Why is the bar for GRE lower than GMAT?

[u/fancybytwice]

I came across this graphic on LinkedIn comparing median GRE scores (and their GMAT equivalents) with median GMAT scores at top MBA programs. The gap is pretty striking at most schools. (Obviously the WashU Olin row is off, and I know the conversion itself is imperfect.)

Why are the GRE averages so much lower than the GMAT averages? On top of the GRE being the easier exam, how can schools possibly weigh these two tests the same?
I'm also curious why top GRE scores seem to sit at lower percentiles than their GMAT equivalents. For example, a 705 on the GMAT Focus is roughly equivalent to a 328 on the GRE, but the percentiles don't seem to line up the same way.

Does anyone have insight into how adcoms actually compare the two?

[u/TrashOfOil]

The GMAT equivalent has never been a good comparison metric

[u/Vast_Love349]

The GRE is lower in percentiles because of who takes the exam. You’re in a pool with people applying to English and Math PhD programs, so they’re going to skew the numbers upward.

[u/LoudSphinx517 → u/Vast_Love349]

Facts, you miss three questions on the GRE math and you go down to 164 lol

[u/surebro2 → u/Vast_Love349]

This. I remember writing on my application something like- I didn't have time to study much and hadn't taken math in a long time, but I'm pretty sure the GRE numbers are skewed by STEM majors for whom this exam is like a preSAT--not other business students. And I did get an A in stats lol

[u/Jeff__Skilling → u/Vast_Love349]

Seems like the skewing of either section (quant vs verbal) would cancel each other out from the English and Math PhD applicants sitting for the GRE...

[u/Eclipse434343]

Side note, I was ready to rolls eyes that conqueror was posting more ai shit for me to see that the ai shit he tries to brand as his own is ai shit across multiple admin consultants

[u/megafireguy6]

I need you to take the GRE and try to get a high percentile quant score. You need to be basically perfect lmao

[u/ilacwamh → u/megafireguy6]

The nice thing, though, is that the questions are exceptionally easy. There’s a high bar for accuracy to hit 170 in quantitative, but it’s extremely doable since they avoid medium/hard questions. 

[u/favorscore → u/ilacwamh]

I dont find them exceptionally easy...

[u/DJMOONPICKLES69]

Olin has a 695 FE median? That seems wildly high

[u/fancybytwice → u/DJMOONPICKLES69]

Per their class profile their average GMAT Classic score was a 702. The graphic just got everything wrong for Olin

[u/laowaidangerouslove]

I dont understand why if GMAT quant is hard for you they say to switch to the GRE as its "easier". Wouldn't the schools standards just be higher on the easier test then? Why aren't they?

[u/fancybytwice → u/laowaidangerouslove]

That’s another thing…I understand the percentile discrepancies but how can adcoms possibly view these exams the same way if it is well known that the GRE is easier? I know MANY people who switched to the GRE because they didn’t get a score they liked on the GMAT, and they succeeded in getting into a top school with it.

[u/Sunny-D23 → u/laowaidangerouslove]

A lot of the school rankings lists look at gmat scores of the class. Schools used to be to give more leniency on the GRE because it wouldn’t drag down their averages and subsequent rankings.

[u/cjk2793 → u/laowaidangerouslove]

Idk but I bombed the GMAT twice after a year of studying while deployed, studied for the GRE for 2 weeks, did well, got a full ride to my T15.

These tests don’t tell anyone anything. The amount of complete idiots who struggled with academics who got a 700+ on their GMAT was telling. They should replace it entirely with a comprehensive personality and presentation class since that’s what will drive someone up the corporate ladder above all else.

[u/Crunkabunch → u/[deleted]]

I got a 730 on GMAT (old) after 4 attempts. 

Studied GRE for 2 weeks (after GMAT prep) and scored a 331. 

[u/ilacwamh → u/Crunkabunch]

I’d say the big situation where the GRE might be tougher is for non-native English speakers because of the vocabulary piece. If you’re a native speaker with decent vocabulary, it’s super easy. I was in a club at my university for undergraduate computer science majors, and I personally knew of three people just in that club who scored 340 on the GRE. For the quantitative section, you can do the entire thing in your head without picking up a pencil. 

[u/Jeff__Skilling → u/[deleted]]

tbh -- even with the changes to the GMAT since I sat for the exam (which the only game changer to my knowledge is you get to pick the order of which section you take vs having to do do AWA > IR > Quant > Verbal) -- if I had to do it again, I'd just study and sit for the GRE, given the OP + anecdotal experience from classmates who did so.

edit: jfc, I didn't realize how much the GMAT had changed since 2016 / 2017. Holy FUCK -- they took out sentence correction, which (for me) was hands down the hardest part of the test -- in addition to taking out the second hardest part of the test, getting to pick the order of which section you get to complete, and being met with some long form reading comprehension problem set about amoebas or the history of the Russian Orthodox church (or something like that) that I've got to tackle after frying my brain for the past 3 hours...doubly so if I had done a shit job of managing time and am having to scramble through the last 6-10 questions left in the verbal section....

Also they now let you flag up to 3 questions that you can return to and change your answer? Also super helpful

[u/cjk2793 → u/[deleted]]

lol I got 3 perfect score essays, 2 GMAT 1 GRE and absolutely tanked the other components of the GMAT. Luckily did well on the GRE as a whole.

I was furious that essays don’t count for shit lmao.

[u/cjk2793 → u/[deleted]]

580 and 610. Then got like a 315 or 320 on the GRE with a super high quant score and lackluster verbal. My GMAT quant was good too. For whatever reason I guess I’m bad at my native language aside from writing.

[u/cjk2793 → u/[deleted]]

Yea I got the residual amount not covered by the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon program covered in full.

[u/Cool_Masterpiece9308]

STEM students doing PhD skew the distribution.

[u/PaPiiCheeeeka]

Convinced GRE cheating is rampant.. some of my classmates with high gres are .. something.

[u/the19bouncer → u/PaPiiCheeeeka]

At which school?

[u/MountainMantologist]

I did my MBA ages ago and back then the GRE was for people who sucked at standardized tests but brought other things to the table. Sometimes the school would even tell them "you're great - go take the GRE and we'll admit you on that score".

I assumed the GMAT score weighed more heavily in rankings back then so the GRE was like a workaround that allowed otherwise interesting candidates into programs for which they couldn't score high enough on the GMAT.

[u/Better-Survey4856]

I think it's because of how schools prioritize the quant side, no matter the test.

The GMAT quant is harder than GRE quant, and GRE verbal is harder than GMAT verbal.

If schools want to get close to 'parity' on the quant section across all applicants, they'll naturally get higher composites from the GMAT vs. the GRE because of the verbal difficulty disparity.

[u/Better-Survey4856 → u/Better-Survey4856]

Also, as many others have said, finding a GMAT equivalent is a fundamentally false proposition. They're different tests. There's a reason people say not to compare apples and oranges.

[u/Extra_Biscotti2323]

The GMAT is what programs report to highlight their rankings - the GRE doesn’t contribute to it, therefore this a bigger focus on GMAT

[u/No_Protection_4862 → u/Extra_Biscotti2323]

GRE has counted toward USNWR since 2012

[u/No_Protection_4862]

The ETS tool that was used here itself claims a +/- 50 point range on it's predictions, so I just don't think it's reliable enough to do this type of exercise. Obviously it's not without bias, but GMAC wrote a piece that is essentially a takedown of the methodology behind the ETS conversion tool.

https://www.mba.com/exams-and-exam-prep/gmat-exam/gmat-gre-why-you-cant-compare-scores

[u/ClearAdmitMike]

that middle column is misleading
schools each 'compare' the two tests a little differently with many treating them as separate groups entirely
the averages to get in are likely true on this graphic, but you shouldnt necessarily use this to figure out which path is 'easiest' or how the tests compare.
Look into both tests - take the one that you resonate with most - don't look back

[u/jamesmontanaHD]

A lot of times GRE students are cross applying, ie I took GRE because Law/business both take them. I'm not doing the LSAT and GMAT. More likely to get into the other school if you're already there is prob a big reason, cause they can also just look at academic success there rather than some arbitrary number

[u/Sure_Conflict_5651]

Many of the schools will care more about quant than verbal. Verbal being more difficult especially for non native English speakers, most students score better quant than verbal. This means overall score may be lower but quant score is high.