Hi, I'm a prospective MBA applicant. I was wondering why people take the GRE instead of the GMAT when applying to b-school. Is there any consequences in doing that? For example, can you still get a scholarship? You don't really affect the school's stats by taking the GRE, so I can see that as a plus if the rest of your application is stellar. Also, at some schools, the GRE scores are much lower than the GMAT scores when comparing on a percentile basis. I know it's difficult to evenly compare, but by simple estimation, it seems like applicants might use the GRE as a means to not damage the school's class profile for a given year. Thanks in advance!
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There are a couple of different buckets of people. Some people may have taken the GRE in undergrad or right after undergrad to prepare them for a degree that they didn't pursue. Why take the GMAT when you already have a valid GRE score? There are also candidates who want to do a dual-degree program and usually the MBA will take both the GMAT or GRE but the Masters (for example, MPP or MPA) will only take the GRE. This group then just takes the GRE. Then there is the group who have determined that the GRE is just a better exam for them and they prefer the style. More and more schools are reporting their GRE averages now -- and more and more students are applying with GREs -- so I expect we will see changes soon.
Re the GRE scores being lower on the percentile basis, you can dig into the data online but I believe there are fewer people taking the GRE from markets that tend to put downward pressure on percentiles. In the old days, 47 used to be the 80th percentile on the GMAT. Now it's like the 65th percentile.
Hope that helps!
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