GRE for MBA Admissions

By Muntasir Aug 05, 2026 6 min read

TL;DR

Most business schools now accept the GRE instead of requiring the GMAT. ETS reports 92 percent of business schools accept GRE scores alongside GMAT scores, and more than 1,300 schools worldwide accept GRE scores for some or all MBA programs. Among test takers who submit GRE scores to business programs, 82 percent get accepted into at least one program, and 81 percent get into one of their top three choices. No official GRE to GMAT score converter exists. ETS retired its old comparison tool, and GMAC states the two scores are not convertible. Check each program's published median GRE score to gauge where your score stands.

Business schools once required the GMAT. Today, hundreds of MBA programs treat the GRE and GMAT as equal options, and the choice sits with the applicant. Understanding how admissions committees read each score, and how the two scales compare, helps you pick the test suited to your strengths and target programs.

This guide covers why business schools accept the GRE, why no official score converter exists between the two tests, how MBA admissions committees weigh Quant against Verbal, and how the Analytical Writing score fits alongside your application essays. It also walks through a step-by-step process for deciding between the two tests for a given program. For a full breakdown of the exam itself, see our GRE overview.

Why Business Schools Accept the GRE

ETS tracks GRE adoption among graduate business programs each year. Its published figures cover school acceptance, program counts and applicant outcomes. The numbers show wide acceptance:

92 percent of business schools accept the GRE alongside the GMAT.
The GRE General Test is accepted by more than 20,000 business, law and graduate programs worldwide.
More than 1,300 business schools worldwide accept GRE scores for some or all of their MBA programs.

Outcomes for GRE-submitting applicants back up this trend. Among test takers who send GRE scores to business programs, 82 percent are accepted into a program, and 81 percent get into one of their top three choices, per ETS data. Check each target program's admissions page to confirm it accepts GRE scores for the specific MBA track you want.

Converting a GRE Score to a GMAT Score

No official converter turns a GRE score into a GMAT score. ETS once published a GRE Comparison Tool for Business Schools, a converter predicting an equivalent GMAT score from a GRE score. The tool no longer exists on the ETS site, and ETS confirms it does not publish a score conversion table for GRE vs. GMAT. Applicants are directed to look up each school's published median GRE scores instead.

GMAC, the organization behind the GMAT, backs this up. GMAC states GRE scores are not convertible to GMAT scores, or vice versa, and notes the old comparison tool's methodology relied on a data sample over a decade old. GMAC's recommendation: take the GMAT if you need to know your GMAT score.

GRE Score Scale and What MBA Applicants Typically Score

The GRE General Test scores Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning separately, each on a 130 to 170 scale in 1-point steps. Analytical Writing is scored from 0 to 6 in half-point steps. The table below compares business-intended test takers against the overall GRE test-taking population, based on ETS data from July 2022 through June 2025.

Section	Scale	Business-intended mean	Overall test-taker mean
Verbal Reasoning	130-170	154	151.39
Quantitative Reasoning	130-170	160	157.62
Analytical Writing	0-6	3.7	3.46

Test takers intending business graduate study average higher on Quant than the overall GRE population, and their Verbal average also sits above the overall mean. ETS reports these means by intended field of study, not for admitted MBA students, so treat them as a peer benchmark rather than an admissions bar. See our guide to what counts as a good GRE score for context beyond the business-school average.

Quant vs Verbal: How MBA Programs Weigh Your Score

ETS does not publish a fixed weighting formula for Quant versus Verbal in MBA review, since each admissions committee sets its own priorities. ETS data shows test takers intending business study average higher on Quant (160) than on Verbal (154), a spread reflecting the numerical demands of MBA coursework in finance, accounting and statistics. A Verbal score in line with or above the business-intended average signals strong reading and reasoning skills for case studies and communication-heavy coursework.

Build your study plan around both sections rather than one at the expense of the other. Our GRE Quant Reasoning guide covers the math content and strategy needed to hit a competitive Quant score. Pair it with regular Verbal practice so both scores land near or above the business-intended means.

GRE or GMAT: How to Decide for Your Program

Since no official converter links the two scales, deciding between GRE and GMAT starts with each program's own admissions page, not a translated score. A short checklist keeps the decision grounded in published program data. Work through these steps:

Confirm the program accepts GRE scores. More than 1,300 business schools worldwide accept GRE scores for some or all MBA programs, but requirements vary by program within a school.
Look up the program's published median or middle-80-percent GRE range for admitted students. This replaces the retired ETS conversion tool as your benchmark, since GMAC and ETS both confirm no valid score conversion exists.
Weigh your Quant and Verbal strengths on the GRE's 130-170 scales against the GMAT Focus Edition's combined 205-805 total across Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning and Data Insights.
Factor in your timeline, budget and which test format fits your strengths.
Read our GRE vs GMAT comparison for a section-by-section breakdown of both exams.
If some of your target programs make testing optional, see our guide to test-optional grad programs before you decide whether to submit a score at all.

Once you land on the GRE, use our free GRE score calculator to work out your total score and percentiles from your section scores. The calculator is free with no signup required. Set your target scores from the program medians you researched, then plan your study blocks around the gap.

Analytical Writing and Your Application Essays

The GRE Analytical Writing section is scored from 0 to 6 in half-point increments, separate from the Verbal and Quant scales. Business-intended test takers average 3.7, above the overall test-taker mean of 3.46. Both figures come from ETS score data covering July 2022 through June 2025.

Admissions committees read Analytical Writing alongside your personal statement and essays, not instead of them. A strong AW score signals structured argument and clear writing under time pressure, skills carrying into case-based coursework and cover letters. Treat AW prep as a complement to your essays, not a replacement: sharpen the same skills of clear structure and evidence-based argument in both. See our GRE Analytical Writing guide for scoring criteria and practice prompts.