GMAT vs SAT: A Complete Comparison

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Last Updated on November 23, 2023

If you’re planning to take the GMAT to apply to MBA programs and you took the SAT, you may be looking for a GMAT vs. SAT comparison. You may be wondering, “Is the GMAT harder than the SAT?” or “Will my GMAT score be like my SAT score?” So, in this article, I’m going to answer those questions and more.

Here are the topics we’ll cover:

• The Purposes of the GMAT and the SAT
• GMAT Math vs. SAT Math
  • Data Interpretation on Both Tests
• GMAT Verbal vs. SAT Reading and Writing
• SAT vs. GMAT Difficulty
  • Time Pressure
  • Adaptivity
• GMAT vs. SAT Score Comparison
• Is the GMAT More Important Than the SAT?
• Is the GMAT the Hardest Test?
• The GMAT vs. the SAT: In Summary
• What’s Next?

Let’s begin to understand how the GMAT and SAT compare by considering the purposes of the two tests.

The Purposes of the GMAT and the SAT

The GMAT and the SAT are both used to measure the skills of applicants for admission to schools of higher education. Nevertheless, there are some key differences between the purposes of the two tests.

One difference is relatively obvious. The GMAT is used for testing applicants to graduate schools of business only. On the other hand, the SAT is used in admissions to undergraduate programs in a variety of fields of study. So, the GMAT is a specialized test meant for applicants to one type of advanced program, whereas the SAT exam serves a more general purpose.

Another difference between the two tests involves how admissions officers use them. To an extent, schools use both tests for comparing applicants and assessing applicant readiness to handle coursework. However, the GMAT is used much more for comparing applicants than the SAT, which tends to be used more for confirming applicants’ readiness for the challenges of a particular school.

In other words, when considering GMAT scores, admissions officers are considering who is strongest. In considering SAT scores, admissions officers are more confirming that applicants’ skills are strong enough.

Now that we understand how the purposes of the two tests differ, let’s compare the math on them.

GMAT Math vs. SAT Math

An interesting fact about GMAT math and SAT math is that both involve high school-level math. That’s right: even though the GMAT is taken by college graduates, it doesn’t involve advanced math. In fact, it doesn’t even involve some of the more advanced math that appears on the SAT, such as trigonometry.

However, the fact that the GMAT doesn’t include math as advanced as some on the SAT doesn’t mean that GMAT math is easier than SAT math. The math questions on the GMAT are both different from and more challenging than SAT math questions.

As we’ve discussed, the SAT is used primarily for assessing applicants’ readiness to handle undergraduate coursework. So, the SAT math section is designed to test general math skills. Accordingly, while SAT math questions often work somewhat differently from typical high school math questions, they’re relatively straightforward. So, students who have mastered high school math, such as algebra and geometry, generally handle SAT math well.

In contrast, the purpose of the math questions on the GMAT is to test skill in advanced mathematical reasoning. This purpose makes sense, since the GMAT is an entrance exam for business school. In business school, students don’t use many math concepts but must reason mathematically.

The GMAT tests mathematical reasoning skills primarily by using two types of questions. They are Problem Solving questions that require test-takers to calculate an answer and Data Sufficiency questions that require determining whether provided information is sufficient for finding an answer.

The math involved in GMAT Problem Solving and Data Sufficiency questions isn’t complex. However, the thinking necessary for answering the questions is advanced. So, GMAT math questions are challenging even for test-takers who are strong in high school math. Thus, they are harder than SAT math questions.

Data Interpretation on Both Tests

Both the GMAT and the SAT have questions that involve data interpretation. On the SAT, these questions appear in the Math section. On the GMAT, they appear in their own section. Like the questions that appear in the GMAT Quantitative section, the data interpretation questions that appear on the GMAT don’t involve advanced concepts that don’t appear on the SAT. However, as you might have guessed, GMAT questions that involve data interpretation are trickier than SAT questions that involve data interpretation.

So, overall, GMAT math is harder than SAT math because of the reasoning necessary for answering GMAT math and data interpretation questions.

Let’s now compare the verbal portions of the two tests.

GMAT Verbal vs. SAT Reading and Writing

Like GMAT and SAT math, GMAT Verbal and SAT Reading and Writing differ because of the difference between the purposes of the two tests. As we’ve begun to see, the GMAT is mostly a test of reasoning skills, whereas the SAT tests both reasoning and general academic skills. So, as you might expect, all GMAT Verbal questions emphasize use of reasoning, whereas some SAT Reading and Writing questions test basic verbal knowledge.

For instance, GMAT Critical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension questions involve very little advanced vocabulary. In contrast, the SAT tests the use of somewhat advanced vocabulary by means of Words in Context questions. The SAT also includes questions involving transition words or punctuation to test basic writing and grammar skills that the GMAT doesn’t test.

Still, GMAT Verbal and SAT Reading and Writing test many of the same skills. For instance, they both test skill in determining the purpose of a passage or the implications of written statements. Also, the SAT has questions involving command of evidence that are similar to GMAT Critical Reasoning questions. Furthermore, both the GMAT and SAT test general skills such as comprehension of written material and attention to detail.

Overall, the skills tested by GMAT Verbal and SAT Reading and Writing are rather similar and have become more similar with the changeover to the digital SAT. So, the main differences between the two tests are the following. First, the SAT tests writing skills not tested by the GMAT. Second, and possibly the biggest difference, GMAT Verbal questions are simply more difficult than SAT Reading and Writing questions.

Let’s now compare the difficulties of the GMAT and the SAT.

SAT vs. GMAT Difficulty

As we’ve seen, the questions on the GMAT are more difficult than those on the SAT. Even though the math questions on the SAT use some concepts that are more advanced than those involved in GMAT math questions, SAT math questions are not as difficult to solve as GMAT math questions. Similarly, SAT Reading and Writing questions are easier to answer than GMAT Verbal questions.

So, we already have the sense that the GMAT is the harder of the tests. However, there are also other reasons why the GMAT is harder.

Time Pressure

Though both the GMAT and the SAT have time limits, the time pressure of the GMAT is more challenging than that of the SAT. The GMAT is designed specifically to challenge test-takers to think quickly and find ways to answer questions under time pressure. The design of the SAT is such that time pressure is a less significant factor.

Adaptivity

The GMAT is a question-adaptive test, meaning that as a GMAT test-taker answers questions correctly, the difficulty of the questions increases. Also, since the GMAT is question-adaptive, GMAT test-takers can’t skip around sections and answer questions in any order. They must answer GMAT questions in order of presentation.

In contrast, the paper-based SAT is not adaptive at all, and the digital SAT is section-adaptive, rather than question-adaptive. So, on either version of the SAT, test-takers can skip around and answer questions in any order they want.

Thus, the GMAT’s question-adaptive format adds challenging aspects to the test that the SAT doesn’t have.

So, we can see that overall, the GMAT is a more sophisticated and more difficult test than the SAT.

Now, you may be wondering how GMAT scores and SAT scores compare. Let’s discuss.

GMAT vs. SAT Score Comparison

GMAT and SAT scores are strongly correlated. In other words, people’s performances on the GMAT tend to be similar to their performances on the SAT. This correlation is not surprising, since the GMAT and the SAT test many of the same skills.

At the same time, the GMAT is harder. So, the SAT to GMAT conversion of scores is not direct. Rather, if you were to take the GMAT after preparing for the SAT, you’d score comparatively lower on the GMAT. For example, if you scored 1440 on the SAT, you might score around 620 on the GMAT without additional preparation, or around 100 points lower than your average SAT section score.

Meanwhile, with GMAT prep similar in intensity to your SAT prep, all else equal, you’d likely score on the GMAT a little lower than your average SAT section score. So, if you scored 1450 on the SAT, you’d likely score around 700 on the GMAT with prep similar to your SAT prep.

That said, many people prepare for the GMAT more intensely than for the SAT. Thus, they score, in comparative terms, significantly higher on the GMAT. So, in making this score comparison, we’re discussing how people score with a normal amount of prep, not what’s possible.

If you’d like to see how you’d score on the GMAT, you can take one of the free official practice tests available on mba.com. To get an accurate score, you should first use the study materials that come in the Starter Pack with the practice tests, to familiarize yourself with the GMAT.

Let’s now answer a couple of additional questions that come up about the GMAT and the SAT.

Is the GMAT More Important Than the SAT?

To business schools, the GMAT is about as important as the SAT is to undergraduate colleges and universities. In both cases, schools consider scores on the test along with other components of an applicant’s profile, for the purpose of getting a complete picture of the applicant.

However, to business schools, GMAT scores are more important relative to GPAs than SAT scores are relative to GPAs to undergraduate schools. The reason for this difference is that business school applicants often have been out of school for years, whereas most college applicants are still in high school. So, GMAT scores are often better indicators of applicants’ current skills than GPAs.

Is the GMAT the Hardest Test?

While the GMAT is harder than the SAT, it would not be correct to say that the GMAT is the hardest standardized test. The LSAT is arguably harder than or at least as hard as the GMAT exam. Also, there are other standardized tests, such as the Fundamentals of Engineering test, that are clearly harder than the GMAT. So, while the GMAT is hard, the GMAT is not the hardest standardized test.

Let’s now wrap up by summarizing what we’ve discussed.

The GMAT vs. the SAT: In Summary

Here is what we’ve seen in comparing the GMAT and the SAT.

• The purposes of the GMAT and the SAT are different, the GMAT being more specialized and more used for comparing applicants than the SAT, which tends to be used confirming applicant readiness to handle coursework.
• While SAT math includes some topics more advanced than any topics included in GMAT math, GMAT math questions are harder than SAT math questions.
• GMAT Verbal and SAT Reading and Writing largely test similar skills. However, GMAT Verbal questions are harder than SAT Reading and Writing questions.
• The GMAT is more difficult than the SAT because the GMAT has harder questions, involves more intense time pressure, and is question-adaptive.
• People who prepare similarly for the GMAT and the SAT tend to achieve GMAT scores that are a little lower than their average SAT section scores.

What’s Next?

If you’ve decided to take the GMAT, check out our post on how to start studying for the GMAT.

For advanced GMAT preparation tips, check out this post on how to increase your GMAT Quant score and this one on how to score high on GMAT Verbal.