Yes. Not only does the Ross MBA program give GMAT waivers, but they also waive the GRE and TOEFL as well.
Does Michigan Ross give GMAT test waivers?
MICHIGAN ROSS WAIVES GMAT, GRE, TOEFL TEST REQUIREMENTS FOR MBA APPLICANTS
According to a recent Poets & Quants article, the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, along with MIT Sloan and the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business, will allow any candidate to request a standardized test waiver - GMAT, GRE, TOEFL - this 2020-2021 MBA admissions cycle.
MICHIGAN ROSS ADMISSIONS DIRECTOR WEIGHS IN ON TEST WAIVERS AND ROUND 1 APPLICANTS
Due to the COVID pandemic hardships candidates have been facing, Michigan Ross now offers GMAT, GRE, and English language proficiency tests waivers, including TOEFL, to candidates who request them. Soojin Kwon, managing director for Michigan Ross's full-time MBA program also stated that no round 1 applicants will be denied on December 4 (all round 1 applicants will be either admitted or waitlisted), and that any waitlisted applicant may request a test waiver after decisions are released.
SOOJIN KWON SAYS IT’S DIFFICULT TO PERFORM TO ONE’S BEST UNDER THESE CONDITIONS
According to Soojin Kwon, applicants around the world expressed their concern that going to a test center and feeling safe at the same time is a big challenge in these times. And yes, students can take the online test at home, but this faces many other challenges, such as being disrupted by friends or family, or have slow or broken internet connections. Michigan Ross is taking into account that it is difficult to perform one’s best in these conditions. Per Soojin Kwon, one applicant took the online GMAT test at home under stressful conditions and scored a 620, a week later she took it at a test center and got a 730.
MICHIGAN ROSS IS NOT WEAKENING ADMISSION STANDARDS BY GRANTING WAIVERS
Soojin Kwon reiterated that Michigan Ross is not weakening their MBA admission standards by granting waivers. Admissions will, however, continue to look for evidence elsewhere to make sure applicants can handle the rigor of the business school program. For MBA applicants who seek a waiver, Michigan Ross will put more weight on undergraduate or graduate coursework, full-time work experiences and professional certifications to gain confidence in a candidate's academic proficiency and quantitative ability. According to Soojin Kwon, it will take Ross admissions more time to review applications with no test score - GMAT, GRE, TOEFL.
ADMISSIONS DECISIONS FOR MBA APPLICANTS REQUESTING AND RECEIVING WAIVERS WILL NOT BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED AT ROSS
Soojin Kwon also confirmed that the admissions outcome - i.e. accepted, waitlisted - for candidates submitting applications with test waivers will not be negatively impacted. Moreover, applicants with no GMAT, GRE or TOEFL will still be eligible for scholarships, although according to Soojin Kwon a test score would give additional relevant data.
MICHIGAN ROSS ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE DID NOT EXPECT THEIR DECISION-MAKING TO BE FILLED WITH SUCH UNCERTAINTY FOR THIS LONG
During the first shut down where GMAT, GRE, and TOEFL test centers were closed down, many MBA programs, including Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and The University of Texas-Austin McCombs School of Business, offered test waivers to applicants directly impacted by COVID-19. Many other business schools then latched onto this trend.
Soojin Kwon, managing director of full-time MBA admissions and program at Michigan Ross, said they had no idea their decisions would still have this much uncertainty months later. Soojin Kwon remarked that COVID-19 cases are still increasing all around the world as we reach year end. Additionally, applicants' mental health has taken a toll across the world. Soojin Kwon stated that Michigan Ross would respond to waiver requests on a rolling basis, typically within 10-15 business days. Also worth noting, the latest MBA class at Michigan Ross saw their GMAT average fall from 719 to 710 this year, a 10-point drop from the Michigan Ross's all-time high of 720 in 2018.
In closing, Soojin Kwon stated, “As we continue to navigate these unprecedented times, we promise to continue listening, learning, and responding, while staying true to our values.” We certainly hope Michigan Ross is successful in this regard.
Ross gives GMAT test waivers.
Covid’s silver lining? The Michigan Ross MBA program is granting GMAT, GRE, TOEFL waivers to all MBA applicants and they aren’t rejecting anyone per the admissions committee director. Get your Ross business school application ready!