Why is HBS Requiring the GMAT Business Writing Assessment?
If you submit a GMAT Focus score with your MBA application to Harvard Business School, prepare to supply additional proof that you know how to write. With the rise of generative AI, business schools want to confirm that admitted students have the critical thinking and communication skills needed for success. Enter the GMAC Business Writing Assessment.
The Graduate Management Admission Council felt that traditional application materials don't give a complete picture of a candidate's readiness. Since the GMAT Focus Edition does not contain a writing section, HBS says it worked with GMAC to offer an official writing assessment for those test-takers.
"We believe that giving candidates multiple options will allow them to select the standardized test that enables them to best display their writing skills," the school explains.
"The writing assessment allows us to directly observe your unaided writing and reasoning abilities to supplement what we learn about you from other application components," HBS says. "It will be considered as one data point among many that provides insight into your written communication skills."
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Other business schools, such as the MIT Sloan School of Management, may soon follow suit. John A. Byrne, editor of Poets & Quants, believes the move disadvantages the GMAT compared to the GRE. He writes that adding a 30-minute test that costs $30 and requires up to six hours of prep time could encourage more applicants to choose the GRE over the GMAT.
With the extra writing test, GMAT test-takers could end up paying $305 in total, nearly 40% more than the GRE's $220 price tag. Byrne also points out that adding a writing assessment makes the GMAT option 47 minutes longer than the GRE.
The GMAC Business Writing Assessment Format
The new writing assessment helps admissions teams make better decisions, GMAC says. The tool provides insights into MBA aspirants' reasoning and writing abilities, such as:
- Writing in a structured and organized way.
- Analyzing and presenting evidence through written communication.
- Using reason and logic in an argument.
- Expressing ideas clearly and concisely in English.
How it Works
The Business Writing Assessment is a 30-minute online test where you analyze and critique the reasoning and evidence behind a given argument. The topics cover various business and general interest subjects; no specific prior knowledge is needed.
Each assessment is scored on a scale of 0 to 6 using a standardized rubric. You will receive your score within 3-5 days of completing the test and can send your results to participating schools for free. If you're unsatisfied with your score, you can request a rescore for a fee.
Harvard Business School says there is no minimum score requirement for the GMAC Business Writing Assessment. The admissions committee will evaluate it in the context of the rest of the application. Other English language tests (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, or Duolingo) will satisfy the writing assessment requirement for candidates who studied at a university where English isn't the sole instruction language.
Registration for the GMAC Business Writing Assessment is now open—visit mba.com for more details.
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