Which test do top-50 MBA programs prefer: GMAT or GRE?

About 2,400 business schools worldwide accept Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) scores for admission to MBA and other programs, while around 1,300 accept the Graduate Record Exam (GRE). This includes all leading B-schools in the United States. Annually, over 150,000 individuals take the GMAT, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), while more than 40,000 take the GRE for admission to graduate business schools, according to Educational Testing Service (ETS). However, a recent analysis by Poets&Quants reveals that both exams are at a crossroads.

The GMAT has seen declining preferences among test-takers, while the GRE experienced a surge during the pandemic, but that growth has now stalled. In the short term, the GMAT is likely to remain the go-to entrance exam, with the GRE serving as a viable alternative. However, as more schools adopt holistic approaches to admissions and offer pathways that do not require standardized tests, both the GMAT and GRE could fade away in the long run. It’s worth noting that waivers for test requirements have become increasingly prevalent, with some schools offering them to applicants with certain qualifications or work experience.

Ultimately, the decision of whether to take the GMAT or GRE and pursue a waiver is left to the discretion of admissions committees.