GRE to GMAT Conversion Chart: Can You Estimate Your Score?

Below you’ll find a useful chart to convert your GRE score into a (roughly) equivalent GMAT score. However—

GRE to GMAT Score Conversion Chart

If you must use a GRE to GMAT conversion tool, the conversion chart below will show you how your GRE quant scores and verbal reasoning scores might equate to a GMAT score.

Skip the Conversion Tools: Why You Need an Expert’s Opinion

For many students interested in applying for an MBA, the GRE seems like a natural starting point for their standardized testing requirement. For one, there is a persistent (and false) rumor that the GRE is “easier.” Plus, depending on your plans post-undergrad, you may have already taken the GRE, either for another graduate program or simply to have a score ready for the future.

Whatever the specific circumstances are, let’s say you already have a GRE score, and now you want to know, “what can this score tell me about my chance to score well on the GMAT?”

The short answer is: not much.

Consider the nature of each exam.

The GRE general test is an examination used not only for business school admissions but for many different graduate programs. It was developed by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), and it is expressly content driven. This means it might allow someone with a strong background in mathematics or in language to perform well in the section that most relates to their field, and do so with less prep. 

Conversely, the GMAT is designed to measure specific abilities related to higher-order thinking, as well as your ability to apply problem-solving techniques in a timely fashion. According to Chris Kane, Head of Test Prep at Menlo Coaching, “most people who sit down to take the GMAT without any form of prep will perform poorly. The GMAT requires that test takers learn how to play the game—and it’s a weird game—but nonetheless something that can be learned.” 

So what does this have to do with score conversion? The main takeaway is that you can never predict performance on the GMAT with a GRE score as input because the GMAT, to a much higher degree than the GRE, requires specialized preparation. Converting a GRE score will give you false data that could go either direction: perhaps you’ll determine that a competitive GMAT score is out of reach when you are more than capable of achieving it with the right prep; and perhaps you’ll determine that the GMAT is well worth the time-investment, only to learn that you are by nature better suited to the GRE.

At the end of the day, there is only one way to confidently assess your potential performance on the GMAT (or the GRE, for that matter)—speak with an expert in standardized testing.

During a strategy session call, you’ll be able to provide the expert with any relevant information, including your study history and experience with both tests, and he or she will be able to give you an informed opinion on the best next steps for your application.

GMAT to GRE Conversion Formulas

There are a few different methods for comparing GRE and GMAT scores.

If you do not want to use a conversion table, there are formulas you can use to calculate GMAT to GRE conversion by hand.

• GMAT (total score) = 6.38*GRE (verbal) + 10.62*GRE (quant) – 2,080.75
• GMAT (verbal) = 0.912*GRE (verbal) – 109.49
• GMAT (quant) = 1.243*GRE (quant) – 158.42

These formulas allow you to not only compare your GRE section scores to a total GMAT score but your GRE verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning scores directly to the corresponding GMAT verbal and quant scores.

Differences Between the GRE and GMAT

There are several notable differences between the GRE and GMAT exams, including the format, length, difficulty, scoring, adaptivity, and purpose of each exam.

In order to decide between the GRE and the GMAT, you should research all of these points thoroughly and speak to an expert. We cover these points in depth on our GMAT vs GRE: Which Exam Should You Choose? page.

Here is an abridged analysis of the differences between the exams:

• Format: with imminent changes coming for both the GMAT and the GRE, it’s important to monitor MBA.com the official ETS website for further information on the exams. However, as of right now, the GRE has Quant, Verbal, and Analytical Writing sections, while the GMAT has Quant, Verbal, and Data Insights.
• Length: The length of the previous version of GMAT was around 3 hours and 7 minutes, however the new GMAT Focus Edition streamlines the exam and bring the test time down to 2 hours and 15 minutes. Similarly, the new, shorter GRE Test takes less than 2 hours to complete, according to the ETS.
• Difficulty: there is no simple way to objectively compare the difficulty levels of the exams, as different test takers have different strengths and weaknesses. However, some more content-driven exam takers find they have an easier time studying for the GRE, while some business school applicants find their problem-solving skills mean that the learning curve for the GMAT is ultimately less steep.
• Scoring: GRE verbal and quant scores range between 130 and 170 per section contributing to a total score of up to 340, where GMAT scores contribute to a total score of between 200 and 800.
• Adaptivity: the GRE is section adaptive, while the GMAT is question adaptive. This means that in the GRE, the difficulty of one section will determine the difficulty of the following section, and in the GMAT, the difficulty of one question will determine the difficulty of the following question.
• Purpose: while both exams are sometimes used for the same grad programs, the GRE is used for a wide variety of programs ranging from the humanities to science, while the GMAT exam structure was designed by business schools for business school admissions.

Read more about the differences between the exams on our GRE vs the GMAT page.

Pros and Cons of the GRE

Deciding between taking the GRE and the GMAT is a choice many MBA applicants must face before applying to their target programs, and it’s important to consider the advantages and drawbacks of each option.

When it comes to the GRE, there are several advantages in pursuing this exam over the GMAT:

• A lower GRE score is less detrimental to your business school application than a lower GMAT score. This is because school rankings do not rely on GRE score averages of accepted classes.
• The quantitative section of the GRE is considered more accessible to those who might be “rusty” when it comes to math.

However, despite its growing popularity, there are some drawbacks to choosing to take the GRE instead of the GMAT:

• There is less information available on the average GRE scores of accepted classes.
• Taking the GRE does not demonstrate your dedication to receiving an MBA as much as the GMAT.

If you’re unsure about which test to take, contact our team of Test Prep experts who can offer you a strategy session before you commit to either exam.

Which Test Should I Take for Business School Admission?

Many schools do not explicitly express a preference for one test over the other as applications are evaluated in a holistic manner, with standardized tests only one component. However, it could be argued that the GMAT exam is a better choice as it is accepted by more business schools. Further, since the GRE is a newer exam, some schools are still relatively unfamiliar with it.

It is useful to take practice tests for both the GMAT and GRE when deciding which test to take. Practice tests will give you a predicted score range, with a minimum possible predicted score and a maximum possible predicted score.

The predicted score range suggested by the practice test will help you make an informed decision based on your own strengths. For example, if you find out that your predicted GMAT total score is higher than your predicted GRE scores based on the practice test, it would make more sense to take the GMAT.

However, you should keep in mind that predicted GMAT total scores are not always accurate. If you are unhappy with your practice test scores for both exams, you can reach out to test prep organizations to improve your predicted GMAT or GRE scores.

What Is a Good GRE Score for Business School?

Scores above the 75th percentile rank are often categorized as “good” GRE scores. For each section, GRE scores in the 75th percentile are listed below:

• Verbal reasoning score: 157
• Quantitative reasoning score: 162
• Analytical writing score: 4.5

Ultimately, a good GRE score is a score that makes you a competitive candidate for the program to which you are applying.

Your target GRE score range should be based on your research into the program’s GRE score statistics for admitted students and how competitive admission is, rather than GRE percentile scores. For a more competitive program, test takers may need to aim for a higher-than-average score to secure graduate school admission.

Further, since business schools have less GRE score data, you may need to refer to the GRE’s comparison tool or a GRE to GMAT conversion table when setting a target GRE score.

GRE tutors can significantly enhance your preparation strategy, offering personalized guidance tailored to your learning style. Explore our comprehensive GRE tutoring options today to ace the exam with confidence.

What Is a Good GMAT Score for Business School?

Depending on the program to which you are applying, a GMAT score above 650 is generally considered a “good” GMAT score.

But in order to win admission at a Top US Business School, GMAT score averages suggest that you should aim for a score (often significantly) higher than 700.

Top international business schools have different requirements and score distributions depending on the school. For example, the GMAT scores reported for London Business School admissions averaged 708, while the National University of Singapore Business School’s average GMAT score is only 670.

Although the total GMAT score is most important for business schools, GMAT score reports display section scores along with the total score. This allows you to better understand your score and learn which sections you need to brush up on if you decide to retake the exam.

Conclusion

Designed by the Graduate Management Admission Council to perfectly measure MBA program preparedness, the GMAT is the traditionally preferred standardized test for business schools. However, due to the increased acceptance of the GRE at leading business schools, the GMAT testing population is decreasing somewhat—but not becoming irrelevant.

Both GMAT and GRE exams equally measure your verbal ability, quantitative reasoning skills, and analytical writing competence. Therefore, both the GRE and the GMAT are well-respected standardized test options used for MBA program admissions all around the world.

GRE to GMAT score conversion may be necessary to figure out your chances of being accepted to your target program. The different exam formats make it impossible to perfectly equate GMAT and GRE scores. However, you can use the above GRE to GMAT conversion methods to figure out the approximate GMAT score equivalent to your GRE score.