Key takeaways
- Committees are score-agnostic at the median. The GMAT still signals quant confidence for finance. Test-optional rarely means test-blind.
The official line and the real one
Every top-100 program accepts both tests, and admissions officers insist they are indifferent. Our conversations with eleven admissions offices suggest a subtler picture.
When the GMAT helps
Candidates targeting finance-heavy programs still gain a measurable signal from a strong GMAT quant score, because banks screen on it during recruiting.
When the GRE is the right call
Dual-degree applicants and career changers from non-quant fields convert at equal rates with the GRE, and its format rewards different preparation.
helpdesk