MBA
GRE Scores & Submission Rates At the Top 50 U.S. MBA Programs
Last Updated on April 27, 2024 by Robert C. Hoopes
Title: Rebound in GRE Submission Rates at Top U.S. Business Schools Signals Shift in Admissions Trends
According to a recent analysis by Poets&Quants, the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) has seen a significant rebound in submission rates for MBA applications at leading U.S. business schools in 2023. This marks a departure from previous reports that indicated a plateau in GRE submissions.
Out of 54 top business schools analyzed, 23 saw an increase in GRE submission rates, averaging a 7.6 percentage point rise. On the other hand, 19 schools experienced declines in GRE submissions, with an average decrease of over 9 percentage points. This indicates a shift in the trend towards more applicants choosing the GRE over the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
Stanford Graduate School of Business emerged as a leader in GRE scores, with an average of 164 in Quant and Verbal. Meanwhile, Yale School of Management had a median score of 166 in Quant and 164 in Verbal. The GRE is gaining popularity at more schools, with 16 reporting higher submission rates for the GRE than the GMAT in 2023, up from nine the previous year.
The release of streamlined versions of both the GRE and GMAT in late 2023 and early 2024, along with fewer test-optional schools, is expected to further influence the rivalry between the two tests. Over the past seven years, 19 schools in the top 50 have seen double-digit growth in GRE submission rates, while only four experienced double-digit declines.
The proportion of schools with a higher GRE than GMAT submission rate doubled in 2023 to 16, with the average rate at these schools surpassing 30%. The top 10 business schools saw a shift towards more GRE submissions, with an average submission rate of 50% for the GMAT and 32.3% for the GRE in 2023.
Overall, these trends suggest that the GRE is becoming increasingly favored by MBA applicants at top business schools, signaling a potential shift in admissions criteria and preferences among prospective students.
