You took the GRE, the score came back lower than you needed, and now you're wondering if a different test would have gone better. It's a reasonable question. It's also one that leads a lot of applicants to waste three months and $275 chasing a number they could have earned on the test they already started.
Switching from the GRE to the GMAT Focus Edition is a strategy, not a shortcut. The right question is not "which test is easier" but "which test format actually plays to my strengths."
The Real Reason to Switch Tests
Most applicants who consider switching are trying to solve a score problem by changing the test. That only works when the test format is the problem.
A low GRE score from inadequate prep will produce a low GMAT Focus score for the same reason: not enough practice, not enough content mastery. The format changes, but the gap does not. Switching tests in this situation burns time (minimum 8-12 weeks to prep for a new test) and money ($275-$300 for the GMAT registration fee, plus new prep materials) without addressing the actual issue.
Switching makes sense when the format of the GRE genuinely disadvantages you relative to the GMAT Focus format. Not when the score was low. When the format was the wrong fit.
When the GMAT Focus Format Works Better for You
The GMAT Focus Edition and the GRE test similar underlying reasoning ability but do it differently. There are three situations where the GMAT Focus format tends to produce better results for applicants who underperformed on the GRE.
First: your Quant is strong but your GRE Verbal score is dragging down your total. The GRE Verbal section is vocabulary-heavy. Text completion and sentence equivalence questions require specific knowledge of advanced vocabulary. If you're a strong analytical thinker who just hasn't built that vocabulary bank, the GMAT Focus Verbal section sidesteps this entirely. It dropped sentence correction and now focuses on critical reasoning and reading comprehension. Logic, not vocabulary. That's a meaningful format difference.
Second: you're a data-oriented thinker who would do well on Data Insights. The GMAT Focus has a section the GRE doesn't: Data Insights (20 questions covering multi-source reasoning, graphics interpretation, table analysis, and two-part analysis). If you work in consulting, finance, engineering, or any field that involves analyzing data from multiple sources and drawing conclusions, this section may actually be an advantage for you rather than a burden.
Third: you're targeting programs that historically skew GMAT. Most top programs now accept both tests equally. But some programs, and some admissions readers, remain more familiar with GMAT score interpretation. HBS, Wharton, and Booth all report GMAT medians significantly higher than the equivalent GRE median would suggest. This isn't a reason to switch on its own, but it's worth factoring in if you're targeting a school where GMAT submissions still dominate.
When to Stay on the GRE
Staying with the GRE and prepping harder is the right call in most situations.
If your GRE Verbal score is your strength, switching is almost certainly wrong. The GRE rewards verbal ability through a vocabulary-intensive format that the GMAT Focus has largely abandoned. A 164V on the GRE signals something specific to an admissions reader. Switching to GMAT Focus means competing on a logic-based Verbal section where that vocabulary advantage evaporates.
If you scored 320 or above, retaking the GRE with better preparation is lower risk than switching. At 320, you're already in range for most programs. You know the test format, you've built a baseline, and a focused 8-week push on your weaker section is more efficient than restarting from zero on a new test.
If your score was low because you didn't prepare enough, switching tests solves nothing. Both tests reward preparation. A student who studied 10 hours for the GRE will also score low on the GMAT Focus. This is the most common trap: the test feels unfamiliar after low prep, so applicants assume the other test would be more natural. It won't be.
How to Compare Scores Across Tests
There is no official direct concordance between the GRE and GMAT Focus Edition. What exists is a two-step conversion: GRE to old GMAT (200-800 scale) via an ETS tool, then old GMAT to GMAT Focus (205-805 scale) via a GMAC concordance table. Each step carries error, so treat any conversion as a rough range, not a precise equivalency.
The key reference point for the old-to-new GMAT conversion: an old GMAT 700 equals approximately a GMAT Focus 645.
Approximate GRE to old GMAT conversions (based on the ETS concordance, plus or minus 50 points depending on your V/Q split):
- GRE 310: approximately old GMAT 550-590
- GRE 315: approximately old GMAT 590-620
- GRE 320: approximately old GMAT 620-650
- GRE 325: approximately old GMAT 650-680
- GRE 330: approximately old GMAT 680-710
For program medians, here's where the top programs sit:
- HBS: GRE 164V/164Q, GMAT Focus 730
- Stanford GSB: GRE 164V/164Q, GMAT Focus 689
- Wharton: GRE 162V/163Q, GMAT Focus 676
- Columbia: GRE 163V/163Q, GMAT Focus 690
- Booth: GRE 163V/163Q, GMAT Focus 675
- Kellogg: GRE 162V/162Q, GMAT Focus 687
- Haas: GRE 161V/162Q, GMAT Focus 675
These are full-class medians. Deferred MBA programs often report separate stats, and the admitted pools tend to run slightly lower than the full-class median. The point is to know where you stand relative to the program, not just the test.
The Decision Framework: Take a Diagnostic First
The only way to make this decision with real information is to take a diagnostic on the other test before you commit. Not a practice section. A full-length, timed diagnostic under test conditions.
If you're on the GRE and considering GMAT Focus, take a free GMAT Official Practice Exam (GMAC offers two free full-length exams at mba.com). Your starting point on the GMAT Focus tells you whether the format shift actually produces better results for you. If your GMAT Focus diagnostic comes in higher than your GRE starting point adjusted for test familiarity, the format may genuinely suit you better. If it comes in the same or lower, stay on the GRE.
This is the actual decision framework: compare starting points across both tests, not final scores. Switching tests only makes sense if the GMAT Focus diagnostic shows a meaningfully better baseline.
What Switching Actually Costs
The numbers are worth being specific about. Registering for the GMAT Focus costs $275 at a test center or $300 for the online format. GRE registration is $220. If you already paid for GRE prep materials, you'll need new GMAT-specific prep resources as well.
More significant than the money is the time. Starting a new test from zero requires at minimum 8-12 weeks of focused preparation to reach the same level of test familiarity you have on the GRE after studying for it. That's two to three months of prep timeline that gets reset.
On retake policies: the GRE allows retakes after a 21-day wait, with a maximum of five attempts in any 12-month period. The GMAT Focus allows retakes after a 16-day wait, also with a maximum of five attempts in 12 months. The GRE's ScoreSelect policy lets you choose which scores to send, so programs only see what you share. The GMAT Focus lets you see your score before deciding to send it, and you get five free score reports in the 48 hours after your exam.
Where to Prep
If you decide to retake the GRE, The Deferred MBA's GRE course ($25/month) includes over 19,000 practice questions, concept lessons for every tested topic, a 14-question diagnostic that identifies your exact weak areas, and a full vocabulary system. It's built specifically for deferred MBA applicants who need to hit a target score efficiently. GregMat, Magoosh, and Kaplan are also worth considering. GregMat runs around $9/month and covers the fundamentals well. Magoosh is more structured at around $179 for a six-month subscription. Kaplan is the most expensive option and best suited for students who want live instruction.
If you switch to the GMAT Focus, GMAC's own Official Practice materials are the most accurate for score prediction. Kaplan and Manhattan Prep have strong GMAT Focus courses as well.
Action Steps
-
Take a full GMAT Focus diagnostic (free at mba.com) before making any decision. Compare your starting score to your current GRE baseline. This is the only data point that matters for the switch decision.
-
Run the two-step score conversion on your current GRE score using the ETS concordance tool and the GMAC old-to-Focus concordance. Get a rough GMAT Focus equivalent and compare it to the target programs on your list. Check our guide on GRE score chances by program to calibrate where you stand.
-
If you scored below 315 on the GRE because you underprepared, commit to a 10-week GRE retake plan before considering a switch. Read our GRE retake strategy guide for the full breakdown.
-
If your diagnostic confirms the GMAT Focus is a better format for you, read our GMAT Focus Edition guide and the GMAT retake strategy before registering.
-
Review the full GRE vs. GMAT comparison if you're still weighing both options at the same time, or the companion guide for applicants switching from GMAT to GRE if you started on GMAT instead.
The GRE course is $25 per month with a free diagnostic if you decide to stay on the GRE. The playbook's test strategy module covers how to make the test decision based on your full application profile. If you're unsure which test to commit to given your specific profile, timeline, and target programs, coaching can help you build a testing strategy that accounts for all of it.