Many people wonder if they need to take the GMAT to get an MBA. If you are planning to attend an MBA program after you finish a bachelor’s degree program to advance your career, you need to understand what the admissions process will be like so that you are prepared to apply to business school. Not only do you need to meet the prerequisite and admissions requirements, you also need to fill out a detailed application and meet GPA and entrance exam requirements before the admissions council will accept you. Not all schools have entrance exam requirements, and those that do will have score requirements that vary from school to school.

What is the GMAT and What Does it Evaluate?

The GMAT stands for Graduate Management Admissions Test. This is an entrance exam that can be completed in a period of three and a half hours and is accepted by hundreds of business schools around the nation. The purpose of the exam is to assist the admissions council in making admissions decisions by showing the council that you are competent in several subject areas and knowledgeable enough to pass graduate-level coursework.

By taking the GMAT exam, you can showcase your skills and show schools that you are serious about attending business school and that you have what it takes to succeed. According to the GMAT Website, the exam itself is comprised of four different test sections that include the following subject areas: Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, and Verbal. There are several different question types which include multi-source reasoning, table analysis, graphics interpretation, problem solving, reading comprehension, critical reasoning, and sentence correction.

Do All Schools Have a GMAT Requirement?

If you want to attend a business school with a well-known MBA program, you need to decide whether or not it is a deal breaker if the school requires you to take the GMAT. While many schools require you to test highly on this exam, there are several schools that do not require it at all. Rather than requiring an entrance exam, these graduate schools will require you to have an acceptable GPA and recommendations. You should always research the reputation of no GMAT schools to ensure that they are reputable. You should also make sure whatever school that you attend is accredited so that your degree is recognized by professional licensing boards and employers.

When to Take The GMAT

If the business school that you want to attend does require a passing GMAT score, you should take the exam well in advance. It is best to take the test as early as October if you are planning to apply by January of the next year. By doing this, you will have time to get your scores and decide if you need to retake the test by December so that you can meet the application deadlines. Make sure that you know the deadlines before you schedule an exam date.

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Do not let an entrance exam intimidate you. If you prepare for the exam, you can use your scores to prove you are a great candidate for business school. Study in advance if you need to take the GMAT to get an MBA with a school of your choice.