Michigan Ross To Continue Test Waivers For MBA Applicants

The Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan

The University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business has decided to continue to offer MBA applicants the option to request a waiver of its standardized test requirement for the 2021-2022 admissions cycle.

Soojin Kwon, managing director of full-time MBA admissions and program at Ross, extended its more liberal waiver policy after being pleased with the quality of candidates in this past cycle who applied to the school without a GMAT or GRE. “Test waivers were at the top of the team’s annual process review discussion,” she wrote in announcing the move. “We found that many incredible applicants applied using a test waiver. Whether it was prior coursework, work experience, or professional certifications, they demonstrated their ability to handle the rigor of the MBA program without a standardized test.”

In this current admissions cycle, some 67 of the top 100 business schools have now gone fully test-optional or are actively promoting test waiver policies. MBA admission officials insist that their admission standards have not declined as a result of the policy changes. Instead, they are relying on other parts of candidates’ applications to gain confidence that an applicant can handle the academic requirements of their programs.

ROSS REALLY LIKED THE ADDITIONAL APPLICANTS

“I suspect Ross really liked the additional applicants,” says Linda Abraham, founder of Accepted.com, an admissions consulting firm. “Ross liked getting applications from these “incredible applicants,” and is therefore continuing the policy. However applicants whether incredible or not must somehow show that they can handle a rigorous, top MBA program if they want to attend such a program. Some people need a test score to show they can do it. And some don’t. One really positive factor this year at Ross: applicants can request the waiver as soon as early July. That means they will know well before applications are due if they need to take the test if they want to apply to Ross.”

Kwon make clear that “the best candidates for a test waiver are those who can demonstrate analytical skills in another way. That said, for some candidates, a strong test score can strengthen their candidacy. She noted that Ross made calls to  the school’s round 3 admits on May 4. The school’s round four deadline is June 1.

DON’T MISS: MEET THE MICHIGAN ROSS MBA CLASS OF 2022 or MICHIGAN ROSS DEAN SCOTT DERUE TO STEP DOWN