How is This Calculated?
Our GRE to GMAT Focus converter uses percentile-based matching rather than simple mathematical formulas. This approach compares your competitive positioning across both exams by matching percentile rankings from official data sources. Here's how it works:
Step 1: We determine your GRE Verbal percentile (e.g., 165 = 95th percentile) and GRE Quant percentile (e.g., 165 = 76th percentile) using official ETS data from July 2020-June 2023.
Step 2: We calculate two weighted percentile averages: (a) Equal weighting (50% Verbal + 50% Quant) for balanced academic programs, and (b) Business-focused weighting (40% Verbal + 60% Quant) reflecting the quantitative emphasis of MBA programs.
Step 3: We find GMAT Focus scores that match these calculated percentiles using official GMAC data (July 2019-June 2024), giving you a score range rather than a single point estimate. This range shows your competitive positioning across different weighting methodologies.
Why percentile matching? GRE and GMAT test-taker populations differ significantly. GRE includes humanities students, engineers, and scientists (broader pool), while GMAT test-takers are exclusively business school applicants (more competitive, quant-heavy). A 75th percentile GRE score doesn't equal the same competitive strength as a 75th percentile GMAT score—percentile matching accounts for these population differences more accurately than pure mathematical conversion formulas.
Understanding Your Score Range
Unlike other converters that provide a single "converted" score, we display a range (e.g., GMAT 645-675). This approach is more honest and useful because:
Different programs weight skills differently: Some MBA programs value balanced candidates (equal V/Q weighting), while others prioritize quantitative skills (business-focused weighting). Your actual competitive positioning depends on each school's evaluation criteria.
Statistical estimation limitations: Score conversion is inherently approximate. Test-taker populations change over time, and individual strengths vary. A range acknowledges this uncertainty and gives you a realistic bracket for comparison rather than false precision.
Application strategy: If your GRE score converts to a range of GMAT 645-675, you can confidently apply to programs where the median GMAT is 650-660. The range helps you understand your competitive positioning more realistically than a single point estimate that might be artificially inflated or deflated.
GRE vs GMAT Focus: Key Differences
Format & Duration: The GRE is a 3-hour 45-minute exam with separate Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing sections. The GMAT Focus Edition (launched 2023) is a shorter 2-hour 15-minute exam with Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Data Insights sections—notably removing the AWA and Integrated Reasoning from the classic GMAT.
Scoring Scales: The GRE uses a 130-170 scale for Verbal and Quant (total 260-340), while GMAT Focus uses a 205-805 total scale with section scores ranging from 60-90. This fundamental difference makes direct score comparison impossible without conversion tools.
Test-Taker Populations: GMAT test-takers tend to be exclusively business school applicants with strong quantitative backgrounds, creating a more competitive quant percentile distribution. GRE test-takers include a broader academic population, which affects percentile rankings. For example, a GRE Quant 165 (76th percentile) might reflect similar mathematical ability to a GMAT Quant score in the 80th-85th percentile range.
Which Test Should I Take?
Take the GRE if: (1) You have a strong vocabulary and reading comprehension skills, (2) You're applying to both MBA and non-business programs, (3) You prefer the flexibility to skip and return to questions within a section, or (4) You perform better with less time pressure per question.
Choose the GMAT Focus if: (1) You excel at quick quantitative reasoning and data analysis, (2) You're exclusively targeting MBA programs, especially top-tier schools where GMAT is still the dominant test, (3) You prefer a shorter, more focused exam format, or (4) Your quant skills significantly outweigh your verbal abilities.
Pro tip: Use this converter to see which of your existing scores presents you more favorably. Many successful applicants take official practice tests for both exams and choose the one where their percentiles are strongest. Remember, admissions committees care about your percentile ranking relative to other applicants, not just your raw score.
Pro tip: Use this converter to see which of your existing scores presents you more favorably. Many successful applicants take official practice tests for both exams and choose the one where their percentiles are strongest. Remember, admissions committees care about your percentile ranking relative to other applicants, not just your raw score.
