Harvard Business School Giving Applicants Test Extensions

Harvard Business School

Harvard Business School is now offering a testing extension for MBA applicants who do not have access to the GMAT or GRE during the health crisis.

HBS says it will be open to requests for extensions for the first time ever. If approved, an extension would allow an applicant to submit an application without a test score and provide the score as soon as it is available.  The applications must still be received by either the round 1 application deadline (September 8, 2020) or round 2 application deadline (January 5, 2021). HBS set deadlines of September 1 for R1 or December 30 for R2 extension requests.

The admissions change reflects concern over the difficulty candidates are having to take the GMAT or GRE exams at a time when many test centers remain closed and the online versions of the tests are not available in every country. Only last week, the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School announced that it would accept applications for round 1 without testing for some candidates. Instead of submitting test results by Wharton’s R1 application deadline of Sept. 15, 2020, applicants would be able to send them in more than a month later by Oct. 21.

‘COMMON REASONS’ MBA APPLICANTS TO HARVARD CAN USE TO GET AN EXTENSION

“The Admissions Board will only review your application once we have your test score, so we strongly encourage you to submit scores as soon as you are able,” wrote Chad Losee, managing director for MBA admissions and financial aid in a blog post. “For those with an approved text extension, the last date to submit a GMAT or GRE test score and be considered for the Class of 2023 is June 1, 2021.”

He made clear, however, that HBS is not expecting that many candidates to take the school up on its offer of an extension. “Given the number of testing centers that have reopened and the wide availability of online tests, we anticipate the number of approved extension requests will be small. Please request a test extension only if you do not have access to taking the GMAT or GRE as it is currently offered.”

The school identified what it called “common reasons” that might result in the approval of an extension:

• Your testing appointment (in-person or online) was canceled, rescheduled, or moved for reasons beyond your control, resulting in a new testing appointment that would not provide you results in time for the Round 1 or Round 2 deadline.
• You require the ability to take the GMAT or GRE in-person and cannot schedule an in-person appointment prior to the Round 1 or Round 2 deadline. Reasons for not being able to take the online format of the GMAT or GRE include:
  • You have an approved testing accommodation that is not offered for the online test.
  • You live in a country or region that does not have an online testing option.
  • You currently do not have access to the required internet bandwidth/speed to take the online test.
  • You cannot meet the environment and testing space requirements to take the online test.

To learn about the process for requesting a testing extension and to find out if you’re eligible, visit the COVID-19 FAQs.

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