Do B-Schools Prefer GMAT or GRE?

The most reliable source for test preference trends is US News & World Report’s annual MBA ranking data, which collects GMAT and GRE submission rates across the top 50 US programs. The 2024 cycle data shows a clear and consistent pattern.

Across the top 25 US programs, GMAT’s average share fell from 54.2% in 2022 to 42.7% in 2024, while GRE rose from 29.6% to 32.6%. Of the top 50 programs, 17 now receive more GRE than GMAT submissions, nearly double the count from 2022. This is a structural shift, not a short-term fluctuation.

The key takeaway is that GRE applicants are now a substantial proportion of admitted students at virtually every top program. Admissions committees at schools like Harvard and Stanford have been evaluating large numbers of GRE applications for years and are fully equipped to assess them. Being a GRE applicant at these schools carries no disadvantage.

The GMAT Focus Edition launched in late 2023. It removed the Analytical Writing section and replaced the Integrated Reasoning section with Data Insights, which combines graph interpretation, data sufficiency, and multi-source reasoning. For a full breakdown of what changed, see our GMAT Focus Edition guide.

One nuance that most GMAT vs GRE comparisons miss: at most top schools, GRE score averages convert to lower GMAT equivalents than the GMAT average for the same cohort. This is not a sign of lower standards for GRE applicants. It reflects the fact that GRE applicants come from a broader academic background and are evaluated on a different mix of profile factors.

For specific score benchmarks at top US and Indian programs, our GRE scores for MBA guide and GMAT scores for top business schools guide cover each school’s averages and ranges.

The single most reliable way to make this decision is to take a full-length practice test for both and compare your scores against each school’s published averages. If you score above the median on one test and below on the other, the choice answers itself. If both scores are similar relative to your targets, other factors like preparation resources, test format preference, and application portfolio width should guide you. For a full side-by-side breakdown of the two tests, see our GMAT vs GRE guide.

This is one area where the GMAT may have a measurable advantage for some applicants. Schools report GMAT scores to ranking agencies, which creates an incentive for admissions teams to reward very high GMAT scores with merit scholarships to improve their reported averages. A GMAT score significantly above a school’s median is a clearer signal for scholarship consideration than an equivalent GRE score, because the scoring scales differ and GMAT scoring precision at the high end (ten distinct scores in the 99th–100th percentile range) makes differentiation easier.

If merit scholarship is a primary goal and you are confident you can score well above a school’s GMAT median (typically 30–50 points above), the GMAT is the stronger choice for that purpose. If scholarship is not a primary consideration or your score would likely land at or below the median, this factor does not change the calculus.

For Indian programs, both tests are accepted at ISB, IIM executive programs, and newer private institutions. ISB PGP explicitly states no preference between GMAT and GRE. The Class of 2026 average GRE at ISB is 327; the average GMAT Focus score is approximately 665. For candidates applying to both ISB and international programs, the GRE’s broader acceptance makes it the more efficient choice if scores are comparable.

For the flagship two-year PGP programs at IIM Ahmedabad, IIM Bangalore, and IIM Calcutta, Indian residents still require CAT. Neither GMAT nor GRE substitutes for CAT in those programs.