In 1954, 1,291 business school candidates sat for the first Admission Test for Graduate Study in Business, now known as the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). Over the years business schools have refined the test so they can compare candidates and project which ones will enjoy the highest success in their programs.
GMAT a Key Global Standard for Business School Admittance
Today the GMAT is taken more than 200,000 times annually around the world. More than 6,000 programs at more than 2,100 universities and institutions in 114 countries use it, with testing in over 600 test centers. It is the most popular assessment for graduate management admissions and the best predictive exam for success in graduate business studies. For this reason, most MBA candidates do take the GMAT.
What Does the Exam Test?
The 3.5-hour GMAT measures the aptitudes and skills that are important in business school as well as in professional environments. It assesses analytical, problem-solving, critical thinking, writing, data sufficiency and logic skills. It produces a composite score (from 200 to 800 in 10-point increments) and scores for four sections: 1) Quantitative, 2) Verbal, 3) Analytical Writing, and 4) Integrated Reasoning.
Admittance Requirements for the Online Bowling Green State University (BGSU) MBA
Even though the GMAT is the best predictive exam for success in graduate business studies, other considerations exist for admittance to some high quality MBA programs. The GMAT is an effective indicator of a candidate’s likelihood to succeed, while professional accomplishments and letters of recommendation offer demonstrable proof that a candidate is ready. Another indicative record of achievement is undergraduate GPA. Because GPA is an average compiled over time, it is also more statistically predictive of how a candidate will progress.
Applicants without a business undergraduate degree (minimum 2.75 overall GPA) must take three co-requisite foundation courses. In addition, they must have:
- Three years of professional work experience
- Three professional references (through online application process)
- Professional resume detailing educational and work experience
- GMAT score report, which can be waived with a 3.0 undergraduate GPA
- Scanned copies of transcripts from all institutions attended. (Upon admission, official or notarized copies of transcripts from all institutions where degrees were earned and diplomas from international institutions must be submitted.)
- Graduate application and $45 application fee.
While BGSU believes in the GMAT as a predictor of success, the university maintains an even stronger conviction in the reliability of undergraduate GPAs. For this reason, the GMAT is waived for applicants with an exceptional undergraduate record of academic achievement.
Learn more about Bowling Green State University’s online MBA programs.
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