes. GMAC has elected to reduce overall exam time from 4 hours to 3.5 hours (including breaks and instructions) by reducing the number of unscored questions used for research on the exam.
More than 1,200 MBA programs now accept scores from the GMAT or GRE for business school admissions, and that means more options for you. Before you decide which test to take, research the business schools you’re interested in and find out if they will accept GRE scores instead of GMAT scores.
GMAT vs. GRE Structure & Scoring
| GRE | GMAT | |
|---|---|---|
| Why Take It | The test is required for admission to most graduate schools and a growing number of business schools. | The test is required for admission to most business schools. |
| Test Structure | The GRE consists of a 60-minute Analytical Writing section – with two essays at 30 minutes each. There are two 30-minute Verbal Reasoning sections. There are two 35-minute Quantitative Reasoning sections. There’s also a 30-35 minute experimental section that can be either math or verbal. | The GMAT consists of a 30-minute Analytical Writing section with one essay, a 30-minute Integrated Reasoning section, a 62-minute Quantitative section and a 65-minute Verbal section. |
| Test Format | Offered as a computer adaptive by section exam. Paper version only offered in areas of the world where computer-delivered testing is not available. | The GMAT is a computer-adaptive test. |
| How It’s Scored | Verbal and Quantitative scores from 130 to 170 in 1-point increments. | The overall, or composite, GMAT score ranges from 200 to 800 in 10-point increments. |
| Cost | $205 | $250 |
| Testing Time | 3.75 hours (Computer) — 3.5 hours (Paper) | 3.5 hours |
| How Long Are Scores Valid For? | 5 years | 5 years |
The best way to determine whether the GMAT or GRE is better suited to your abilities is to get your feet wet with a practice test for each exam.
Take a Free GRE Practice Test | Take a Free GMAT Practice Test
No matter which test you decide to take, you’ll have to prepare if you want to get a good score that get you admitted in the academic course you want.
PREPARE FOR GRE
PREPARE FOR GMAT