Do Business Schools Take Your Highest GMAT or GRE Score

How MBA programs treat multiple scores

Business schools that accept both the GMAT and the GRE generally state in their admissions FAQs that they consider your highest score when you submit more than one attempt. This mirrors how most graduate programs across disciplines handle retesting: a stronger later score works in your favor, and an earlier lower score does not weigh down your file once the higher one is on record.

Neither test caps how many times you can attempt it over your lifetime, which is part of why schools default to a highest-score policy. The GMAT Focus Edition allows up to 5 attempts in any rolling 12 month period with a 16 day wait between sittings. The GRE General Test follows the same 5 attempts per rolling 12 months structure, with a 21 day wait between attempts. Both testing bodies leave the door open for repeated retesting rather than blocking it after one or two tries.

Score validity and what to send

GMAT scores stay valid for 5 years from your test date, so a strong score from an earlier application cycle can still count if you reapply within that window. This matters if you took the GMAT years before deciding to apply, since you may not need to retest at all if your existing score still meets your target programs' typical ranges.

Because reporting mechanics differ by testing body and can change between admissions cycles, confirm directly with mba.com or each program's admissions office how your score reports are sent and whether you control which attempts a school can see. Do the same with ETS for GRE score reporting rules before you register for a repeat attempt.

Choosing which test to retake

If you have scores on both the GMAT and the GRE, most MBA programs that accept either test will consider your best score on whichever test you submit, and many let you submit your strongest test rather than requiring both. Compare your percentile performance across sections rather than raw scores, since the two tests use different scales, and lean toward retesting on whichever exam better matches your strengths in quant or verbal reasoning.

Before committing to a retake, review your target programs' middle 80% GMAT and GRE ranges, published in their class profiles, to judge whether another attempt is likely to move your application meaningfully.