Are you planning to do an MBA in the USA in 2021? If yes, then this article will be of much help to you. COVID-19 has led to the closure of several test centers. There are also concerns over the at-home versions of the GMAT and the GRE.
Hence, most of the top B-Schools in the US are now waiving these standardized tests for admission. Now one can easily pursue an MBA in the USA without submitting GMAT or GRE scores.
Nearly the top 65 Business Schools in the USA have now made these tests optional and encourage MBA aspirants to apply with test waiver policies. However, the admission standards have not been affected at all.
For MBA applicants, there just may be a silver lining to the pandemic. The vast majority of MBA programs in the U.S. are now waiving standardized tests for admission!Click To TweetNow the MBA aspirants are expected to prove their mettle to study MBA in the USA based on previous academic credentials.
Here we share names of 65 top MBA Colleges in the USA that are waiving the GMAT and the GRE 2021.
What Business Schools are Waiving GMAT, GRE Scores?
For the first time, due to COVID-19, many top 65 business schools are offering MBA in USA courses without GMAT or GRE scores.
The list of the colleges for pursuing an MBA in USA without submitting GMAT or GRE scores are mentioned below in chart:
Name of the B-School | Place | Criteria On GMAT or GRE Waivers |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT-Sloan) | Cambridge, USA | Submit educational documents and work experience of the candidates. |
Darden School of Business-University of Virginia | Charlottesville, USA | The university might consider last year's SAT & ACT scores for a waiver. |
Ross School of Business- University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, USA | Will consider waitlist Round 1 for MBA students. |
Tepper School of Business-Carnegie Mellon University | Pittsburgh, USA | The university will ask for proof of preparedness in Maths through advanced quant classes. |
NC Kenan-Flagler Business School | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | MBA aspirants must have a 3.2 GPA score in Economics or STEM or Business Analytics or advanced or terminal degree or at least five years of previous work experience in an analytical field |
McCombs School of Business | Austin, USA | Test waivers will be given only to those who could not take the test due to Covid-19. |
Emory University's Goizueta Business School | Atlanta, Georgia | In the same vein, Waivers will be only for the ones who are unable to take the test amid Covid-19. |
Kelley School of Business at Indiana University | Bloomington, Indiana | The university will ask for a brief statement within 500 words stating why you deserve a waiver. |
Scheller College of Business | Atlanta, Georgia | Aspirants need to submit an essay of 2,000 characters to support academic preparedness for a test waiver. |
Rice Business (Jones Graduate School Of Business) | Houston, Texas | MBA aspirants need to have seven years of prior work experience, undergraduate degree, or STEM master’s, CPA or CFA, MCAT or LSAT |
Owen Graduate School of Management | Nashville, Tennessee | Applicants will be shortlisted based on their analytical and quantitative subjects' performance, five years of prior work experience, CPA or CFA. |
BYU Marriott School of Business | Provo, Utah | Waivers applicable only during the pandemic |
Carlson School of Management | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Requires GPA of 3.2 in Bachelor’s and 5+ years of work experience, a CFA or CPA, or Master’s degree |
Penn State Smeal College of Business | Harrisburg, USA | MBA aspirants must have a Ph.D., MD, or DO degree with 5+ years of military service, or other master’s degrees |
Simon Business School | Rochester, New York | Needs Bachelor’s degree GPA of 3.2 or higher |
Wisconsin | Madison, USA | Requires five years of prior work experience and a 3.3 GPA in Bachelor’s degree |
University of Georgia (Terry) | Athens, USA | Current or previous military service is required. |
University of Pittsburgh (Katz) | Pittsburgh, USA | Waivers with exceptional undergraduate or graduate credentials and significant prior work experience |
SMU (Cox) | Dallas, Texas | GRE or GMAT is optional for Fall 2021 applicants |
The University of Texas at Dallas (Jindal) | Richardson, USA | Waivers will be for the ones who face “logistical issues while taking the test as a result of Covid-19.” |
Michigan State University (Broad) | East Lansing, Michigan | At least four years of prior work experience, a strong recommendation from a supervisor, and online prerequisites |
Boston University (Questrom) | Boston, Massachusetts | GMAT or GRE Test is optional for Fall 2021 applicants |
University of Maryland (Robert H.Smith) | College Park, Maryland | Industry certification along with Six Sigma, or CFA or CPA and 3.0 GPA at least in Bachelor’s, MCAT, or LSAT scores |
Texas A&M University | College Station, Texas | Waivers for applicants with two years of prior work experience and a 3.7 GPA in Bachelor's degree |
UC-Irvine | Irvine, California | In the same vein, Requires four years or above prior work experience and a “strong academic performance |
UC-Davis | Davis, California | You will need a 3.2 GPA or more in a quant subject, five years of prior work experience, or CPA, or CFA certification, or four more years of military duty, or a Master’s degree. |
University of Tennessee | Knoxville, Tennessee | Requires current or past military service |
George Washington University | Washington, D.C., United States | GMAT or GRE not required anymore |
University of Miami | Coral Gables, Florida | Test optional due to Covid-19 |
University of Alabama | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | In the same vein, Test optional due to Covid-19 |
North Carolina State University | Raleigh, North Carolina | You will need a 3.6 GPA in Bachelor's, a graduate degree, ten more years of prior work experience, military service, or above nine credit hours in an AACSB MBA. |
University of Arizona | Tucson, Arizona | Needs 3.0 GPA or above in Bachelor's, Peace Corps volunteers or terminal degree holders |
Northeastern University | Boston, Massachusetts | Those without test scores ‘will not be penalized or be at a disadvantage.’ |
Babson College | Wellesley, Massachusetts | Will consider past academic background, written and verbal communication, and career potential or graph through a resume and references. |
Boston College | Newton, Massachusetts | Requires three years or above prior work experience, 3.0 GP in Bachelor's degree, or MBA, or Ph.D., or CPA, or CFA. |
University of Colorado-Boulder | Boulder, Colorado | Test optional due to Covid-19 |
William & Mary | Williamsburg, Virginia | In the same vein, Test optional amid Covid-19 |
Fordham University | New York City, New York | Similarly, Test optional amid Covid-19 |
University of Connecticut | Storrs, Connecticut | Waivers for applicants with an SJD, JD (Juris Doctor), MD, PharmD, or Ph.D. |
Pepperdine University | Los Angeles, California | Needs three years of prior work experience at a “management level position” and a 3.0 in a Bachelor's business degree |
Rutgers Business School | Newark, New Jersey | Priority is given to Bachelor's degrees from Rutgers, outstanding Bachelor's degree record along with leadership qualities and diversity. |
Texas Christian University | Fort Worth, Texas | Needs 3.0 GPA in Bachelor’s degree, four years of experience, evidence of quant or analytical skills or CPA or terminal degree |
Case Western University | Cleveland, Ohio | Test optional in 2021 due to Covid-19 |
Auburn University | Auburn, Alabama | Waivers for 3.5 GPA and 2+ years of experience or 3.0 GPA with six years of work experience |
Baruch College | New York City, New York | In the same vein, Waivers only for applicants with a GPA of 3.3 or higher in a Bachelor's degree or graduate program |
Buffalo-SUNY | Buffalo, New York | Will accept expired GMAT, GRE, SAT, or ACT scores. |
UC-San Diego | San Diego, California | Waivers will be provided for FlexEvening and FlexWeekend MBA programs only. |
Iowa State University | Ames, Iowa | MBA aspirants must have at least a 3.0 GPA, a graduate degree, or B grades in two graduate courses & 3 more years of prior work experience |
University of Massachusetts-Amherst | Amherst, Massachusetts | Waivers will be given to those who have a GPA of 3.2 or higher with five or more years of prior work experience, a master’s degree, and two years of experience. |
Syracuse University | Syracuse, New York | Test waivers available in 2021 |
Rollins (Crummer) | Winter Park, Florida | In the same vein, Waivers for those with graduate degrees |
University of Kansas | Lawrence, Kansas | Similarly, Waivers for those with terminal degrees |
University of Kentucky | Lexington, Kentucky | Waivers for those with managerial or technical work experience, good academic record, CPA or CFA |
University of Denver | Denver, Colorado | Test scores optional until Fall 2021 |
Chapman (Argyros) | Orange, California | Requires a Bachelor's degree in a quant subject with a 3.2 GPA, or a graduate degree, or a CPA or CFA |
Clemson University | South Carolina | Limited waivers available |
Texas Tech (Rawl) | Lubbock, Texas | Waivers available for all due to Covid-19 |
University of Houston | Houston, Texas | Waivers will be given to those only who have prior work experience or proof of quant and analytical knowledge. |
Florida State University | Tallahassee, Florida | Waivers for 3.4 GPA or higher, eight years of managerial experience, a master’s degree with a 3.0 or higher |
University of Louisville | Louisville, Kentucky | No GMAT or GRE scores are needed. |
Rochester Institute of Technology | Rochester, New York | Waivers for Bachelor's degrees from RIT with a 3.25 GPA or higher, plus terminal degree |
Clarkson University | Potsdam, New York | GMAT and GRE for all applicants |
University of Oregon | Eugene, Oregon | MBA aspirants must have a strong academic record along with an internship, past work experience, military service, volunteer service, leadership qualities, or other relevant experiences |
Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, Oklahoma | Limited waivers available amid Covid-19 |
Tampa (Sykes) | Tampa, Florida | Test waiver will be provided to candidates with a master’s degree or students unable to take a test due to the pandemic. |
The above top MBA colleges in the USA focus more on last year's coursework, experience, and certificates.
To Sum Up
Since most of the B-Schools offering MBA in the USA have provided the opportunity of test waivers to the candidates, it does not mean that getting admission is now a cakewalk.
While shortlisting aspirants for an MBA in the USA, the focus is on minimum GPA in the undergraduate courses, total professional work experience, other graduate degrees, or a professional certification like a CPA or CFA.
For instance, at Michigan Ross, the management focuses more on undergraduate or graduate coursework, candidates' full-time work experience, and professional certifications while shortlisting the most eligible candidates.
While some B-schools like the University of Texas' McCombs School of Business give special privileges to those affected directly by the COVID-19 pandemic, we can say that the top 25 schools have opened the gates to candidates without producing GMAT scores or GRE scores in a nutshell.
Many top B-Schools like MIT Sloan and UVA Darden have adopted test-optional admissions.
All the MBA aspirants planning to pursue an MBA in the USA can refer to these universities' official websites to know more about GMAT and GRE test waiver options.
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