Preparing for and taking an MBA admissions exam is one of the best ways to get your mind back into academic mode as you prepare for business school. Some of the most common questions we receive from MBA candidates are about the standardized tests.   

Texas McCombs MBA Admissions is excited to share that Full-Time MBA candidates have more options than ever before when considering how to complete the standardized test requirement in their application. 

All applicants are required to submit a GMAT, GRE, or Executive Assessment (EA) test score.  We will waive the testing requirement if: 

• An expired (taken 5+ years ago) GMAT, GRE, or EA test score is submitted or
• General Test Waiver (merit-based) is approved 

Standardized exams like the GMAT, GRE, EA, TOEFL, and IELTS help us evaluate a candidate’s academic preparedness for the rigor of business school and are one metric used to compare candidates within a large pool of applicants.   

Note that most applicants applying to the Full-Time MBA program take either the GMAT or GRE due to the competitiveness of the pool. Submitting a strong, valid test score will give the Admissions Committee an additional, relevant data point that may strengthen a candidate’s position for admission and/or scholarship award.  

In addition, studying for and taking the exam – for some, even taking it multiple times – can show the Admissions Committee your commitment to the competitive business school application process and how you may approach academic challenges as a student.  

This post contains a lot of information, broken down into three sections

• Key Considerations for Test Options
• Test Options for Full-Time MBA Candidates 
• Which Exam is Right for You

Key Considerations for Test Options 

Future Employment

Before you make a final decision on which test to take or if you should submit a waiver, it’s best to research some of your target companies or industries and determine two things: 

• The extent to which they evaluate a test score in reviewing job candidates.
• Whether they have a preference for one of the tests. At McCombs, we have found that most consulting and investment banking firms do look at the candidate’s test scores, and both industries historically have favored the GMAT. 

You should consider taking the GMAT, GRE, or EA as another opportunity to not only impress the Admissions Committee, but also potential employers. 

Academic History

Does your undergraduate or graduate transcript accurately reflect your academic ability? If your GPA is low, and you do not submit a strong test score, the Admissions Committee may have concerns about your ability to succeed in the rigorous MBA curriculum.  

One other factor to consider is whether or not your quantitative ability shines elsewhere in your application. While many of our MBA students come to McCombs from non-quantitative majors, these applicants are typically able to prove their quantitative prowess through strong test scores. If you come from a non-quantitative background and do not submit a strong test score, you will need to find other areas within your background or experience that can demonstrate your quantitative skills.   

At the end of the day, we want to make sure that you are set up to succeed academically in the program. If the Admissions Committee has concerns about your quantitative ability, it may impact your chance of admission, or you may be required to complete pre-MBA coursework prior to admission and/or prior to enrollment.  

Scholarships

Scholarship awards are competitive and limited in number. Scholarship decisions are based on a longstanding holistic review process that considers your entire application and serves to assess the overall strength of your candidacy, including readiness for academic rigor, career goals, leadership potential, and fit with our program culture.  

Submitting a strong, valid test score will give the Admissions  Committee  an additional, relevant data point that may strengthen a candidate’s position for scholarship awards.   

Test Options for Full-Time MBA Candidates

Submitting Current GMAT, GRE, or EA Scores

For current scores, you must self-report your test scores in your application as well as have official score reports sent directly to UT– Austin by the testing agency. The date your official scores are sent to UT– Austin by the testing agency should be no later than the application round deadline, as it can take up to 3–4 weeks for new scores to be processed. If you are taking the GMAT, GRE, or EA online, allow up to two weeks to receive your score from the testing agency. You must have your test score in hand by the application deadline in order to submit your application.  

Submitting Expired GRE, GMAT, or EA Scores

For expired scores (5 years or older), you must self-report your score and upload proof of the test score in the application. Examples of proof for expired test scores include a score report you received previously from the testing agency OR documentation from another educational institution that previously received the score (e.g. for another graduate/terminal degree application).  

Submitting a General Test Waiver Petition 

A merit-based test waiver is available by request prior to submitting your application. Waivers/Exceptions are not available for applicants who have already sent scores to UT. 

To be considered for a waiver, an applicant must have:

• A minimum of three years of substantive and progressing post-undergraduate work experience
• Completion of an undergraduate or graduate degree with a strong academic record, preferably in an analytical or quantitative discipline.

The Admissions Committee will be reviewing your academic history closely, with a focus on analytical or quantitative courses. To improve chances of petition approval, we highly advise applicants to have an overall GPA of 3.0 or more. 

Instructions for Completing a Test Waiver Petition

The truth is that by removing one component from your application, your other components will carry more weight in the committee’s final decision.

Which Exam is Right for You? 

The Admissions Committee does not prefer one test over the other in terms of demonstrating your preparedness for business school, but it is important to think about which exam is best for you as an individual. There are different reasons to consider taking the GMAT vs the GRE vs the EA. 

While the GMAT and GRE tests both have quantitative and verbal sections, they have noticeable differences. We encourage you to do your research and take practice tests to learn each test’s points of emphasis, and how they are scored. 

Both The GMAT and GRE are adaptive, which means that your success in answering questions correctly has an impact on the future questions you are given. But the tests deliver adaptive questions in different ways. 

• The GMAT is adaptive by question. When you get an answer correct, the next question is more difficult, and when you get an answer wrong, the next question is less difficult. This also means that once you answer a question, you can’t go back to that question. 
• The GRE is adaptive by section. If you do well on the first verbal section, you get a more difficult version of the next verbal section and vice versa. 

We have included some more details about the GMAT, GRE, and EA below, but if you are unsure which exam is best for you, here are our tips: 

– We recommend taking some practice tests! There’s a chance you may be more comfortable with one test format over the other.  At the end of the day, the choice of which exam to take is yours. 

– Build in study time and leave yourself enough room on the calendar to retake an exam if necessary. If you’re not happy with your score, you can retake either test. While many candidates take the test only once thinking it will fulfill the requirement, others recognize that a second effort is likely to yield improvement. It comes at the cost of additional time and another test fee, but the payoff can be significant if it makes you a stronger candidate. 

– Make sure you submit your application as confidently as possible and with a score you feel good about. 

GMAT 

For many years, the GMAT was the only standardized test accepted by business schools, but in the last decade, that has changed. Like Texas McCombs, many schools accept the GMAT, GRE, and EA with no preference for one test over another. However, it’s important to be aware that the GMAT is still used by some large consulting and investment banking companies as a baseline qualifier for the recruiting process. If consulting or I-banking are in your sights, this means that the GMAT is the best choice. 

The Fine Print: Not ALL consulting and investment banking firms look at your GMAT – boutique consulting firms, for example, typically do not ask for your score. So, this is not a one-size-fits-all rule but is something to consider if those industries are of interest to you. 

Learn more about the GMAT at mba.com/exams.

Find resources for GMAT preparation at MBA.com.

GRE 

Sometimes the GRE is the best choice for applicants who have already completed a Master’s degree or those who are pursuing their MBA in conjunction with other Master’s degrees, for example, our dual degree programs. Taking only the GRE allows you to apply to both programs separately with one score, a convenience factor that most dual-degree applicants appreciate.  

Learn more about the GRE at ets.org/gre.

ETS offers a variety of free and low-cost tools to help you prepare for the GRE exam.

Executive Assessment (EA) 

In 2016 GMAC (who also administers the GMAT exam) saw the need for a new exam, designed specifically for the needs of MBA applicants who have a significant amount of work experience. Although anyone is eligible to take the EA, we recommend that an applicant have a minimum of five years of full-time employment.  

Today, almost 100 MBA programs, Full-Time, Professional, and Executive, accept the EA. Unlike the GMAT or GRE, the EA is a readiness exam and a benchmark for academic preparedness.

Learn more about the EA at gmac.com/executive-assessment.

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As you evaluate your testing options or consider a test waiver petition, we challenge you to assess the quantitative data points on your application and think about what will strengthen your overall MBA candidacy.  While some applicants may not need a test score to build their case, other applicants may significantly enhance their chances of being admitted (and getting a scholarship) by having a strong test score. 

At the end of the day, being objective about the quantitative data points you present on your application will help ensure you put your best foot forward in the admissions process.  

Check out our Application Process page for more information on graduate entrance testing. Please reach out to the MBA Admissions Team with any questions.

Good luck and Hook ’em!