More MBA Programs Abandon Test Waiver Policies

A recent analysis by Poets & Quants found that many MBA programs will bring back standardized testing requirements for this year’s admissions cycle. Among the U.S. News Top 25 ranked schools, 18 are requiring applicants to submit test scores, two are not, and just five will offer test-waivers. In the last year, NYU Stern, Virginia Darden, Carnegie Mellon Tepper, Emory Goizueta, USC Marshall, and Indiana Kelley have reversed their test-waiver policies in lieu of a standardized testing requirement. 

USN Rank & School Name % GMAT 2023          % GRE 2023          Tests Required?

1 Stanford GSB 61% 39% Yes

1 Pennsylvania (Wharton) 67% 37% Yes

3 Chicago (Booth) 63% 32% Yes

3 Northwestern (Kellogg) 67% 29% Yes

5 MIT (Sloan) 54% 34% Waiver option

6 Harvard 69% 34% Yes

7 Yale SOM 62% 37% Yes

7 New York (Stern) 45% 22% Yes

7 UC-Berkeley (Haas) 46% 53% Yes

10 Dartmouth (Tuck) 61% 42% Yes

10 Virginia (Darden) 35% 34% Yes

12 Columbia 53% 26% Yes

12 Duke (Fuqua) 34% 37% Yes

12 Michigan (Ross) 38% 36% Waiver option

15 Cornell (Johnson) 42% 16% Waiver option

16 Carnegie Mellon (Tepper) 40% 24% Yes

16 Texas-Austin (McCombs) 34% 30% Waiver option

18 USC (Marshall) 36% 33% Yes

18 Emory (Goizueta) 28% 24% Yes

20 UCLA (Anderson) 65% 32% No

20 UNC (Kenan-Flagler) 28% 23% Yes

20 Vanderbilt (Owen) 36% 23% Waiver option

20 Indiana (Kelley) 42% 13% Yes

24 Georgetown (McDonough) 34% 37% Yes

25 Georgia Tech (Scheller) 30% 30% No

Data compiled by P&Q from U.S. News & World Report 2024 MBA Rankings dataset

In addition to many schools bringing back testing requirements, it is important to note that the GRE continues to gain momentum. Below, we show the schools within the Top 25 with the highest proportions of GRE and GMAT submissions. Find the full P&Q analysis, including a view of the GRE’s seven-year trend by school here. 

Schools with the Highest Proportion of GRE Submissions (Top 25 USN Ranking) 

USN Rank & School Name % GRE 2023 % GRE 2022

7 UC-Berkeley (Haas) 53% 45%

10 Dartmouth (Tuck) 42% 38%

1 Stanford GSB 39% 33%

7 Yale SOM 37% 39%

12 Duke (Fuqua) 37% 36%

24 Georgetown (McDonough) 37% 49%

1 Pennsylvania (Wharton) 37% 30%

12 Michigan (Ross) 36% 30%

Schools with the Highest Proportion of GMAT Submissions (Top 25 USN Ranking) 

USN Rank & School Name % GMAT 2023 % GMAT 2022

6 Harvard Business School 69% 74%

3 Northwestern (Kellogg) 67% 76%

1 Pennsylvania (Wharton) 67% 71%

20 UCLA (Anderson) 65% 77%

3 Chicago (Booth) 63% 73%

7 Yale SOM 62% 58%

1 Stanford GSB 61% 67%

10 Dartmouth (Tuck) 61% 68%

Data compiled by P&Q from U.S. News & World Report 2024 MBA Rankings dataset

Standardized Testing Continues to Evolve in MBA Admissions

In the world of MBA Admissions, standardized testing has become a lot less, well, standard. Admissions committees used to accept only the GMAT and/or GRE, but more options have opened up in the post-pandemic era including test waivers for past academic or professional performance, and a wider range of accepted tests including the Executive Assessment (EA) and even the MCAT or LSAT. 

The EA is a 90-minute exam, requires minimal preparation, and has historically been used for EMBA admissions. It is a good choice for applicants to full-time MBA programs who have already demonstrated strong quantitative skills through prior academic or professional experiences Today, even some elite schools such as Columbia, Duke Fuqua, and Michigan Ross are allowing students to submit EA scores in lieu of GRE and GMAT scores. 

In addition to the EA, some schools like Virginia’s Darden and NYU Stern are accepting LSAT, MCAT, and Dental Admission Test (DAT) scores. Others, like Georgetown McDonough, will allow applicants to submit expired GRE and GMAT scores. And many top ranked MBA programs are open to accepting the scores from the shorter versions of the GRE and GMAT exams. Chicago Booth, Stanford GSB, and Northwestern Kellogg will all allow applicants to submit GMAT Focus results this year. 

Harvard Business School is one of the few schools that have pointedly said they will not accept GMAT Focus scores for 2023-2024 admissions. And Wharton will accept GMAT Focus test scores dated January 31, 2024 or later, when the GMAT Focus has been merged with the legacy GMAT. 

The chart below shows the standardized tests that each school’s full-time two-year MBA program will accept in 2023-2024. Please note that some schools have not yet commented on when they will start to accept GMAT Focus scores. 

The GMAT Gets a Refresh

An updated version of the GMAT called the GMAT Focus will be released this year. Developed by GMAC in partnership with business schools, it is designed to offer test takers more flexibility because it is close to an hour shorter in length and won’t require an essay.  

According to a leaked graphic published by Poets & Quants, specific updates to the test are expected to include:

• A shorter Quantitative Reasoning section. The GMAT Focus will ask 21 questions, which will reduce the section by 10 questions and 17 minutes from the current GMAT. 

• A shorter Verbal Reasoning section. The GMAT Focus will ask 23 questions instead of the current 36, and the time allotted will decrease by 20 minutes. This section will include questions on reading comprehension and critical reasoning. 

• A new Data Insights section. The new section will increase the current GMAT’s Integrative Reasoning section from 12 questions to 20, with an additional 15 minutes of time. The section will include questions on data sufficiency, multi-source reasoning, table analysis, graphics interpretation, and two-part analysis.

In addition to shortening the overall test experience, test-takers will have the ability to flag questions that they wish to return to prior to the end of the section time. 

The current version of the GMAT will also be available for test-takers through early 2024. 

Growth Slowing for GRE in Business School Admissions

Applicants’ use of the GRE over the GMAT in MBA admissions continues to grow, but at a slower rate, according to a recent Poets & Quants analysis. For the past six admissions cycles (since 2016), GRE submissions have been increasing, while GMAT score submissions have been sinking significantly. The last two years, though, have shown a slowing in the GRE growth rate. The flexible test submission policies enacted in response to the pandemic have likely impacted the trend. 

GMAT testing volumes have declined annually since 2012, with the exception of 2016 when the numbers increased slightly compared to the year before. Last year’s GMAT testing volume decreased by 47.7 percent compared to 2018, the last pre-pandemic testing year. And the 2021 testing numbers totaled less than one-third of GMAT’s record-high numbers in 2012. 

Amidst this decline, the GRE testing volumes steadily increased. However, in the past couple of years, this growth has slowed significantly. Poets & Quants points out that, “For every Virginia Darden School of Business, which saw a 10-percentage-point increase in its GRE submissions from MBA applicants in 2021, there is an Indiana Kelley School of Business, which reported an 11-point year-to-year decline.” The analysis notes that in 2019, an average of 13.5 percent of applicants submitted GRE scores at the Poets & Quants-ranked top 25 business schools, but that number jumped to 27.8 percent in 2020. Within schools ranked in the top ten, the GRE submission averages all increased in 2020. Dartmouth’s Tuck led in GRE submissions at 39 percent, followed by Yale and UC-Berkeley at 35 percent. 

This year, within the top 25 schools (24 reported data), the average proportion of GRE submissions increased only slightly, from 27.8 percent to 28.5 percent. And, within the top ten, the average submissions decreased slightly from 28.1 percent in 2020 to 27.9 percent. Stanford, Columbia Business School, Dartmouth Tuck, Duke Fuqua, Michigan Ross, and NYU Stern all reported lower percentages of GRE submissions this year compared to last.

The longer-term trend from 2016 to 2021, though, actually paints a clearer picture of the GRE’s growing place in MBA admissions. Of the top 52 Poets & Quants-ranked MBA programs, 34 schools have increased in the percentage of GRE submissions over time, while just eight have decreased. None of the programs with decreases are ranked in the top 25. 

University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business Unveils Free, Pre-MBA Quantitative Readiness Course Online

Last month, the part-time MBA program at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business released a new “pathway to entry” for prospective students. Students may now opt to participate in a free, online pre-MBA Quantitative Readiness course and submit a final exam score of 80 percent or higher in lieu of GRE or GMAT scores. 

The Quantitative Readiness course is estimated to take between 20 and 30 hours to complete, and includes six self-paced modules covering various statistical techniques and applications. Each module includes practice questions and a quiz, followed by a three-hour final exam encompassing all modules. The course description states that the material is presented in such a way that students who spend the requisite time studying will be able to pass the course. 

In an interview with Poets & Quants, Patricia Russo, Managing Director of Part-Time MBA programs at Ross, said that the initial impetus behind the program was to drive applicant diversity by introducing a new mechanism to showcase readiness, one that may appeal to those with less traditional quantitative backgrounds. So far, with almost 200 enrollees in the first month, student feedback has shown that the program is meaningful. In addition to creating an alternative to standardized tests, it has provided students with the chance to refresh their quantitative skills and increase their confidence prior to entering an MBA program. It also gives them a chance to “test drive the rigor of an MBA”. Furthermore, as the program is an entryway to part-time programs where most students work in parallel, Russo notes that the act of taking the course provides prospective students visibility into the day-to-day work of juggling MBA coursework with their work and personal lives.

There is no current plan to extend the entryway to full-time applicants at Ross, but many part-time MBA program administrators from other universities have reached out with interest in the course. 

Role of Standardized Test Scores in MBA Admissions Evolves

During the 2020-2021 admissions season, many MBA programs introduced flexibility into their admissions process by waiving the GMAT/GRE requirement. And just last month, UVA’s Darden announced that it would extend its test-optional policy into the upcoming admissions cycle. The school’s current policy allows for students to submit GMAT/GRE or alternative test scores (including the LSAT, MCAT, or Executive Assessment). But students also have the option to request a waiver based on a provided alternative indicator of academic, personal, or professional achievement, which could include previous ACT/SAT scores.

Last year, Darden received around 1,300 waiver requests and admitted approximately 13 percent of the incoming class via test waiver. School representatives believe that the policy created a more equitable standard for admission while also “attracting a more diverse group of candidates.” Darden’s head of admissions, Dawna Clarke, also noted that Darden is employing data analytics to better understand student success and inform future policy decisions. Describing early results from Darden’s internal analysis on factors that are predictive of success in the first-year MBA curriculum, Clarke said, “Surprisingly, we found the verbal GMAT correlated more than the quant GMAT. The GPA correlated more than the GMAT. We found a correlation between SAT and ACT scores. And we found a correlation even with the interview. The interview was predictive of academic success… We are currently doing analytics for the first-year class to see how those people who opted to submit an alternative test or none at all are doing and that will help drive our policies.”

While it remains to be seen how other schools will address the GMAT/GRE requirement, the Wall Street Journal recently published an article describing a parallel decline in the role of standardized test scores in post-MBA recruiting. Historically, top consulting firms, McKinsey, Boston Consulting Group, and Bain, as well as reputable investment banks were thought to rely on the test scores as a filter for job applicants. This is changing. “I don’t mind one bit that campuses are waiving the GMAT requirement,” says Keith Bevans, a partner who leads recruiting at Bain, “Business schools are admitting a much broader range of talent, and I expect to find strong candidates this fall in places I wouldn’t normally see them.” He notes that while Bain still collects standardized test scores, they are not held against prospective employees, but rather incorporated into an internal analysis, which has found that higher scores do not always equate to higher productivity at Bain. Similarly, Danielle Bozarth, the lead partner for North America recruiting at McKinsey, also points out that MBA programs’ deprioritizing of test scores, “is aligned with our recruiting approach that [tests] are one of many ways to help assess a person’s skills or knowledge. We look for people who are good problem-solvers,” of which, she points out, there are many indicators.

While the role of standardized test scores is changing, prospective and current MBA students should carefully consider the entirety of their resume before determining whether to submit, or omit standardized test scores. We recommend thinking through the following questions:

• Are you a particularly strong, or weak, standardized test taker? Providing MBA programs and future employers with high scores on the GRE/GMAT will be beneficial even if they are considered a small component of your larger story.

• Do you feel that your GPA and academic credentials adequately reflect your capabilities as a student? If you have a weak GPA or other “soft” academic credentials on your resume, you may want to bolster these scores by taking the GMAT or GRE. This will give you the opportunity to showcase your ability to compete in a rigorous analytical and quantitative environment, and also prove your verbal competence.

• Does your resume include experiences that directly speak to your ability to critically assess complex situations under pressure and problem-solve? This could include success in case competitions, a role on the debate team, awarded scholarships or fellowships, and professional certifications, etc.

• Do you have any exceptional experiences that set you apart from other applicants by demonstrating a high level of skill, determination, and/or a commitment to success? For example: a role on a highly competitive sports team, a successful entrepreneurial venture, and/or documented professional success at a highly regarded company.

MBA Programs Seek to Increase Flexibility in Admissions Process

Earlier this month, Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business and the University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business announced that their full-time MBA programs would go test-optional for the 2020-2021 admission cycle. These two are the latest among a growing group of schools to waive standardized test requirements for eligible applicants. Like Northeastern University’s D’Amore-McKim School of Business, Georgia Tech’s Scheller plans to pilot the test-optional policy for all Fall 2021 applicants. The University of Maryland’s Smith School of Business is implementing a test waiver program where applicants who meet an existing set of criteria can opt out of providing standardized test scores. UVA Darden, University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Business, and Rutgers Business School have incorporated similar criteria-based waiver systems.

The schools point out that while they have used standardized test scores previously, to gauge an applicant’s ability to compete in the academic rigor of their program, they say their admissions teams remain confident in their holistic assessment of an applicant’s potential. UVA Darden is asking candidates who do not provide test scores to include alternative evidence that they will be able to succeed academically.

The schools hope that the policy will attract more applicants. After announcing its test-optional policy, UVA Darden reported receiving “an influx of qualified applicants who had been furloughed or laid off amid the pandemic.” Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Blair Sanford, Assistant Dean for Full-Time MBA and Master’s Programs at Wisconsin-Madison said, “Some of the reasons why we decided to expand the policy in the first place still exist. The pandemic is still in place… In addition, it gives us a broader reach to attract qualified students in a difficult environment.”

The schools are also optimistic that the policy change will appeal to a more diverse swath of applicants, particularly those from a range of socioeconomic backgrounds. The costs of taking the standardized tests, including preparation, can be a barrier to otherwise well-qualified applicants. Maryam Alavi, Dean at Georgia Tech’s Scheller College of Business, in an interview with Poets & Quants said, “Beyond the complications COVID-19 has introduced in terms of access to exams, an overreliance on standardized test scores in MBA admissions decisions puts underrepresented minorities, individuals from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, and first-generation college graduates at a disadvantage. We move forward confident that the change in this year’s admission process will attract our most diverse, qualified, and successful MBA cohort yet.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, however, many of the elite schools remain hesitant to move completely away from standardized testing, though most have begun accepting the results from online GRE and GMAT testing. And a few top-tier schools including NYU’s Stern, Columbia University’s Business School, and most recently, Vanderbilt University’s Owen, have opted to accept the Executive Assessment (EA) test as an alternative to the GMAT/GRE for full-time MBA applicants. The EA, which is much shorter at 40 questions and 90 minutes compared to the four-hour GRE or GMAT, generally requires less intensive preparation than its longer counterparts.

It will be interesting to see how things evolve from here, even among elite schools. Michael Robinson, Associate Director of MBA Admissions at Columbia Business School, has expressed interest in following the methods and outcomes of elite undergraduate institutions that have gone test-optional. At an MBA roundtable over the summer, Robinson said, “So, for us in admissions, it’s not that we want to basically admit people with the highest test average. It’s more about whether this person can succeed academically in that class. There are ways to get the right answer to that question without a GRE or GMAT or executive assessment. So I’m really curious to see what’s happening there. We’ll see what that looks like.”

The GMAT V. The GRE: Which Test is Best for You?

For the past two years, respondents to the AIGAC MBA Applicant Survey have reported that the standardized test is the most challenging component of the MBA application. While there is no way to completely defray the stress associated with the GMAT or GRE (the top 50 business schools accept both), it is helpful to think critically about which one will provide you the best opportunity for success.

At Apply Point, we generally make the following recommendations:

You might prefer the GMAT if:

• Your strengths are quantitative, analytical
• You are adept at interpreting data presented in charts, tables, and text to solve problems
• You know that you want to attend an MBA, or business-related program, such as a MS Finance.

You might prefer the GRE if:

• Your strengths are verbal, writing
• You want to keep your graduate school options open. The GRE is accepted at most graduate programs, including a couple of law schools.

In Kaplan’s 2016 Survey of Business School Admissions Officers, 26 percent of admissions officers reported that those submitting a GMAT score have an admissions advantage over those who submit a GRE score. However, 73 percent said that neither exam has an advantage. In 2014, Harvard Business School’s Admission Director shared that the school looks carefully at the score components in combination with the student’s transcript and resume. As such, prospective students should use the test strategically to fill in any “gaps” or answer open questions that may stem from their transcript and/or work experience. For example, an applicant with an undergraduate degree and work experience in finance may need to bolster their application with strong verbal scores, while a communications major will want to demonstrate his/her ability to handle the rigors of the quantitative coursework in the MBA by providing a strong quantitative score on the GMAT/GRE.

Above all, an applicant should take the test they feel most comfortable with and are most likely to succeed on. Taking a diagnostic exam of each is a good place to start.

Top Ten Things To Consider When Applying To An EMBA Program Part I: GMAT, Academic Records and Recommendation Letters

Executive MBA programs have never been looking for just good students.  They are searching for leaders who will continue their positive trajectory of success after the program is complete. They want to build a class comprised of students who have a diverse variety of talents, qualities, attitudes and backgrounds. 

So, what does this mean for your applications?  Let’s examine each piece of the puzzle.

 GMAT

The Graduate Management Admissions Council created the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) in 1953 to gauge a prospective students’ ability to compete in the academic rigor of graduate business programs.  The exam, which is 1 of only 2 intellectual measures on the application, was recently updated with an additional section.  It tests verbal skills and analytical writing ability, quantitative skills as well as an aptitude for integrated reasoning.  Most full-time MBA programs value the test’s findings and require the test for admissions, but EMBA admissions committees differ in their opinions regarding the GMAT.  Therefore, you will only be required to take the GMAT when applying to some programs.

--GMAT preparation is critical:  

If you are applying to EMBA programs that require you to take the GMAT, preparation is key.  Give yourself at least 3 months and pick the preparation option that is best for you.  You can either self study using one of the many GMAT guides on the market, take a GMAT prep class or hire a private tutor.  It is important to note that you can re-take the test multiple times because the admissions committees typically only take the highest score.  While the GMAT may seem like a drag, standardized tests continue to be widely used in the higher education admissions process and valued by admissions officers.  You don’t want your GMAT score to be the one aspect of your application keeping you out of your top choice program. 

Academic Records/Transcript

The content and requirement of a transcript on a graduate business application is set in stone.  Applicants will never be able to change that low grade they may have received in college math and admissions deans will never be able to standardize the rigor of classes or grades given at other institutions.  It is simply another predictor, like the GMAT, of future academic achievement.

--The transcript is telling, but only 1 piece of the puzzle:  

When evaluating your transcript, admissions committees will want to ensure you challenged yourself throughout your academic career, especially in quantitative courses, and could maintain a solid GPA.  They will assume, if you were a dedicated student throughout your undergraduate work, you will succeed in the EMBA classroom.  If you have poor grades, you can’t go back and change them. However, a high GMAT score, additional coursework and an essay explaining weaknesses can help to mitigate the negative influence of a poor transcript.

Recommendation Letters

Most graduate business programs require 2 or 3 letters of recommendation, so it is important to make strategic decisions when choosing recommenders.  You will also want to ensure their messages align with your overall application strategy. 

--Choose the right recommenders:  

Choose recommenders who know you well and who will sing praises about your candidacy and fit.  Don’t get the distant CEO to write the letter because you think admissions committees will be impressed.  Identify those supervisors who have worked closely with you and can provide specific examples of your leadership and innovation potential.  The one exception here is if you are connected to a prominent donor or decision maker at the program to which you are applying.    

--Provide recommenders with background information:

If your recommendation letter can provide specific examples and add depth to your position, they could add real value to the admissions process.  In order to achieve this, you will want to provide your recommender with substantial background information – a sample essay or two and some examples that could help them illustrate specific qualities.  Ideally, each recommendation will complement the qualities you’ve brought out the essays, resume and other recommendation letters, by providing evidence of specific professional accomplishments.  You want each application piece to work together, emphasizing different areas of strength and, ultimately, completing the puzzle.   

The application process may seem daunting, but the rigorous admissions standards applied will lead to an unparalleled EMBA experience, a classroom where each seat is taken by a talented leader who is more than merely a test score and a transcript.

Innovation is Key. Is Graduate Business Admissions the Exception? Part I: Assessing Academic Potential

Touted in nearly every business blog or book, the ability to innovate is the Holy Grail of capitalist enterprise.  The advent of the MBA program was in itself an innovation, a response to the massive business model overhauls during the industrial revolution.  Later, the end of World War II brought continued innovation, aggressive growth in the automobile, aviation and electronic industries and, in 1943, the creation of the Executive MBA at the University of Chicago.  Since then, like business, management educations have continued to evolve. What hasn’t changed so much is the evaluative process employed by admissions committees, the gatekeepers at top programs.

In 1943, when the first Executive MBA Program yielded a class of 52 students, business school admissions processes largely mirrored those practiced in the Ivy League.  Applicants completed a personal facts section and clearly outlined their extracurricular and professional activities.  Recommendation letters, written by persons who knew the applicant well and could speak to their character, were sent to the institution.  The applicant completed personal essays so the admissions committee could gauge the applicant’s aptitude for leadership.  And, finally, the interview would look at the more subtle indicators of future success.  Academic achievement was just one of the 4 pieces.  Was the admissions committee downplaying the value of intellectual accomplishment?

The answer is yes, because it was decided that pure intellectual prowess does not, alone, predict future success.  Factors, unrelated to intellect, like motivation and social skills were also considered crucial. Today, not much has changed.   The admissions process is nearly identical to the one used by the first student’s at Chicago’s EMBA.  This is because MBA programs have never been looking for just good students.  They are looking for leaders who will continue their positive trajectory of success after the program is complete.  Like the officials of the Ivy League, the MBA admissions process is not simply a matter of academic brilliance.  Admissions committees want a student body with a diverse variety of talents, qualities, attitudes and backgrounds. 

The question, then, is not whether the goals of the admissions process are out of line.  The question is whether or not the admissions tactics employed by MBA programs are effective in evaluating top management potential.  Let’s examine each piece of the puzzle.     

 (1.) Assessing Academic Potential: The GMAT and Transcripts

The Graduate Management Admissions Council created the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) in 1953 to gauge a prospective students’ ability to compete in the academic rigor of graduate business programs.  The exam, which was recently updated with an additional section, tests verbal skills and analytical writing ability, quantitative skills as well as an aptitude for integrated reasoning.  Most full-time MBA programs value the test’s findings because it makes their evaluative jobs easier by leveling the playing field.  This has proven to be especially important when applicants are coming from a wide array of industries and educational backgrounds.  But, is the GMAT an effective predictor of academic success?

Many proponents of the exam agree that analytics, reasoning skills and aptitude are vital in EMBA programs.  With no standardized measure, some schools say, programs may accept students who are not qualified academically, especially in the heavy quantitative courses.  Schools who require the GMAT for EMBA admission say that while work history, prior degrees and leadership experience are important, they are not a good gauge of an applicant’s analytical skills.

Critics of the GMAT’s usage in EMBA admissions say it is not a valid test of an applicant’s strengths. Instead, they say, schools should base decisions for enrollment on academic records and work history, aspects of the application the GMAT doesn’t measure.  These programs are clearly more concerned with an applicant’s professional career and the value their experiences will add to the classroom dynamic.                      

Business schools will continue to engage in the debate regarding the priority given to the GMAT in admissions, but one thing is for sure.  The GMAT is not a test of future management success.  It is merely a predictor of success in an applicant’s first year of business school.  

Like the GMAT, the transcript is another predictor of future academic achievement.  For applicants and admissions officers alike, the content and requirement of a transcript on a graduate business application is set in stone.  Applicants can’t change its material and admissions deans won’t ever be able to standardize the rigor of classes or grades given at other institutions.  It is what it is, a staple of most applications to academic programs in higher education.  

Rather than doing different, when we innovate, we do the same better.  The ultimate goals of MBA admissions committees will remain the same, but as future students and alumni of MBA programs, if we can encourage constant innovation in the selection processes of our classmates, our academic experiences will be richer and the programs, from which we graduate, stronger.