Most MBA hopefuls, no matter how much they dread sitting for an exam, will have to buckle down and study for the GMAT. But for prospective business students in a few specific situations, MBA programs might offer some flexibility on their test requirements.
A few test-optional MBA programs allow applicants to apply without a GMAT or GRE test scores, but those are highly unusual, experts say. MBA programs more commonly allow applicants to request a test waiver. If that request is granted, the applicant is exempted from the school’s standardized test requirement.
Requirements for test waivers vary between MBA programs, experts say. But the most important factors are generally work experience, advanced degrees and undergraduate GPA, experts say.
“We generally would not consider a waiver for applicants with little to no work experience, with only an undergraduate academic experience, as that can be quite different from the pace and rigor and environment of a graduate program,” Sharon Hill, assistant dean and director of graduate admissions with the McCallum Graduate School of Business at Bentley University, said in an email.
Some experts are skeptical about whether it is ever wise for MBA applicants to opt out of standardized tests.
Dan Bauer, chairman and founder of the MBA Exchange admissions consulting group, says MBA applicants severely restrict their business school options when they decline to take the GMAT or GRE, since most MBA programs require a standardized test score, including most highly-ranked MBA programs.
In addition, Bauer says, a strong test score can bolster an MBA applicant’s case for admission even at schools where a score is not required.
“It’s never advantageous to use a waiver because a strong GMAT or GRE score is always beneficial to an MBA candidacy,” Bauer says. “Admissions officers want maximum evidence of an applicant’s academic abilities and potential.”
Officials at business schools that offer test waivers say they don’t want to discourage promising potential applicants..
“There are some students where taking a standardized test is not a fair measure of their abilities,” says Susan Forquer Gupta, who is both an associate professor of marketing and international business and director of the MBA program at Monmouth University’s Leon Hess Business School.
Gupta says prospective MBA students with graduate degrees have demonstrated they have the analytical skills necessary for an MBA program and don’t need a standardized test score to prove their competence.
[Highlight the four qualities that admissions officers look for during MBA interviews.]
In rare cases, MBA programs do not require test scores of any applicants. David Schein, director of graduate programs, associate professor and chairman of the admissions committee with the Cameron School of Business at the University of St. Thomas–Houston, says his school’s test-optional policy attracts applicants.
“I think that we get a bump in applications because we don’t require the GMAT, which indicates to me that there’s this fear of taking the GMAT, so they’re looking for a school that doesn’t require it,” Schein says.
But Schein says in most cases, he advises applicants to his school to take the GMAT regardless, because a solid GMAT score allows applicants with a high college GPA to qualify for a scholarship and exempts those with a low one from prerequisite courses.
Schein adds that a solid GMAT or GRE score can help MBA applicants compensate for a low undergraduate GPA and give them a better shot of being accepted.
[Decide if you’ll need an MBA after graduating college.]
MBA applicants who are interested in receiving a test waiver should research the rules for waivers at each of the programs they apply to, experts say.
“Take a hard look at the school’s policies,” says Bauer of the MBA Exchange. “Those policies are firm and clear and should not be ignored.”
For instance, MBA applicants to Monmouth University can receive a test waiver if they either have a master’s or doctoral degree, have a professional credential as a certified public accountant or chartered financial analyst, or have both an undergraduate GPA of 3.3. or higher and at least three years of work experience.
Meeting the minimum requirements for a waiver doesn’t guarantee being granted one, experts say, so call the admissions office to discuss personal circumstances. Talking with an admissions officer will allow MBA applicants to assess their odds of being approved, experts say.
“That person can provide you with the best guidance and counsel about how a waiver may or may not be a good option for you,” says Danette Kenne, assistant dean of the College of Business and Public Administration at Drake University.
[Read two successful MBA admissions essays.]
Joseph Vijay Ingam, head coach at the Interview SOS admissions consulting firm, says MBA applicants who are wary of standardized tests should overcome that fear.
“Remember that your goal is to get into a competitive MBA program, so bite the bullet and take the GMAT,” Ingam said in an email. “If you’re not serious enough to hunker down and take the GMAT, then are you really willing to make the multiyear investment in time and money to get an MBA?”
Searching for a business school? Get our complete rankings of Best Business Schools.
More from U.S. News
10 Ingredients of a Strong MBA Resume
10 Mistakes to Avoid in MBA Applications
MBA Recommendations That Counted
What MBA Applicants Should Know About Test Waivers, Test-Optional Programs originally appeared on usnews.com
