Posted by - bhavi - on 20 December 2013 - 9:39am

• Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 20 December 2013 - 1:30pm

  Hi there,

  there is no right or wrong. Both is fine as long as the school accepts them. My personal experience is that the GMAT is more proliferated, at least in Europe. I cannot remember having seen a school that only accepts the GRE and not the GMAT. But I have seen schools that only accept the GMAT. Hence, the GMAT may be a safer option if you want to keep your doors open.

  best wishes
  Thomas

  Reply

• Posted by - Thomas Graf - on 20 December 2013 - 11:19am

  Hi there,

  than you for your message. Here are my thoughts:

  The first question is: Do the schools require and accept the GRE? Or do they require the GMAT only? Or do they neither require the GMAT nor the GRE? YOu can find this information on the schools websites. I don't know about a Master in Management program that requires the GRE and accepts the GRE only. Many programs require the GMAT and accept the GRE in addition. A general rule is that the GMAT score should not be less than 600 - which means a 68 percentage ranking - and this means a GRE of 300. This is a symbolic minimum range that most schools require (if they require the GMAT).

  Second, the question is what you mean by "top". If you mean those programs that are highly ranked, then these programs are highly selective. This means that they receive applications form people with much higher GMAT scores, so that 600 is not accepted as a minimum score anymore. In these cases, the minimum score is often around 640 or 650 and the average score around 700. Again, you can transfer these scores into percentile ranks and from this check the corresponding GRE scores.

  As for the schools in your list, I recommend you screening the websites of these schools carefully. You find indicators of the scores a school expects often in the admissions and eligibility sections as well as in the FAQ sections. At some schools, at least, you should find:

  • whether the schools require the GMAT only or open themselves to the GRE or even an on-campus test
  • what average scores are, at least for the GMAT. Then you can check the comparable GRE score in the internet.
  • what the range is

  I give you an example so that you can move on by yourself. The HEC clearly is a school in top ranking positions, not just in MIM rankings but also in MBA and other rankings. If you also inform yourself about the history of the HEC, you know that it is one of the most renowned French Grand Ecole programs. Hence, you can expect a high selectivity - and this means a high median GMAT score and this means a high median GRE score. If you screen their website you find that the median GMAT is 710.

  Median means not minimum but you can expect 640 or even more as the minimum you should achieve. Now you can d the same analysis with the other schools. Not all of these schools publish this information. But you will find if they require a GRE or GMAT at least and you can inform yourself about the history of each school - and then simply use the HEC as reference point. If a school is less ranked or less established, the GMAT (and GRE) average should be lower than HEC; and this means that also the minimum GMAT and GRE should be lower.

  Best wishes
  Thomas

  By Thomas Graf

  Reply

  • Posted by - bhavi - on 20 December 2013 - 12:44pm

    Hi Thomas,

    Thank you so much for your reply.

    SAI selection also takes GRE scores. What do you recommend me to write GRE or GMAT ?. I am a bit confused. For MIM programme which is appropriate to write GRE or GMAT?

    Reply