EMBA: GMAT Waiver

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EMBA: GMAT Waiver

by SoCalMBA » Tue Feb 16, 2010 7:56 am
I am applying to a number of Executive MBA programs, some of which allow a GMAT Waiver. What is the best way to approach this?

For me, I am looking for a waiver due to a combination of lack of time to prepare sufficiently and frankly, I have never tested well. But I obviously would not use those excuses on my waiver letter.

My work experience is my strength, but with below average undergrad scores and no GMAT, I am worried I will get dinged unless I do put up 700+ on my GMAT (which I am not confident that I can do).

What is the best way to approach a GMAT Waiver request??

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by Bryant@VeritasPrep » Sun Feb 21, 2010 7:37 pm
In my experience, the schools which offer admittance without the GMAT are usually not among the most highly respected programs, so I'd beware. The GMAT is the international standard for b-school applicants and you generally want to go to a school which requries it. One little known fact in b-school world is, that schools, even top tier ones, are not required to report their EMBA stats to the rankings. This means that only their full time 2 year program stats are figured in and they are much more lenient about GPAs and GMATs than they are for their full time program applicants. Experience is much more important than GMAT score for EMBA programs. Hope this helps.
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by Favin » Tue Mar 09, 2010 8:57 am
Many of the top EMBA programs do not require a GMAT. Looking at BusinessWeek's top 15 EMBA programs:


Schools where the GMAT is NOT required:
1. Northwestern (Kellogg)
2. Chicago (Booth)
6. IE
7. Michigan (Ross)
9. SMU (Cox)

Schools that offer GMAT Waiver:
5. USC (Marshall)
12. Emory (Goizueta)
14. NYU (Stern)
15. OSU (Fisher)

(Wharton, Columbia, UCLA, Duke, UNC and IESE are the schools in the top 15 that do require GMAT)

Five of the top 10 EMBA programs do NOT require GMAT.
And four more in the top 15 offer waivers. And those are respectable schools, no?

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by SoCalMBA » Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:33 pm
The GMAT is a joke. It is like taking the SAT again.

Many of the top EMBA programs do not require GMAT. And that makes sense. EMBA students are usually 35-40 senior managers. How does a GMAT score help them? I view the GMAT dead once you reach your thirties. If a B-school requires it....it only shows that schools inability to judge a candidate based on his or her work performance.

Don't get me wrong, I took the GMAT (740 Q49, V39).....but at my age and seeing who I am competing against in the top EMBA programs (Booth, Kellogg, Wharton, etc)....strengths are not in GMAT scores. It is all about your resume, recs and interview.

I hope all EMBA candidates get this.

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by gotbts » Tue Apr 18, 2017 2:20 am
I agree with previous answer. GMAT is not everything. There are actually a lot of programs that don't require GMAT - some of them were listed above. You can also see a post on How to Write a Perfect GMAT Waiver Letter for Application in my signature. Hope this helps!
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Read How to Write a Waiver Statement.