Perhaps your demanding work schedule leaves little time for test study, or you know from your undergraduate admissions process that standardized tests are not your strong suit. If you are applying to MBA programs and wondering whether you can skip the GMAT or GRE, the answer is: sometimes. Many schools now offer test waivers, but to earn one you must make a clear case that your academic record, professional experience, and quantitative skills demonstrate your ability to handle the rigor of an MBA program.
Business schools have evolved in their approach to testing for a number of reasons. Some schools want to access a more diverse swath of applicants and make the admissions process less daunting. In addition, admissions committees are gathering data on the countless other ways to evaluate a candidate’s ability to perform well academically. A few MBA programs will even consider test scores beyond the GMAT and GRE such as the Executive Assessment or even in some cases old SAT or ACT scores from high school.
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How are test waivers granted?
To be clear, not everyone who applies for a test waiver is granted one. You will need to convince the admissions committee that you have already displayed the requisite achievements and practical application skills to give them confidence in waiving the requirement for you. The level of convincing required will vary from school to school, so do not be discouraged if one school does not grant you a waiver; you may have a different result elsewhere. Conversely, if you do get a waiver from a particular school, there is a fair chance you may be granted one for another program as well—but there are no guarantees.
Most test waivers are granted when applicants can point to strong evidence in one or more areas: undergraduate academic performance, quantitative or analytical work experience, graduate-level coursework, relevant certifications, or other activities that demonstrate academic readiness. The strongest requests connect those examples directly to the skills MBA programs want to see: quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning, critical thinking, and the ability to use data to make decisions.
How can I request a test waiver?
In many cases, you must submit your test waiver request several weeks before the application deadline, so check the fine print to follow the particular process for each MBA program. Some schools ask for specific information when you request a waiver, while others provide only a blank field with a tight word limit. If you encounter the blank-field option, the following template offers a general formula you can adapt:
Your why: Introduce your case briefly, and include your reason for not taking an exam.
Your achievements: Elaborate on your GPA and performance in quant-related subjects, professional work related to quant/analytics topics, graduate degrees where quant/analytics skills were utilized in those courses, and certifications such as the CFA where you developed quantitative skills.
Any work or practical applications of using data to make decisions: Share how you took messy data and organized it into a format that provided insights to aid in decision-making.
Closing: Thank the admissions committee for their time, and politely request that they weigh your accomplishments against the requirement of an exam.
Many schools will respond to your test waiver request before you complete the full application, which could save you significant time. But before you request a waiver, check each school’s fine print. For example, if you are granted a test waiver and apply without sharing your test scores, Dartmouth Tuck will not evaluate any test scores submitted after you apply. In contrast, other schools might consider a test score submitted after your initial application, which could be a positive factor in scholarship considerations.
If you are wondering which schools might grant you a waiver, check out our blog post: “MBA Programs Offering GMAT Waivers in 2025.”
Each candidate should give careful consideration when deciding whether to apply for a test waiver, and it can help to talk to a trusted advisor. If you’re looking for guidance in navigating the complex and competitive MBA application landscape, reach out to one of our counselors for a free 30-minute consultation. All of Stratus’s counselors have degrees from top MBA programs and would love to support you in your next phase in life!