How can you convert your GRE score to a GMAT score? And should you? We get questions all the time on the topic of the GRE versus the GMAT. Our GRE-taking clients want to know what their equivalent GMAT score would be to ensure that they fall within the GMAT range for their target schools. Unfortunately, no exact conversion for these tests exists. Although you can plug your GRE score into the ETS site to see the general range of equivalent (“predicted”) GMAT scores, that does not give you the full picture!
Most U.S. business schools accept both the GMAT and the GRE (and some even accept the executive assessment—we see you, Columbia Business School and NYU Stern!), but the GRE has historically trailed the GMAT as the standardized test of choice for MBA programs. However, it has gained significant traction in recent years, and now, approximately 30% of applicants to the top 25 business schools submit GRE scores. Because of the GRE’s “newer” status, though, the range of acceptable GRE scores has historically been a bit more flexible than the range of GMAT scores.
Take, for example, Kellogg’s admissions stats: the average GMAT score for incoming members of the Class of 2025 was 731. The median GRE scores for this same group of students were 163 Verbal and 163 Quant. According to the ETS conversion tool, these GRE scores equated to a predicted GMAT score of 690, more than 50 points lower than the school’s average. Essentially, Kellogg admitted candidates who had a lower “equivalent GMAT” when they submitted the GRE instead.
So, the conversion of a particular score does not convey one’s chances of admission based on that score. Using the Kellogg stats just mentioned, if a candidate with the school’s median GRE score (163) had converted that number to a predicted GMAT score (690) and assessed their chances of admission based on that information, they would have likely assumed that their chances were low. They might not have even applied to Kellogg as a result! But, given Kellogg’s median GRE score, we know this process is clearly more of an art than a science, and the definition of a “strong” GRE score simply varies more widely. Pay more attention to a school’s GRE score ranges than to its average GMAT figure.
If you have questions about your test scores, need some basic guidance on your application essays, or wonder which schools you would be competitive at, you can start getting answers from an experienced mbaMission consultant. Sign up for a free 30-minute consultation with one today!
