Dartmouth Tuck Offers GMAT/GRE Waivers For Laid-Off Workers

Dartmouth Tuck will allow recently laid-off workers of any sector – not just tech – to request a GMAT/GME test waiver for its full-time MBA. Courtesy

The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth announced today (January 20) that it will allow recently laid-off workers of any sector – not just tech – to request a GMAT/GME test waiver for its full-time MBA. The offer is good through March 1 and applies to workers who’ve been laid off within the last six months.

“There’s an influx of exceptionally talented individuals in the labor market right now who may have been considering business school someday down the road and the road just took an unexpected sharp turn on them,” says Lawrence Mur’ray, executive director of Admissions and Financial Aid.

“We are talking about smart, accomplished, ambitious people who have been laid off, are trying to figure out next steps, and now have an expedited timeline to apply to an MBA program if they want to begin their studies in 2023. Those are the people we’re aiming to reach with this effort.”

TEST WAIVER REQUIREMENTS

Interested candidates must meet the following requirements, provided by the school in today’s announcement:

• Have been laid off no earlier than August 1, 2022, regardless of industry
• Minimum two years post-graduate professional work experience; strong undergraduate record in quantitative, technical or analytical coursework; and additional or advanced degree in the above areas. (Read more about the waiver requirements here.)
• Alignment with Tuck’s values and admissions criteria
• Must complete and submit the GMAT/GRE Test Waiver Request Form by March 1, 2023 at 5:00 p.m. ET and before submitting the application
• If an international candidate, qualify for an English Language Proficiency test waiver

Waiver requests will be evaluated on a rolling basis. Round 3 application deadline for Tuck’s full-time MBA is March 27; Decisions will be given on May 4.

OTHER B-SCHOOLS MADE DIRECT OVERTURES TO TECH WORKERS

Tuck’s announcement comes on the heels of several top business schools making direct overtures to tech workers affected by the wave of layoffs in the last several months.

• Northwestern Kellogg School of Management was the first to extend its hand, announcing in November that it was waiving GMAT/GRE tests for laid off techies. Earlier this week, it extended that offer through its Round 3 admission cycle.
• MIT Sloan School of Management didn’t waive its test requirement but extended its Round 2 deadline for recently laid off employees to February 23.
• Indiana University Kelley School of Business, waived tests and application fees while touting an array of scholarships that are available for admitted applicants.
• UC-Berkeley Haas School of Business offered an application fee waiver and more time to prepare applications for any tech worker laid off in the last six months. It also offered guidance for candidates to address employment gaps on their resumes.
• Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business sweetened the pot with application fee waivers, test-optional admission, access to specialized admission counselors and career coaches, and a select number of full-tuition scholarships.

Tuck’s announcement today is different in that it has opened its waiver to laid-off workers in any industry, a nod to a less rosy employment outlook in the coming years for a variety of sectors.

“We empathize deeply with those who are unexpectedly having to rethink their next career move,” Mur’ray says.

“We acknowledge their application timeline would be tighter than normal—hence the introduction of waiver requests—but we’re confident that for many of these highly talented individuals, Tuck’s supportive learning community, unparalleled alumni network, and incredible employment outcomes present a value proposition worthy of pursuit.”

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