MBA GMAT vs GRE

Register through: https://www.mba.com/exams/gmat

The GMAT is taken by people who plan to attend business school and/or an MBA program. It’s used almost exclusively for admission to these types of programs.

The GMAT has four separate sections:

1. Quantitative Reasoningmeasures your ability to analyze data and draw conclusions using reasoning skills
   • This section has 37 questions
   • Multiple choice: Mainly algebra, geometry, and data sufficiency
2. Verbal Reasoning—measures your ability to read and understand written material, to evaluate arguments and to correct written material to conform to standard written English
   • This section has 41 questions
   • Multiple choice: Mainly grammar and sentence structure
3. Analytical Writing Assessmentmeasures your ability to think critically and to communicate your ideas-Not required for CSU and UC Graduates.
   • This section consists of one 30-minute essay
   • (4.5 and above satisfies GWAR requirement)
4. Integrated Reasoning—measures your ability to analyze data and evaluate information presented in multiple formats (Not considered for our MBA program)
   • This section has 12 questions

The Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning sections of the GMAT are computer-adaptive, meaning the difficulty of the test tailors itself in real-time to your ability level. This feature allows the exam to assess your potential with a higher degree of precision and deliver scores that business schools trust.

Here’s how it works: The first question you receive in either the Verbal or Quantitative sections will be of medium difficulty. As you answer each question, the computer scores your answer and uses it as well as your responses to any preceding question to select the next question. If you answer the first question correctly, the computer will usually give you a harder question. If you answer the first question incorrectly, your next question will be easier. This process continues until you complete the section, using responses to all previously answered questions, at which point the computer will have an accurate assessment of your ability in that subject.

You will not be able to skip, return to, or change your answers to questions. This is because the computer uses your response to each question to select the next one.

If you take the GMAT, the most important score you receive will be your composite score, which can range from 200 to 800. The composite score takes only your scores from the Verbal and Quantitative sections into account. The score range for Analytical Writing is 0-6. The GMAT is computer-based, and it is an adaptive test. This means that, when you begin the Quantitative and Verbal sections, the first question you see in each section will be relatively easy. If you answered that question correctly, the next question will be slightly harder, and if you answered incorrectly, the next question will be slightly easier. This process continues throughout the entire section for both Quantitative and Verbal. Once you answer a question on the GMAT, you can’t go back to it. Adaptive testing is used to get accurate scores by selecting specific questions with varying difficulty levels from a larger pool.

Register through: https://www.ets.org/gre

The most significant difference between the GMAT and the GRE is that the GRE is used as part of admissions for a wide variety of graduate school programs, while the GMAT is only used to apply to business schools.

The GRE has three major sections: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Analytical Writing.

1. Quantitative Reasoning—measures your ability to understand, interpret and analyze quantitative information, solve problems using mathematical models, apply basic skills and elementary concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis
   • This section has two 20-question sections (40 total)
   • Multiple choice: solve algebra, geometry, trigonometry
2. Analytical Reasoning— measures your ability to analyze and draw conclusions from discourse; reason from incomplete data; identify author's assumptions and/or perspective; understand multiple levels of meaning, such as literal, figurative and author's intent
   • This section has two 20-question sections (40 total)
   • Multiple choice: sentence structure, vocabulary
3. Analytical Writing— measures your ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively, support ideas with relevant reasons and examples, examine claims and accompanying evidence, sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion, and control the elements of standard written English.
   • This section consists of two essays, each of which you will be given 30 minutes to write
   • (4.5 and above satisfies GWAR requirement)

The GRE will also include one 20-question research section which will NOT be included as part of your score. This will be either a Verbal or a Quantitative section, but you will not know which section the research section is in.

Like the GMAT, the score range for GRE’s Analytical Writing section is 0-6, in half-point increments. Both Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning are scored the same way. Their score range is 130-170, in one-point increments. The three section scores are generally reported separately and not combined into a single composite score.

The GRE gives you the option of computer-based, or written testing format and it is section-level adaptive. This means that your score on the first 20-question section of either Reasoning sections will affect the difficulty of the second 20-question section.

Unlike the GMAT, where each individual question determines the difficulty of the next question, on the GRE, your score on the entire section determines the difficulty of the next section on that subject. On the GRE, you can return to questions you have already answered within a section.