Average GRE Scores At The Top Business Schools

The GRE cis becoming the preferred test for an increasing number of students, and an increasing number of candidates are getting into business schools by submitting GRE scores rather than — or in addition to — scores from the traditionally preferred Graduate Management Admission Test.

• 8 schools surpass 30% in admits with GRE scores.
• 11 schools saw a drop in GRE admits between 2015 and 2016, though of those declines, six were of just 1 percentage point. 
• 24 schools saw increases, ranging from 1 percentage point to 24 points in a single year. 
• 9 schools continue to have GRE admits in the single-digit percentages
• 18 have eclipsed 20% and eight have surpassed 30%, led by Boston University’s Questrom School of Business, where a remarkable 42% of the 2016 intake were admitted with GRE scores.

Other notable schools: 

1. Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School (39%, up from 15% in 2015)
2. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Business (36%)
3. Southern Methodist University’s Cox School of Business (35%, up from 12% in 2015),
4. Washington University’s Olin Business School (34%)
5. Georgia’sTerry School of Business (31%). 

The previous year’s high-level mark for GRE scores was owned by Yale School of Management, with 23%.

At Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, the percentage of admits with GRE scores tripled in the three years from 2013 to 2015, from 4% to 12%. Last year it dipped to 11%, but according to Anneli Richter, assistant dean of admissions, that may be an aberration.

Rise Of The GRE

Over the last several years, an increasing number of business school applicants have been admitted with Graduate Record Exam scores in place of Graduate Management Admission Test scores. The trend shows no signs of letting up, with a handful of schools seeing double-figure jumps between 2015 and 2016.

Percentage Of Incoming Class With GRE Scores

Percentage Of Incoming Class With GRE Scores

Rise Of The GRE

Stanford Scores Best — Again

Just as it did the previous year, Stanford GSB in 2016 edged out Yale SOM in overall average GRE score with 329 to Yale's 328, though Yale topped Stanford in Verbal scores, 165-164. In 2015, Stanford was the top school for average GRE with 328, better than Yale by 2 points.