EMBA: Average GMAT Scores
Executive MBA programs at top business schools such as Wharton, Kellogg, Columbia, Booth, Haas and MIT have become much more in-demand during the past decade. The increased number of applicants means that admissions rates at some of the top programs have been getting harder.
Because of the keen competition to these programs, candidates often approach us at MBA Admit.com with a great deal of concern if they have received a GMAT score that is lower than what they had been aiming for. They ask, “What are the typical GMAT scores for top EMBA programs?” For the top EMBA programs, what is expected of the GMAT score for the successful applicant?
If you do an Internet search, you will find that this information is not easily available. Only a few schools readily report their GMAT average or median score for matriculating students on their website. Wharton boasts a 700 median GMAT score among its successful applicants. Reputable sources indicate that Columbia Business School has a GMAT range from 600-740. Other reputable sources indicate UCLA has a 650 GMAT average.
This stands in contrast to the GMAT averages for top full-time programs in the United States. According to U.S. News and World Report, these were the average GMAT scores for the top full-time U.S. MBA programs in 2014:
University of Pennsylvania (Wharton), Philadelphia, PA 725
University of Chicago (Booth), Chicago, IL 723
New York University (Stern), New York, NY 721
Columbia University, New York, NY 716
University of California—Berkeley (Haas), Berkeley, CA 714
Northwestern University (Kellogg), Evanston, IL 713
University of California—Los Angeles (Anderson), Los Angeles, CA 706
Duke University (Fuqua), Durham, NC 694
Does this mean that you can gain admission to EMBA programs with a lower GMAT score than would be possible for the full-time program counterpart? In most cases, the answer is yes, your GMAT score can be lower.
For the EMBA program, the GMAT score is certainly not the only factor that will contribute to the decision about your EMBA admission. Many top EMBA programs do not require the GMAT score at all. For those that do require it, in many cases the GMAT score is not necessarily going to be one of the most dominant factors in your admissions success or failure.
At MBA Admit.com, we have worked successfully with candidates who had GMAT scores as low as 600 and were “over-represented” (male engineers, for instance), and such candidates were still able to gain EMBA admission to top schools like Wharton and Columbia because their applications, including the recommendations, were truly outstanding.
While it is always wonderful to have a strong GMAT score so that this is working for you in the admissions process, you should not assume that having a less-than-ideal GMAT score will close the door for your admission.
Would you like a profile evaluation to understand your chances of admissions success at a top EMBA program?
Would you like assistance with your EMBA application, to ensure you put forward an outstanding application?
Send an email to info@mbaadmit.com.