The Standardized Test – Oh My!

You’ve got all your materials lined up for your chosen Master of Science Program, and you’re staring down the testing requirement. GRE or GMAT? GMAT or GRE?

Can’t decide? Need some help preparing? Look no further.

Usually the first – or the last – thing our applicants complete for their application is their standardized test. It can be overwhelming. Which test should I take? What if I don’t score high enough? How to I prepare to ensure that I do? Can I retest? All of these questions and more are answered right here!

If you’ve started your application process, you’ll know that the Master of Science Programs accepts either the GRE or GMAT (we accept both the in-person and at home versions of both exams). One of the many questions our admissions team is asked is, “Which test do you prefer?” Either one! Our committee generally does not have a preference. However, once you’ve submitted one test score, if you need to retest, check with your specific program regarding your retest. Some admissions committees will be open to you swapping tests while others may ask you to take the same test again.

There are some pros and cons to each test, so use these tips to help decide which test might be right for you.

Choosing a Test

The GMAT is looked at by most large consulting and investment banking companies because they use your score as a baseline qualifier for the recruiting process.  If consulting or investment banking are in your sights, this means that the GMAT is the best choice because you could take it once and use your score for both your MS application as well as your career recruitment profile.

The GMAT is simply more common among business school students, so recruiters will have more experiences assessing skills of applicants based on the GRE. However, if you’re in a field like our MS Marketing degree, which typically does not operate through recruiting, you may be better suited to the GRE.

Most graduate business programs only started accepting the GRE as an alternative to the GMAT within the last decade. Alumni and hiring companies are simply more familiar with the GMAT and its score scale. However, as it currently stands, the MS degrees here at UT see about half and half scores submitted each year, and our students have an excellent post-graduation career placement rate. So while the GMAT is still the prevalent exam within most business schools, our students are seeing success no matter which test they choose to take.

Preparing for the Test

Whether you’re taking the GRE or GMAT, we strongly encourage that you dedicate some time to studying for and preparing yourself for the test. Most students are spending anywhere from 50 to 200 hours preparing for standardized tests. There is no minimum score for any of our MS degree programs, but they are a strong factor in the admissions committee consideration of your application. Keep in mind that since we are quantitatively-based Master of Science degrees, our admissions committee is especially taking into consideration your quantitative test scores. Don’t ignore the qualitative side, though! As business degrees, we’re interested in candidates who have great communication skills as well as an ability to handle data and numbers.

Sometimes it’s the little things. Bear in mind that the GRE is about 3 hours long and the GMAT is about 3 and a half hours – so you need to be mentally ready! Don’t cram the night before, get a good night’s sleep, and eat beforehand. No one wants to go into a test on an empty stomach!

GMAT Test Prep Resources

For the GMAT, look no further than MBA.com. No longer a website for just MBA applicants, our MS applicants can utilize these resources to help them get ready for the GMAT. This page will help you understand how to spend your time studying, how to manage test anxiety, and there’s even a quiz to come up with your own customized study plan! You’ll also want to take some practice exams. GMAT offers a number of official practice exams – you’ll need to download the free test prep software to access their two free practice tests. These two are almost identical to what you’ll see on test day, so it’s important to take it seriously and note where you’re having issues.

As you go through the practice tests, it’s as important to understand what the test is asking you to do as it is to understand portions you are struggling with. Consider keeping an error log to identify not only what section you struggle at but also if there’s a time pattern (did you miss most of your questions around the two hour mark? This can help you mentally prepare to give yourself a boost around that time in the real test!).

GRE Test Prep Resources

Consider starting at ETS’ own free resources. They provide some great options to review Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and the Analytical Writing portions of the test. There are also options to take sample tests via POWERPREP online. It will not only get you ready for the format of the actual test (navigating between questions, types of questions, etc. ); it will also give you a good gauge of what materials you need to brush up on more.

Feel like you may need a little more preparation? Here are some recommended practice tests and resources you can get new or used to help you get ready.

1. Barron’s 6 GRE Practice Tests (Barron’s)
2. Official GRE Verbal Reasoning Practice Questions & Official GRE Quantitative Reasoning Practice Questions (ETS)
3. Princeton Review GRE Premium Prep (Princeton Review)

Retesting

If you take your test and feel like you could score higher or you’ve submitted your application and the admissions committee has asked for a new score, try not to stress over your retest. Check out this blog regarding preparing the retest – you’ll see the FIRST piece of advice is to lower your anxiety. There’s also some great advice on accessing more practice tests and checking which resources you used to prepare the first time. Identify new resources, identify points of struggle, and work on improving those rather than doing another holistic study review. The upside to a retest is that you should be at least somewhat familiar with what’s coming, which is a significant portion of the battle when it comes to test-taking.