online mba no gmat

While for years the GMAT has been a staple in the MBA application process, there are more and more business schools, many of which are top ranked, that beginning to lighten up when it comes to this particular standardized exam. In the United States alone, about 1,300 institutions either require or accept the GMAT as a part of their admissions process for business programs, according to the Graduate Management Admission Council. But this leaves an increasing number of institutions that are pursuing alternative criteria. Some schools are no longer requiring that students submit their scores, although if they want to they can, while others are waiving the requirement depending on the applicant, and some schools have even taken it off of their admissions criteria list entirely.

List of universities accepting with out gmat:

Prioritizing Other Factors Over the GMAT

Along with the business schools that are no longer accepting the GMAT, there are also many choosing to waiver the GMAT for certain applicants depending on factors such as undergraduate GPA or work experience. Some schools are also waiving the GMAT requirement for applicants with GRE scores and others are actually beginning to accept them in the place of GMAT scores. This is because admissions are trying to encourage the not-so-typical student to pursue a business education as there is an apparent need for a more diverse applicant pool. The Graduate Record Examination is the standardized test that those applying to traditional graduate school are required to take. It gives the admissions department insight into applicants’ reasoning, analytical, and critical-thinking skills. And similar to the GMAT, the GRE evaluates academic abilities such as analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning.

OnlineMBA Guide: Getting Into a Program with the GMAT

Schools Without the GMAT

The U.S. News and World Report recently published a list of the schools that are accepting GRE for admission into their MBA programs. The list includes many top ranked institutions such as Stanford University, Harvard University, Dartmouth College, Columbia University, New York University, Yale University, Duke University, and even the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

There are several business schools that are beginning to remove the GMAT from admission criteria because of the belief that it might not the best indication of applicants’ strengths. When it comes to more experienced professionals who have been working longer some schools are requiring that they enroll in a review course to sharpen up their quantitative skills rather than making them go through the GMAT testing process. Some types of MBA programs such as the EMBA have applicants with over a decade of professional business experience. In this case more business schools are arguing that a GMAT score is not the best indicator of an applicant’s abilities as are their career accomplishments and work experience in executive positions.

What Not Taking the GMAT Means for You

Not taking the GMAT can affect students in several ways. First, it can severely limit the number of business school they are eligible to apply for. While many schools are also accepting the GRE and others are forgoing the GMAT entirely, this standardized examination still remains one of the most commonly used criteria in which to determine aptitude for business management education.

Second, just because some schools are GMAT optional doesn’t mean that not submitting scores is always the best option. When it comes to professional experience, those who have been working a substantial amount of time are going to have less to prove when it comes to their analytical and quantitative abilities. In other words, solid and extensive work experience is most likely going to outweigh a numerical score. This may also apply to applicants with a string of particularly lofty executive titles. If your resume is neither that long nor impressive, not taking the GMAT can hurt your chances of admittance as there will be little to go on concerning your aptitude, skills, and abilities. In short, a good GMAT score can help round out your application packet, verify your potential, and overall make you a more attractive candidate.

Whether public or private, there are many business schools that don’t find it necessary to assess MBA program applicants using their GMAT scores. According to Businessweek’s Business School Comparator, out of top ranked and top tier business schools in the United States there are four out of 30 full-time MBA programs that do not require the GMAT including the University of Michigan, University of Virginia, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Yale University.

When it comes to online MBA programs, there are 11 out of 40 unranked schools that do not require the GMAT including Babson College, Syracuse University, Pace University, Colorado State University, Northeastern University, Saint Josephs University, University of St. Thomas, and The University of Scranton. Also included are a few institutions known for their outstanding offerings in online education such as DeVry University, Walden University, and Webster University.

Out of 190 schools with part-time MBA programs 15 do not require GMAT for admissions. Although this may seem like a small number, if you take a closer look you will find that each institution is quite reputable in its own right. There are various prestigious private institutions such as Loyola University Maryland, Sacred Heart University, Saint Xavier University, St. John Fisher College, and Washington University in St. Louis. Many well-known public institutions also do not require the GMAT for part-time programs including Purdue University, University of Michigan, Appalachian State University, Colorado State University, Ohio University, University of New Mexico, and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Also included are several universities that are known for distance education such as the University of Maryland University College, Webster University, and Devry University.

• Is an MBA Right for Someone Without a Business Degree?
• What Are the Benefits of Going to an AACSB Accredited School?
• What Is AACSB Accreditation?