Is the GMAT Required for Those Applying for an Online MBA Program?

GMAT Requirements for Online MBA Programs

If you are preparing to apply for an online MBA program and want to know if you will be required to take the GMAT, you should know that the answer is contingent upon which learning institution you are applying to. In short, some schools require GMAT scores while others don’t. Since this is the case, your first step in attaining an answer to this question is to do an internet search for the online program that you want to enroll in. Once you reach the school’s page, you can check the admissions requirements of the institution and determine whether they require GMAT scores.

Additional Help

If you are attempting to determine whether the GMAT is required for an online MBA program, you are probably interested in ensuring that you can attend a great school. There are a plethora of online resources that can provide you with information regarding high quality online MBA programs. For example, GetEducated.com published a list entitled “Are There Good Online MBA Programs That Require NO GMAT or GRE?” This list provides aspiring students with information about distance learning and the significance of the GMAT. One important point they note is that 14 of the 64 top ranked online degree programs do not require the GMAT. (And each of these programs received accreditation through the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, AACSB.)

In addition to referencing important statistics regarding online degree programs, Get Educated points out that the GMAT requirements of a learning institution can be overridden in some cases. For example, Colorado State University offers a 100% online program that requires the GMAT. However, the institution will accept waiver petitions from students who have earned a 3.0 undergraduate GPA during the last half of the time they spent earning a bachelor’s degree. To be able to apply for this waiver, however, you have to document a minimum of eight years worth of professional experience. In addition to referencing the requirements of CSU, Get Educated listed several schools that have no GMAT requirements, including Baker College Online (Michigan), Upper Iowa University (Iowa), and Excelsior College (New York).

The Value of an Online Degree

Although recognizing that there are a plethora of online learning programs that do not require the GMAT can be the first step towards helping you select a school, there are other things that you need to consider. For example, the value of a degree earned through an online program was deemed questionable in previous years. However, more and more hiring managers have come to view online degrees as substantive in recent years. At the same time, there is a set of criteria hiring managers look for when attempting to determine whether the learning institution through which an online degree was earned is valid. In the important infographic “How Do Employers View Online Degrees?,”studies indicated that the three things hiring managers look for in an online learning institution include regional accreditation, a physical campus, and an established brand. Since this is the case, you may want to consider attending an online MBA school that conforms to the aforementioned criteria.

Conclusion

If you are thinking about applying for admission to an online MBA program, you should know that doing so can be the first step to a rewarding career. Now that you have basic information regarding GMAT requirements for online MBA programs, you will be able to select the school that is most appropriate for you.

Related Resource: GRE Requirements for Online MBA Programs