Both the GRE and GMAT are taken on a computer and have the same basic sections: quantitative, verbal and writing. Both are also timed tests, divided into sections, and they require multiple hours to complete. The GMAT allows approximately 3 1/2 hours for completion, and the GRE allows for approximately 2 1/2 hours.
While at one time both tests were administered by the Educational Testing Service, now only the GRE is administered by this company. The GMAT is now administered by the company ACT and a division of Pearson.
The quantitative section of the GRE is 45 minutes, and it contains word problems and
quantitative comparison questions. The GMAT's quantitative section is 75 minutes and contains word problems and data sufficiency questions. Both the GRE and GMAT test participants on high school-level arithmetic, algebra and geometry.
Word problems are simply math problems in sentence form. Testers must choose the best of five answers.
GMAT:
Data sufficiency questions comprise of a question followed by two different statements. Testers must determine whether the information in the two statements is sufficient to lead to a solution to the problem.
GRE:
The GRE uses quantitative comparison questions instead of data sufficiency questions. These are GRE's unique creations in the world of standardized testing because testers do not actually have to solve them. They must only compare two values to determine which is greater.
Data sufficiency questions are widely regarded as more difficult to master.
The GRE verbal section lasts for 30 minutes, and contains questions on analogies, antonyms, sentence completion and reading comprehension. The GMAT verbal section is 75 minutes, and consists of questions on critical reasoning, sentence correction and reading comprehension.
GMAT:
Critical-reasoning questions test your ability to use logic to evaluate a short statement or an argument. Sentence correction questions consist of a sentence in which testers must identify and correct errors in grammar and usage in an underlined portion.
GRE:
The GRE allows less time and contains three additional question types: analogies, antonyms and sentence completions. All are vocabulary-dependent. Analogies test a participant's ability to recognize relationships among words ("An apple is to red as a peach is to..."). Antonym questions test a participant's ability to choose a word opposite in meaning to the one she is given. Sentence completion questions contain a sentence with one or two words or phrases missing. Testers must pick the best-fitting phrase or word from a list of choices.
The writing sections on the GRE and GMAT are very similar. Both sections give the tester two prompts--one asking the tester to analyze an issue, and the other asking the tester to analyze the logical validity of a short argument and argue a position.
A Computer Adaptive Testing (CAT) format is used for both tests. The CAT format tests a participant's abilities along the way and chooses questions to ask based on his ability to answer them. More difficult questions are worth more points. For example, the system will begin with easy questions. If the tester answers those correctly, it will move on to harder questions. If not, then it will continue giving the easy ones. Testers want the harder questions, as they are worth more, and correctly answered ones will raise their overall scores.
The GRE gives three different scaled scores. Both the verbal and quantitative sections are scored on a scale of 200 to 800. The analytical writing section is scored on a scale of 0 to 6.
The GMAT gives four different scaled scores. Both the verbal and quantitative sections are scored on a scale of 0 to 60. The analytical writing section is scored on a scale of 200 to 800. A total score is provided on a scale of 0 to 6.