How to Earn an Online MBA, No GMAT Required
19 July, 2020
Many prospective MBA students believe they have to navigate several hurdles to gain admission to online programs. In their minds, the toughest hurdle to clear involves achieving strong GMAT scores. However, the prospective students who worry about the GMAT should reconsider their concerns.
According to GetEducated.com, the Association for Advancement of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) lists 10 online programs that require no GMAT for MBA enrollment. The schools do not place any restrictions on their Online MBA no GMAT policies.
GetEducated.com also lists no GMAT required MBA programs that place restrictions on admissions. For instance, Clarion University of Pennsylvania accepts Online MBA no GMAT students who possess another advanced degree or have garnered five years of work experience. The University of Tennessee at Knoxville requires students to have at least seven years of work experience and an undergraduate grade point average higher than 3.0, before the school waives the GMAT requirement. Work experience, GPA, and holding another advanced degree represent the three most implemented restrictions that online schools place on their MBA without GMAT required programs.
Reasons for the GMAT’s Declining Relevance
On its website, Howard University presents the reasons why a growing number of online MBA schools have shunned the GMAT in lieu of other admissions criteria. Many online MBA schools do not feel the GMAT provides an accurate assessment of academic achievement. In addition, online MBA programs cater their curriculum toward students who spend a few years in the work force developing professional skills. Students who value their work experience more than GMAT scores tend to thrive in online MBA, no GMAT required programs.
The Future of the GMAT
The Howard University GMAT analysis does not claim the GMAT has seen its best days. Since the GMAT added an analytical writing assessment to the test, some online MBA no GMAT programs changed their policies to recommend that admission candidates take the GMAT as part of the evaluation criteria. There is not any evidence suggesting that students who vie not to take the GMAT lose out during the admission process. However, Howard University states on the schools website that MBA program applicants should take the GMAT, even if an online MBA program only recommends taking the test.
