When Can I Skip Taking the GRE or GMAT?

Image from

Matthew Creegan July 31, 2014

Different post-graduate degrees call for their own entrance exams. Prospective doctors have to take the MCATs, future litigators are locked into the LSATs, and the majority of other students are required to take either the GRE or GMAT. But what if no test was necessary to continue schooling after a Bachelor’s degree?

In this course, participants learn core principles, concepts, and methods of continuous improvement and explore the history of continuous improvement efforts. In a series of lectures, Master Black Belt in Six Sigma Shane Wentz, Ph.D., enables learners to enhance, optimize, and stabilize business processes and to augment quality control through varied methodologies. Participants gain the skills and knowledge to reimagine internal processes, engage in advanced problem-solving, and empower employees. The course covers high-level foundational principles of Lean, Six Sigma, and DMAIC processes before diving deep into Lean Six Sigma methods. Learners will analyze the tools of process mapping, Kaizen (a continuous improvement method/tool deemed a prerequisite for Lean transformation success), Lean (a continuous improvement philosophy that emphasizes streamlined workflows and reducing waste), and the process improvement methodology driving DMAIC: Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve, and Control.

Entrepreneurs fostering new ventures outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley face significant challenges. These markets are unlike Silicon Valley, and they will likely remain so. That doesn't mean they can't nurture and sustain new businesses. In transitioning markets that lack abundant private sector financing, creative approaches from government officials, donors, and business leaders can fill the void to support entrepreneurial activity. Northeast Ohio (where Cleveland and Case Western Reserve University are located) has become a laboratory for such innovative solutions. During our time together in this course, we will explore some of these creative approaches to promoting regional entrepreneurship. Northeast Ohio has seen a massive infusion of government and donor resources for over ten years. In that time, Northeast Ohio has promoted regional development (including job creation and follow-on funding) through alternative methods of financing startups. It has not been easy. The region has made progress, but it remains to be seen whether it has struck upon an enduring formula. A dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem takes many years, even decades, to develop. Government policymakers and donors typically seek quicker returns on their support programs, which makes long-term support for entrepreneurship challenging. This course includes case studies and first-person testimonials from entrepreneurs who have launched products and services ranging from medical devices to LED lights to whiskey. You will learn how these entrepreneurs discovered and procured resources from various programs and intermediary organizations. You will hear from business people still in the process of developing their companies as well as those whose ventures have flourished. Our focus will extend beyond Cleveland to selected markets around the world, including Greece, Vietnam, Tunisia, Argentina, Rwanda and China. You will learn about international incentives and other supports available to developing startups and small businesses across the globe. This course examines how different communities around the world approach implementing strategies and methods to support businesses. I will ask you to reflect on how to apply the principles we learn to growing entrepreneurship where you live. The social interactive features of the online platform will enable students from around the world to share ideas and learn from one another. Most MOOCs rebroadcast professors’ lectures; this course is different. Don’t expect to see me standing in front of the camera, talking and lecturing every module. Instead, the lectures will be relatively short in length. They have more of the feel of an engaging documentary than a static classroom setting. ## __What type of person takes the *Beyond Silicon Valley* course?__ - Active and aspiring businesspeople in communities looking to initiate new startup ecosystems or bolster existing ones - Current and prospective entrepreneurs who want to learn about funding sources, risk management, and the lifecycle of startups - Professionals who work in government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic institutions, and various private funds that fund startups - Anyone curious about how to create and grow startup ecosystems outside the major tech hubs - The principles Beyond Silicon Valley teaches have been drawn from and applied to startups worldwide, from small villages to megalopolises. You'll study success stories spanning the globe from Vietnam to Kosovo to Botswana. ## __What will you learn in *Beyond Silicon Valley*?__ - How and where startups can find funding to get their businesses off the ground - What role government can play in encouraging startups and a healthy startup ecosystem - How anchor institutions such as universities and healthcare systems participate in startup ecosystems - How nongovernmental organizations support startups - How to raise funds from venture capitalists, angel investors, and accelerators - How to navigate challenging periods in the startup lifecycle - The importance of mentoring in successful startups

Article continues here

If a graduate school does not require an entrance exam, this could be a relief for some applicants who shy away from the standardized graduate school entrance exams. The school’s admissions department evaluates students based on criteria other than GMAT or GRE test scores.

When Can I Skip the Test?

If you’re only applying to one graduate school, or if all of the schools you’re applying to do not require GRE/GMAT scores, then taking the test might be a waste of time. Many schools do require entrance exam scores, especially business schools which conventionally mandated applicants take the GMAT, but many b-schools are trending toward accepting GRE scores as well.

Sometimes graduate schools’ policies on whether the applicants need exam scores to apply vary on a case-by-case basis. Quinnipiac University is a mid-sized school in Connecticut whose business program was recently ranked as one of Bloomberg’s top business schools of 2014. Its admittance policies for applicants depend on their intended field of study.

A representative for Quinnipiac admissions office said that the school of business requires entrance exams to be eligible for admittance, but programs at other schools within the University don’t necessarily demand that applicants take the GMAT or GRE.

How Will That Affect My Chances For Admission?

If the school says it’s optional to take an entrance exam, it’s up to the applicant to do some research to find out how this will affect her. Applicants with a strong work history might be able to forego the expense of taking the GRE in the event that the school does not deem it necessary to take the test. A long resume will often have less to prove in the admissions process than someone fresh out of college when it comes to applying to graduate school, especially when it comes to business or business-related programs.

Students may also want to take the GRE even for programs that don’t require it if they feel as though it will balance out a not-so-fantastic GPA. Entrance exams might also help with certain financial aid opportunities such as scholarships and grants.

Sources:

Frazer, M. (2014, April 4). The Complete Ranking: Best Undergraduate Business Schools 2014. Bloomberg Business Week. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-04/the-complete-ranking-best-undergraduate-business-schools-2014

Getting Into a Program Without the GMAT - OnlineMBA.com. (2014, January 1). OnlineMBA.com. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from http://www.onlinemba.com/guide/getting-into-a-program-without-the-gmat/

Thread: Any reason to take the GRE if not required for admission?. (2011, February 22). Any reason to take the GRE if not required for admission?. Retrieved April 24, 2014, from http://www.degreeinfo.com/general-distance-learning-discussions/37561-any-reason-take-gre-if-not-required-admission.html