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| Are There Good Online MBA Programs That DON'T Require GMAT or GRE? |
| Questions & Answers About Online Education > Online MBAs | |||
| By Vicky Phillips, Chief Education Analyst | January 16, 2009 | |||
| Question: I’d like to earn an online MBA, but most seem to require the GMAT. I’m VP of marketing in the real world, but my GMAT scores stink. Nothing I’ve done, including an expensive test prep program, has raised my GMAT. Can you suggest any top-ranked distance MBA that doesn’t require this exam or that other pesky exam, the GRE?
—Jack Ticonderoga, NY Answer: Low scores on the GMAT (Graduate Management Admissions Test) or GRE (Graduate Record Exam) hurt a lot of older business school applicants. Fortunately, a legion of reputable distance-learning business schools do not require the GMAT or GRE for admission.
In fact, GetEducated.com’s National Survey of Online MBAs uncovered 89 accredited online MBA programs that do not require the GRE or the GMAT. One surprising fact: 11 of the 50 accredited online MBAs that GetEducated.com rates and ranks do not require the GMAT or the GRE. (These MBAs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).) Northeastern's Executive MBA Online – GMAT Optional One example: Northeastern University, in Boston, Massachusetts. This university offers a part-time Executive MBA 100 percent online. Northeastern recommends, but does not require, the GMAT for admission. Northeastern’s online business school is top-ranked and accredited by the AACSB. The campus version of this same MBA is ranked among the top 20 part-time MBAs nationwide by U.S. News & World Report. You will, however, need to show at least five years of career management experience to apply for the Northeastern distance MBA. Colorado State University – Online MBA Because online graduate programs cater to older adults, many are abandoning the GMAT and GRE as measures of academic preparedness. Career experience is increasingly seen as a better indicator of success in the business world than old-school academic measures, such as the GMAT. Colorado State University’s distance MBA—also 100 percent online and AACSB-accredited —requires the GMAT, but CSU will accept petitions for GMAT waiver from applicants with at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA on the last half of their bachelor’s degree. To petition for a waiver you must be able to document at least eight years of professional career experience. Specialty Online MBAs Some graduate business schools offer specialized MBAs aimed at highly educated professionals. For example, Auburn University in Alabama offers a Physician’s MBA through distance learning. This MBA, which is open only to doctors, doesn’t require any formal admission exam. Similarly, Oklahoma State University’s AACSB-accredited online MBA for Dentists requires no GRE or GMAT. (You’ll have to graduate dental school prior to seeking admission, however.) Regionally Accredited Online Business Schools - Majority Require No Tests Even more regionally-accredited business schools—64 of 88 surveyed by GetEducated.com —have abolished the GRE/GMAT requirement. Consult GetEducated.com’s Online MBA Career Center for links to regionally, nationally and AACSB-accredited online MBAs that do not require the GRE or GMAT. Baker College Online (Michigan), Excelsior College (New York), and Upper Iowa University (Iowa) are a few of the regionally accredited business schools that don’t routinely require the GRE or the GMAT. Nationally Accredited Online MBAs That Don't Require GRE or GMAT For complete barrier-free admission, try any of the MBAs accredited by national agencies, like the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), which accredits distance-only universities, or the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS), which accredits career colleges. According to GetEducated.com’s National Survey of Online MBAs, none of 12 DETC-accredited distance MBAs require the GRE or GMAT for admission. You’ll find 168 accredited graduate business schools offering 390 online MBAs fully profiled in GetEducated’s database of online business schools. Check the ADMISSIONS section of each school’s profile. Even when the GRE or GMAT are required, some online MBA programs require competitive (high) scores, while others accept applicants whose scores fall within the average range. Related Resources AACSB-Accredited Online MBAs That Do Not Require GRE and GMAT Regionally Accredited Online MBAs That Do Not Require GRE and GMAT Nationally Accredited Online MBAs That Do Not Require GRE and GMAT GetEducated.com’s Best Buys in Online MBAs - AACSB Accredited GetEducated.com’s Best Buys in Online MBAs - Regionally Accredited Online and Distance MBA - Fast Facts Who Offers the Cheapest Online MBA? Do I Need an AACSB-Accredited Online MBA? Are Distance MBAs Any Good? Online MBA or Master's in Management? Ivy League MBA © 2009 GetEducated.com, LLC
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