MBA Applicants Still Opt for GMAT Despite BusinessSchools’ Increased Acceptance of GRE

The majority ofbusiness schools now permit MBA applicants to submit scores from either theGraduate Record Exam (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT),but few applicants are opting for the GRE, according to a recent survey byKaplan Test Prep.

In its 2012survey of business school admissions officers, Kaplan found that 69 percent ofschools now accept either test. When Kaplan first began tracking the issue in2009, only 24 percent of schools said they accepted the GRE. In a statementannouncing the results, Kaplan attributed the increase in large part tocampaigning by the GRE test administrator.

在其2012年调查商学院的招生人员时，卡普兰发现，69％的学校接受GRE。当卡普兰第一次在2009年开始跟踪这一问题，只有24％的学校表示他们接受GRE。在一份宣布结果的报告中，卡普兰表示GRE的增长在很大程度上归功于GRE考试委员会的争取。

But even in themidst of increased acceptance of the GRE, students seem to be sticking with theGMAT, which has more traditionally been the entrance exam of choice forbusiness schools, Kaplan found. Almost half (46 percent) of business schoolssurveyed said that fewer than 1 in 10 applicants submitted GRE scores in themost recent application cycle. Though the majority of business schools (69percent) say they view scores from both exams equally, 29 percent say thatapplicants who submit a GMAT score have an advantage over those who submit aGRE score.

Thirty-onepercent of business schools continue to accept only the GMAT, and of those,only 17 percent expect to begin accepting the GRE for the next admissionscycle. One in four of the GMAT-only schools say that the new IntegratedReasoning section added to the GMAT exam in June 2012 makes it even less likelythat they will begin accepting the GRE.

“As long asbusiness schools signal the slightest advantage in taking the GMAT, it’s hardto see more applicants going the GRE route,” Andrew Mitchell, Kaplan Test Prepdirector of pre-business programs said in a statement. “Our advice to students:take the GMAT if you plan to apply only to business school, but if you’reunsure whether your path will take you to graduate school or business school,consider taking the GRE,” he continued.