Top U.S. Schools That Don’t Require the GMAT/GRE
Applying to a full-time MBA program without a GMAT or GRE is hard to come by for the world’s best MBA programs. Most top U.S. business schools require a competitive GMAT/GRE score to be considered for admissions. However, due to COVID-19, there are a number of top schools that do not require the GMAT or GRE by offering GMAT/GRE waivers.
If you are an MBA candidate who’s not great at taking tests or earned a low GMAT score, don’t worry; you’re not out of luck. There are five programs in the U.S. that will accept your MBA application without the GMAT/GRE, as long as you meet certain specific other requirements.
These are the top U.S. schools that don’t require a GMAT/GRE.
The University of Virginia – Darden School of Business
At the Darden School of Business for select candidates, a standardized test may not be necessary. As a pilot for the 2020-21 application cycle (for the Class of 2023), Darden announced a standardized test (GMAT/GRE) waiver request.
For some candidates, particularly those who meet several of the criteria outlined below, a test score may not be needed for the Darden Admissions Committee to assess their preparedness.
Waiver requests will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and the Darden Admissions Committee will consider a number of factors when evaluating these requests. Particular regard will be given for indicators of academic and professional accomplishment, including but not limited to:
- A strong undergraduate and/or graduate record, including performance in analytical coursework or disciplines
- CPA or CFA designation or other professional certification
- Master’s or advanced degree in an analytical discipline
- Seven or more years of progressive, professional work experience in an analytical field
- Strong performance on a U.S. college admissions test (SAT or ACT) or a national exam administered for admission to bachelor’s study in other countries
These factors will be considered in combination with resume and transcripts for all degree-related coursework. Candidates who present a strong profile across several criteria (including supporting materials) are more likely to be granted a test waiver than candidates who meet only one criterion.
Candidates who believe they may qualify for a test waiver on the basis of the above criteria should submit a test waiver request.
Indiana University – Kelley School of Business
The Kelley School of Business Full-Time MBA program admits high-potential applicants for their academically rigorous curriculum. Kelley typically requires the GMAT or GRE as one demonstration of quantitative and analytic capability. In light of the recent challenges associated with taking standardized tests due to COVID-19, candidates may apply for a waiver of this requirement and submit other evidence of their academic qualifications. Kelley anticipates awarding GMAT/GRE waivers for a small percentage of their incoming class. In evaluating waiver requests, Kelley considers many factors, including rigor and achievement from previous undergraduate and graduate degrees, evidence of work experience requiring analytical and quantitative skills, and post–bachelor’s degree career growth including demonstration of leadership.
To request a GMAT/GRE waiver, you must complete the following two steps:
- Complete and submit the Kelley online information request form (to ensure that we have your most current contact information); and
- Submit via email (iumba@indiana.edu) a current professional resume, your unofficial or official undergraduate transcripts (and graduate school transcripts, if applicable), and a brief statement (500 words or less) summarizing why you believe you qualify for a waiver.
The University of North Carolina – Kenan-Flagler School of Business
The UNC Kenan-Flagler Full-Time MBA considers standardized tests such as the GMAT or GRE are a as a beneficial way for their Admissions Committee to evaluate the likelihood of academic success in their Full-Time MBA program, they recognize that some candidates can build a strong case for admission based on degrees earned, academic experience, professional milestones, or certifications. GMAT/GRE waivers are available for new applicants to the UNC Kenan-Flagler Full-Time MBA class of 2023.
Important points to consider before requesting a GMAT/GRE waiver:
- Be objective about your strengths and weaknesses in order to put together the strongest application! Consider whether a test score may help supplement your academic achievements.
- Candidates who present a strong profile across several criterion – such as five or more years of progressive work experience, earning secondary or terminal degrees (i.e. master’s, PhD, JD, MD), professional certifications with a quantitative focus (i.e. U.S. CPA or CFA Level III), or strong test results from the Executive Assessment, LSAT, or MCAT – are more likely to be granted a test waiver.
- Test scores are often a beneficial data point (but not required) for the Fellowship Committee when evaluating an admitted student for a fellowship award.
- Some employers use (or require) test scores during initial screenings, particularly in finance and consulting.
- Receiving a GMAT/GRE waiver does not guarantee admission to the program, and for some applicants, formal offers of admission may be based on the successful completion of Analytical Skills Workshop (ASW) prior to the start of the program.
The University of Texas – McCombs School of Business
The McCombs Full-Time MBA is providing the opportunity to petition for a special test score exception, if you have not been able to take the GMAT, GRE, EA, or TOEFL exams due to the following reasons related to COVID-19:
Applicants who meet both of the criteria below have the opportunity to petition for a special test waiver:
- You are unable to take an exam in-person at a designated testing center due to lack of availability in your region, or because you or someone in your household is immunocompromised, AND
- You are unable to take an exam online due to lack of availability in your region, technology or other test-taking requirements (e.g. device availability or compatibility, slow internet connection, testing environment)
If you do not meet both of these criteria, McCombs requires that you complete the standardized tests prior to submitting your application.
The University of Minnesota – Carlson School of Management
The Carlson School of Management continues to be one of the best MBA programs in the midwest. Candidates applying for admission to the Carlson Full-Time MBA program may be eligible for a GMAT/GRE waiver if they meet the following criteria:
- Must have one of the following:
- Previous undergraduate degree with 3.2+ cumulative GPA at an accredited institution using a 4.0 scale or better (domestic or international)
- Demonstrates quantitative ability through coursework (ex: Statistics, Engineering, Accounting, etc)
- Previous undergraduate degree in a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, etc) field with a 3.0+ cumulative GPA at an accredited institution using a 4.0 scale or better (domestic or international)
- Previous undergraduate degree with 3.2+ cumulative GPA at an accredited institution using a 4.0 scale or better (domestic or international)
- Must have one of the following additional requirements:
- 5+ years of full-time professional work experience
- Note: internships or co-ops cannot be included. Graduate assistantships and fellowships can be included.
- 4+ years of full-time military experience
- Graduate (masters or doctoral) degree
- Professional credential of CPA or CFA
- 5+ years of full-time professional work experience
Please note that a candidate must meet both areas requirements of the waiver process in order to be granted a waiver.
The Ohio State University – Fisher College of Business
The Fisher Full-Time MBA will consider your application without a GMAT, GRE, or EA test score as long as you meet the following minimum qualifications:
- Earned a 3.2 (on a 4.0 scale) undergraduate cumulative GPA or higher; and
- Achieved a grade of B or better in at least two college-level quantitative courses (algebra or higher); and
- Have a minimum of 4 years of post-baccalaureate work experience. You may not request a waiver if you have already taken the exam and requested your scores be sent to The Ohio State University.
The decision to grant the GMAT/GRE/EA waiver is made at the discretion of the Fisher Admissions Committee. Should the committee decide that a GMAT,GRE, or EA score is needed to fully evaluate your candidacy for the MBA program, you will be informed once your application has been initially reviewed.
In summary, if you are preparing your MBA application, be sure to review each schools official GMAT/GRE waiver process to ensure that you meet the requirements to request a GMAT/GRE waiver so you can attend a top-tier program. The U.S. schools that do not require the GMAT/GRE during COVID-19 may continue to expand, so stay up-to-date by registering with MetroMBA for more announcements.
Additional Resources:
MBA Programs that do not require the GMAT or GRE
6 Reasons to Consider an MBA
Our friends from Access MBA outline 6 reasons why you should consider an MBA. Read on for their insights as well as their upcoming events near you.
Continue reading…Top Canadian Schools That Don’t Require the GMAT
Applying to an MBA program without a GMAT score can be a tricky business. Most business schools in the U.S. and Canada require a competitive GMAT score to be considered for admissions. However, that’s not always possible for every applicant.
If you are an MBA candidate who’s not great at taking tests or earned a low GMAT score, don’t worry; you’re not out of luck. There are five programs in Canada that will accept your MBA application without the GMAT, as long as you meet certain specific other requirements.
These are the top Canadian schools that don’t require a GMAT. Continue reading…
Top 5 Healthcare Masters Programs in Western Canada
Healthcare in Canada is a booming business. In 2018, total health expenditure was expected to reach $6,839 per person or $253.5 billion total—11 percent of Canada’s GDP. So, it should be no surprise that healthcare careers are surging.
Continue reading…New MBA Jobs: Goldman Sachs, Walmart, Coca Cola, and More
A new week means a new rundown of the best new MBA jobs out there! This list features entry level positions and roles for seasoned vets, so there’s something for everyone here. Apply today and get your post-MBA career started right away!
Inside the University of Toronto’s Creative Destruction Lab
The Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) at the University of Toronto Rotman School of Business is a seed-stage program created exclusively for scalable science-based companies. Launched in 2012, this program employs objectives-based mentoring to help maximize equity value creation for its ventures. The lab is best suited for early-stage companies, particularly those with links to university research labs.
The Creative Destruction Lab Program
The CDL is a nine-month program that employs a coaching process to help business founders commercialize their advances in science and technology. There are four main elements of the program:
- Mentorship: The founders work alongside select entrepreneurs and angel investors in intensive full-day sessions to assess their business progress and to set short-term objectives.
- Investment Opportunities: Founders have the chance to raise capital in meetings with entrepreneurs, angel investors, and partners from leading venture capital firms.
- Technical Feedback: The founders receive advice on their technical road maps and objectives from world-renowned experts at leading academic institutions.
- Business Development Support: Finally, the founders are able to work with MBA students to develop their financial models, evaluate potential markets, and fine-tune their strategies for scaling.
“The breadth and depth of insight that we were given access to was phenomenal,” said participant Karl Martin, founder of Nymi, a wearable technology firm in the healthcare space.
CDL Locations
Unlike many seed-stage programs, CDL has centers in five locations across Canada. Each location focuses on a specific stream of ventures and offers specific resources.
- Calgary: Working with the Haskayne School of Business, the Calgary location focuses on a few key research pillars including energy innovations, human dynamics, engineering solutions for health, new earth-space technologies, and other areas.
- Halifax: The Halifax location leverages the Rowe School of Business at Dalhousie University and fosters “blue-green” technology—focused on agri-tech, bioproducts, and environmental technology—and “prime” technology, including startups tackling problems in healthcare, finance, energy, chemical, media, transportation, and agriculture.
- Montreal: In partnership with HEC Montréal, the Montreal location focuses on startups using artificial intelligence and data analysis technologies.
- Toronto: The main location in Toronto, run alongside the Rotman School of Management, focuses on three types of startups. The first is “Prime” startups tackling problems in healthcare, finance, energy, chemical, media, transportation, and agriculture. Meanwhile, Quantum Machine Learning startups are grounded in physics, math, statistics, machine learning, electrical engineering, and/or quantum computing. Finally, massively scalable Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning startups focus exclusively on artificial intelligence and machine learning.
- Vancouver: Located in Vancouver, this location operates in partnership with the Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia. It focuses on startups in the “Prime” stream as well as those in BioMedTech, including chemical, biological, and medical ventures.
Partnership with NYU Stern to Expand CDL to New York
And, beginning on September 1, 2018, the Creative Destructive Lab will partner with the NYU Stern School of Business to establish its first lab outside of Canada. The newest location will bring Stern faculty and MBA students alongside angel investors, serial entrepreneurs, and founders of pre-seed stage startups in science and technology. CDL New York will begin accepting applications in January 2018 and expects to admit around 25 ventures the first year.
“Our model for developing massively scalable science-based ventures has proved successful in Canada. And we anticipate it will be similarly successful for our partners at NYU,” said Ajay Agrawal, a Rotman entrepreneurship professor and the founder and academic director of the lab, in a recent news release about the expansion.
New Program Executive Director
In other news, Rotman chose Sonia Sennik to be the inaugural executive director of the Creative Destruction Lab and its national network of programs. Sennik will be responsible for the lab’s oversight and coordination as well as its strategic operational and programmatic leadership.
As a recent graduate of Rotman’s Executive MBA program, Sennik is uniquely positioned for her new role. She was the inaugural recipient of the Rotman Social Impact Award and excelled in leadership during her time in the program. She’s also held senior project and engineering management roles at HATCH, a global engineering consultancy.
Of Sennik’s appointment, Agrawal said in a news release: “The Creative Destruction Lab is expanding rapidly, both geographically and programmatically. Sonia will provide leadership, vision, and energy to help ensure the success of the Lab and its ventures in the coming years.”
Graduates of CDL
Over the years, the Creative Destructive Lab has had many graduates, including:
- Thalmic Labs (Waterloo): Thalmic Labs develops revolutionary wearable technologies that explore the future of human-computer interaction.
- Atomwise (San Francisco): Atomwise is a Deep Learning technology designed for novel small molecule discovery to help develop better medicines faster.
- Deep Genomics (Toronto): Deep Genomics creates life-saving genetic therapies including a biologically accurate data- and AI-driven platform that supports geneticists, molecular biologists, and chemists.
- Kyndi (Palo Alto): Kyndi incorporates advanced artificial intelligence and symbolic natural language understanding to help knowledge workers process and consume vast amounts of information in order to better make critical decisions.
- Heuritech (Paris): Heuritech bridges the gap between social media and commerce with cutting-edge deep learning technology that detects emerging product buzzes online.
To learn more about the Creative Destructive Lab, including information about applying, visit the main CDL website.
