For many, the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) can be stressful, time-consuming, and you’d have to pay for it. Unfortunately, the GMAT exam is an integral part of the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) application process. However, several schools have taken various steps to remove this requirement from their application processes over the years and replaced it with other methods to evaluate their prospective students. These include Executive Assessment Tests, proof of experience in the field, and other customized tests.

Applying for an MBA program without taking the GMAT exam is beneficial for prospective students. It saves money and time and reduces the anxiety and stress of preparing for and writing an exam. Below are some insights on various MBA programs you can apply to without a GMAT score in the US.

Choose the right university.

It’s critical that you choose an appropriate university that offers a GMAT waiver. Get hold of the brochure from your preferred business school or review it on the web. If you’re a working professional in the field but would like to get more knowledge, you should consider applying for an executive MBA at an institution such as Pace University. The university would usually require that applicants show proof of experience in the field. Although your GMAT score is not a requirement, you can still attach your score to your application. MBA in Financial Management programs is usually open to students who have obtained a high-Grade Point Average (GPA) of about 3.50 from an accredited AACSB business school in the country. If you can show a high GPA for their Bachelor’s Degree, you wouldn’t be required to submit a GMAT score. Therefore, it’s crucial to select the correct universities that are willing to accommodate the GMAT waiver right from the get-go.

Understand all other alternative requirements

Gain a thorough understanding of all the necessary requirements from the university, that must be in place before you can start your MBA. The Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics is another institute that doesn’t require applicants to submit a GMAT score. However, it has other requirements. To be considered enrollment, applicants must have four or more years of professional experience in a related field, such as cargo management system. Additionally, it’s a requirement to have completed a Bachelor’s degree in a related field with a Grade Point Average of at least 2.58 in an upper-level math course. These are typical examples of essential alternative requirements that you must fulfill before starting your MBA course.

Find out whether an online MBA option is available

With the presence of the pandemic still very much in place, many academic institutions have moved their teaching online. Find out whether your chosen business school runs a comprehensive online MBA facility. For example, the Business College of the University of Illinois offers its applicants an opportunity to obtain an MBA online and without a GMAT score. In addition to this convenience and versatility, the college’s tuition fee is $22,000, which is quite affordable compared to other schools that offer this opportunity. To make their online classes more resourceful to students, the University has partnered with online education platforms, such as Coursera, to allow for an open, convenient, and innovative learning experience.

Additionally, the GW School of Business is another institute that offers applicants the chance to pursue an MBA through online classes. In recent times, the school has been rated as the 15th best Online MBA worldwide. Princeton Review ranked the school’s online MBA program as the sixth-best in the country. You can be a part of this prestigious course without your GMAT score.

GMAT is always preferred but professional experience can help greatly.

If you’re still in two minds about whether to complete your GMAT, you’re ultimately better off with it than without, as the odds will certainly be stacked in your favor. Many universities agreement with this fact, for example, although applicants to the Florida International University Business School do not need to present GMAT scores, they are advised to take the exam to boost their chances of acceptance into the program. As professional MBA programs are usually hands-on and interactive, it’s better to have students who already know and experience the concepts taught. This is why the University requires applicants to have had four years of professional experience; this would waiver the need to present a GMAT score.

Although several institutes waived the GMAT score requirement, it’s still recommended to take the test, unless your circumstances are exceptional and you can fully comply with all other alternative requirements. Therefore it pays to stay well-informed and ask all the necessary questions well in advance before making any decisions.