The most important test decision for Indian students going abroad — GRE or GMAT? Here is the 100% unbiased, data-backed answer. 0% Commission Charged.
Get Personalised Test GuidanceThe GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) — administered by ETS — is a general graduate admissions test used by MS, MA, MFA, and some MBA programs. It tests Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. The GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) — now rebranded as GMAT Focus Edition (2023) — is specifically designed for business school (MBA) admissions, testing Data Insights, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning.
| Factor | GRE | GMAT Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | MS programs (CS, EE, DS, Engineering, Sciences, Humanities) | MBA and business master's programs globally |
| Score Scale | 130–170 (Verbal & Quant separately); 0–6 AWA | 205–805 (single score); no separate AWA |
| Test Duration | ~1hr 58min (new shorter format) | ~2hr 15min |
| Accepted By MBA Programs? | Yes — most top MBA programs (M7) accept GRE now | Yes — all MBA programs globally |
| Quant Difficulty | Easier for Indian engineers (GRE quant is 10th–12th grade level) | Harder — data sufficiency, multi-source reasoning |
| Verbal Section | Heavier vocabulary (sentence equivalence, text completion) | More passage-based reasoning; lighter vocabulary |
| Prep Time | 2–4 months (60–120 hours) | 3–6 months (100–200 hours) |
| Test Fee | $220 (approx ₹18,000) | $275 (approx ₹23,000) |
| Score Validity | 5 years | 5 years |
Targeting MS (CS, EE, Data Science, Engineering)? Take the GRE. It is the standard, more relevant, and cheaper. Indian engineers typically score 162–168/170 on quant with moderate preparation. Targeting MBA? Take the GMAT Focus — it is still the gold standard for M7 and European business schools, and a strong GMAT score signals business aptitude better than GRE equivalent scores. Undecided between MS and MBA? Take the GRE — most MBA programs now accept it, giving you flexibility.
GRE: 320+ total (165+ quant, 155+ verbal) is competitive for top-50 US MS programs. 325+ for CMU, MIT, Stanford, Cornell, UIUC. GMAT Focus: 645+ for top-30 global MBA programs; 685+ for M7 (Wharton, Booth, Kellogg, Sloan, HBS, Columbia, Haas).
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