B-Schools still prefer GMAT scores over GRE

A survey conducted by Kaplan Test Prep 2012 on business school admissions officers reveals that 69% of international B schools now allow applicants to submit their Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores instead of their Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT). GMAT scores has been a key to MBA admissions for long. The change has come due to the campaigning done by the GRE exam administrators, which eventually increased the percentage from Kaplan’s 2009, survey wherein only 24% of B-schools accepted GRE scores.

Though quite a few B-schools are now accepting the GRE scores, very few candidates are opting for it. In the past admission process, approximately 46% of the B schools had less than 1 out of 10 applicants submitting their GRE scores. While 69% of the B schools gave equal weightage to both the tests, 29% of the B-schools held the view that students with GMAT scores had an advantage over GRE scores.

In the B-School admissions test race, growing acceptance of GRE has hit the lows. Out of 31% B schools that accepted only GMAT scores, barely 17% are expected to start accepting the GRE scores from the next admission process. Another reason why most of the schools accepting only GMAT scores will not accept GRE scores is the new section, Integrated Reasoning added in the GMAT exam in June, 2012. This section is expected to test the knowledge of the MBA aspirants in a much more reflective manner.

As long as the B-schools prefer GMAT over GRE, it is difficult to have more number of applicants enrolling for MBA admissions with GRE scores.

Some of the key findings of the Kaplan survey are:

• 49% weightage is given to the entrance exam score during the MBA admission process, followed by 31% undergraduate GPA. Work experience accounts for 18% weightage while 2% weightage is given to letter of recommendations and lastly 1% weightage is given to the essays.

 

• 41% of the B-school admission officersrevealed that addition of the Integrated Reasoning section makes the MBA exam more reflective of the B-school experience. However, 10% of the B-school admission officers stated adding the Integrated Reasoning section did not make the MBA exam more reflective of the B-School experience. The rest 49% did not know whether the section is helpful or not.

 

• In response to whether the new Integrated Reasoning section makes the exam more reflective of work in business and management after business school, 36% of the admission officers agreed to this. While 10% denied the fact that the exam will help students after completion of B-School. The rest 54% had no idea regarding the benefits of the exam after completing B -school.

 

• 69% of the admission offers revealed that their schools are now accepting GRE scores in addition to GMAT scores. While, 31% B schools still consider GMAT scores.   

 

• 32% of admission officers’ Google about applicants to know more about them. While 66% do not Google about the applicants and 2% are not sure.

 

• Applicant’s social networking sites such as facebook are viewed by 70% admission officers to learn more about them. While 27% do not follow them in social networking sites. Remaining 3% of the officers are not sure about their attempt in following applicant’s social networking sites.

 

• Among the officers who followed applicants in their social networking site, 85% did not find any negative information about applicants. While 10% found negative information of applicants that impacted their application. Remaining 6% were not sure about the same.

 

Source: Daily Finance