No GMAT? Check Out Some of Our Favorites Schools that Offer Waivers
Applying to MBA programs can be a labor intensive and overwhelming task, and one may wonder how necessary it is to add the GMAT to an already lengthy to-do list. It’s important to note that the GMAT helps admissions boards to efficiently gauge a student’s overall readiness for the MBA in comparison to other applicants, regardless of the rigor of their undergraduate work. Also, b-schools use the average GMAT of successful applicants in order to bolster their rankings in certain publications. Some programs do, however, accept GMAT waivers.
Here is a look at some top schools that do not require GMAT scores, along with a summary of their waiver requirements.
The Rutgers Business School offers MBA students to forego the GMAT or GRE if they have eight or more years of professional experience and an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students with a Master’s degree and at least five years of full-time work experience may also apply without taking the GMAT.
La Salle University has several possibilities for students who have not taken the GMAT. Potential MBAs can obtain a waiver if they have graduated from an AACSB-accredited school with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2; a minimum GPA of 3.0; and three years of work experience. La Salle’s MBA program director evaluates each applicant’s work experience to determine whether the waiver may be granted.
Applicants with a CPA license or a CFA Charter may also apply without the GMAT, as may those with a Ph.D. or a Master’s degree or higher from an accredited institution. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher is required for applicants with a Master’s degree.
LaSalle also has a ‘qualified admission’ option in which a student with two years’ work experience and a GPA of 3.0 or higher from an accredited school can waive the GMAT requirement. Qualified students may take up to four MBA courses, and with an overall GPA of 3.3, will not be required to take the GMAT. ‘Conditional Acceptance’ is also an option, in which a limited number of students are admitted for one semester, but then must take the test in order to remain enrolled and gain financial aid eligibility.
University of Delaware’s Lerner College of Business and Economics gives waivers to MBA students if they possess a terminal degree (Ph.D., MD, or JD, for example) or if they have four or more years of professional experience at the full-time level. Other conditions under which a student may apply with no GMAT are a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.8; a minimum grade of ‘B’ in two non-introductory level statistics or calculus courses; and an acceptable level of writing ability and English proficiency.
Lerner also grants exceptions to the GMAT requirement for undergraduates of the school who have fewer of four years of work experience and a GPA of 3.0 or higher, in addition to ‘B’ grades or better in 200 level statistics or math courses.
The Pace University Lubin School of Business MBA admissions board considers waivers of GMAT scores for students with a 3.2 GPA or above for all undergraduate coursework. For those applying to the one year fast track MBA in Financial Management or Marketing Management, applicants need a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or above and a B grade or better in all undergraduate business courses.
Babson College’s F.W. Olin College of Business offers GMAT waivers to all applicants to the Blended Learning MBA program, as students applying to this track are required to have extensive work experience. Additionally, those applying to Babson’s evening MBA do not have to submit GMAT scores in certain circumstances, such as a grade of ‘B’ or better in two or more quantitative undergrad and/or graduate courses or exhibited quantitative and analytic skills in a work setting.
Babson evening MBA applicants who have a professional certificate with a quantitative focus such as a CPA or CFA may also apply without taking the GMAT. Other instances in which evening MBAs may apply without the test are a 3.0 GPA or greater throughout their undergrad degrees, a prior degree from Babson, or completion of Babson’s Certificate in Advanced Management (CAM) program.
The GMAT requirement may also be waived at DePaul University’s Kellstadt Graduate School of Business if an applicant meets some specific criteria. With a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university along with five years of work experience, a student may petition for a waiver. Work experience must include both management and quantitative responsibilities.
Like other programs mentioned above, the GMAT may not be required if a student already has a PhD, JD or MD, or a Master’s degree in finance. An LSAT score of 160 or higher along with an undergraduate degree, or completion of all parts of the PE exam may also exempt an applicant from the GMAT requirement.
Students applying to the part-time MBA program who have attended DePaul’s Driehaus College of Business for their undergraduate work may receive a waiver with a minimum GPA of 3.2 and at least two years of work experience.
Suffolk University’s Sawyer School of Business allows students who have taken the CPA exam to request a waiver, and also those who have taken the first level of either the CFA or the FRM exams. Second semester seniors and undergraduate business students applying for an MBA may waive the GMAT with a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or greater.
Students with work experience and certain GPA requirements may waive the GMAT; those who have worked for two years in a relevant position with an average grade point of 3.4 may request a waiver, as can those who have four years of work experience and a 3.3 GPA. With six years of work experience and at least a 3.2 GPA, an applicant may also waive the submission.
Law school graduates (from ABA approved schools), along with MSA, MSF, MSBA or MST from an AACSB approved institution are eligible for waivers. Sawyer allows MBA applicants who are in their second senior semester of undergraduate music management at Berklee College to request a GMAT waiver as well, provided the student maintains a 3.3 minimum GPA. Recent Berklee graduates may also request exemption from the GMAT requirement.
Golden Gate University’s Edward S. Ageno School of Business has several options for students who wish to apply without the GMAT. Those with a Master’s degree or higher from any accredited US institution may be exempt, along with any applicant with a 3.5 GPA or greater during undergraduate studies. Applicants with a CPA or other professional license may also petition for the waiver.
Any applicant with proven work experience of five years or more and/or management experience are eligible to waive the submission with approval from the Dean.
At UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School, applicants with a CPA or CFA license are eligible for waivers, as are those with a Master’s or Ph.D. in a technical field. Kenan-Flagler does not list minimum GPA requirements for eligibility, and professional experience is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
It’s also important to note that Executive MBA programs typically offer GMAT waivers. However, applicants usually possess extensive management experience before enrolling.
Verne Harnish Awarded UD’s Siegfried Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership
The University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship recently named renowned author and business growth expert Verne Harnish the recipient of the 2017 Siegfried Award for Entrepreneurial Leadership.
According to the founding director of Horn Entrepreneurship, Dan Freeman, “The award selection criteria focus on recognizing anyone who has made outstanding contributions to the understanding and practice of entrepreneurial leadership, which might include entrepreneurs, educators, or consultants.”
There is no question as to whether Harnish has been profoundly influential in the areas Freeman listed. Entrepreneurs are often visionaries in their industries, however Harnish is a pioneer in the field of entrepreneurship itself. In 1987, he founded the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO)—formerly the Young Entrepreneurs’ Organization—with 22 former members of the Association of Collegiate Entrepreneurs. EO is a peer-to-peer network that connects business leaders around the globe. Harnish also serves as CEO of Gazelles, which specializes in coaching and global executive education.
Harnish earned his BS in mechanical engineering before pursuing his MBA from Wichita State University. Harnish is also a columnist in Fortune magazine, and also writes “The Growth Guy,” a syndicated column that explores avenues of business expansion and the challenges that might present themselves along the way. He has also authored bestselling books, including “Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It…and Why the Rest Don’t” and “Mastering the Rockerfeller Habits.”
Robert L. Siegfried, CEO and founder of The Siegfried group and advisory board chair for UD’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, originated the Siegfried Award for Entrepreneurial leadership. Siegfried felt that Harnish was the ideal candidate for the honor for both objective and personal reasons.
“I’ve had the pleasure of learning from and working with Verne, and his contributions to the field of entrepreneurial leadership are so important,” Siegfried said. “Verne helped me clarify the kind of leader I wanted to be and he continues to do that for countless others every day.”
The Siegfried Group was established in 1988, and the CPA firm has since made its mission to help financial executives hone their leadership skills while supporting companies working through challenging projects.
Lerner Holds Mortgage Banking Luncheon
The Alfred Lerner College of Business at the University of Delaware will be holding a Lunch and Learn event for students. The event will be hosted by NewDay USA and Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The event will feature a one-hour presentation about the industry and lunch for those in attendance. The title of the event is, “Spotlight on the Industry: Mortgage Banking Lunch & Learn.”
During the event students will have the opportunity to learn more about the finance in the real estate industry and mortgages. All Lerner Students are invited to attend as well as any other member of the University of Delaware network. After the lecture, there will also be a short Q&A session for students who would like more information on working in the industry.
Lerner Alumnus Named AACSB Influential Leader
Lerner College of Business alumnus Thomas Pike has been recognized as one of AACSB’s Influential Leaders. Pikes one of the first 100 influential leaders recognized by AACSB. The group of selected individuals are from a variety of backgrounds but all share qualities that exemplify their roles as a visionary figure in the business community. Pike currently serves as the CEO of one of the largest pharmaceutical outsourcing services companies in the country, Quintiles.
This year’s group of AACSB Influential Leaders list includes professionals from more than 20 different industries and sectors including healthcare, non-profits and consumer products from 21 different countries. Individuals on this list were nominated by their alma-mater to recognize their outstanding efforts to produce a positive change in the world. The recognition was created to showcase the benefits of studying business at an AACSB-accredited institution and how business school graduates can generate positive outcomes for society.
MBA vs. Specialized MS
There are many options to consider when deciding to get an advanced degree from a business school. The MBA is not the only option for students looking to learn more about the business world. Another alternative degree program to the MBA is a specialized Master of Science (MS) degree. Specialized degrees for business focus on areas such as business analytics, finance, management, accounting, supply chain management and many more. When deciding between an MBA program and a specialized masters degree, it is important to know the differences between the two, in order to find the best option for you.
The MBA degree is a broad business degree that typically covers the core foundations of business management. Students who complete theses programs are usually aiming to move in to higher management and executive roles in a business environment. The degree prepares students to become successful leaders. Many MBA degrees also offer students the opportunity to tailor their focus on a specific area through electives. This is one way that you can get an insight in to a specific industry, such as health care or to gain a more in depth knowledge of specific part of the business world such as marketing or international business.
Lerner Welcomes Bloomberg Professionals for Panel Discussion
The University of Delaware’s Lerner College of Business will welcome leading professionals from Bloomberg for a panel discussion on May 12. The event is titled “The Path to Industry Success.” The panel will be hosted by UD’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics in partnership with Bloomberg. The panel will be moderated by UD undergraduate student Rebecca Leisher, who is a junior studying business administration and economics.
The panel discussion will be held from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Louise and David Roselle Center for the Arts’ Gore Recital Hall at the University of Delaware campus. The discussion panelists include,
