MBA With No GMAT

Many Good MBA Programs are Available Without the Need for GMAT Prep

Jul 6, 2009

From top-25 MBA programs such as Harvard Business School and MIT Sloan to lesser programs, it is becoming easier to get into a MBA program without no GMAT.

The much maligned standardized test has always been used to validate the academic record of students. Grade inflation and other factors often cast doubt into one's academic record. On the other hand, executives who have been away from academia for over ten years often do not have enough recent knowledge to do well on standardized tests such as the GMAT. Depending on the applicant's background and the school's admissions policy, it may be possible to substitute the GMAT with the GRE, or not take any standardized test at all.

For the class of 2012 and onwards, Harvard Business School admission requires applicants to submit either the GMAT or the GRE. MIT Sloan and Stanford also have similar test requirements as well. The ability to substitute tests is becoming common with executive MBA programs that are used by students who intend to work full time through the program. However, full time MBA programs have generally stayed with the GMAT-only requirement. Nevertheless, it's possible to find full time MBA programs that don't require any test at all.

MBA Programs With No Test Requirements

For those not shooting for a top-25 MBA program, there are well known programs that do not require any test score. For example, National University does not require any test scores at all for any baccalaureate degree holders with a 2.5 GPA or better. Test scores will be helpful for those with a lower GPA. University of Phoenix simply requires a 2.5 GPA with no test requirements for any of their graduate programs.

Students who are considering MBA programs that do not require a standardized test should look carefully at each program's accreditation, academic rigor, and reputation. In general, there should be a minimum undergraduate GPA requirement to make up for the lack of a test requirement. Also, students who do not perform well on tests in general should note that graduate programs always require at least a 3.0 GPA for graduation. Anything below would be grounds for academic probation or dismissal.

Unintended Consequences for GMAT and GRE Preparation

An astute applicant to a top-25 MBA program will now want to prepare for two tests instead of one. First, he will go take a GMAT prep course and take the exam. Then he will take a GRE prep course afterwards and take that test. Once scores are received for both exams, the applicant releases the better of the two scores to top MBA programs. Instead of relieving pressure on standardized exams, applicants may feel more pressure than ever before to improve their stats by studying for two tests instead of one.

In general, the movement towards no GMAT MBA programs has a lot of advantages. The test costs $250 per sitting and prep courses can cost well over $1500. Students should also consider the time savings from not having to prepare and study for the exam as well. For those not going to a top-25 MBA program, it may be very beneficial in terms of cost savings and time savings to specifically seek programs that do not have a test requirement.

Readers interested in this topic are often interested in reading about GMAT preparation.

Lavelle, Louis. "No GMAT? No Problem, Harvard Says." Business Week, May 19th 2009.

Porter, Jane. "GRE Eyes GMAT's Testing Turf." Business Week, January 6th, 2008.

The copyright of the article MBA With No GMAT in College Degrees/Programs is owned by John Wu. Permission to republish MBA With No GMAT in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.