Executive Assessment: An Alternative to the GMAT and GRE

If you’re struggling to get the score you want on the GMAT or GRE, you may want to consider taking the Executive Assessment (EA) instead.

The EA is a 90-minute exam that evaluates data-driven skills across three sections: Integrated Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. While the EA is primarily used for executive MBA admissions, a number of top-ranked, full-time MBA programs accept the exam as well, including Columbia Business School, University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and Duke University Fuqua School of Business.

Dr. Marlena Corcoran, founder of Athena Mentor and contributor at Forbes, recently broke down what you can expect from the EA, and why it’s a viable path to MBA admission.

A 90-MINUTE EXAM

With a test duration of only 90 minutes, the EA is significantly shorter than the GRE (roughly 180 minutes) and GRE (225 minutes). Additionally, the EA has many of the same quantitative concepts as the GMAT, which can give you an advantage if you’ve already been studying for the GMAT.

Farrell Nelson, an MBA admissions consultant, says one of her clients who struggled to score over 710 on the GMAT landed an EA score in the 99th percentile with no additional prep, and cracked T20 US schools.

“The EA is a particularly good strategy for those underrepresented,” Nelson explains. “The schools are looking for a quant score that shows ability to handle the coursework. Low risk of flunking out (if this happens, school loses out on tuition and it creates bad reputation juju.) Once you satisfy the quant criteria, they’re motivated to scoop up your diversity.”

ACCEPTED BY MANY TOP FULL-TIME MBA PROGRAMS

While designed for executive MBA programs, the EA is accepted at a number of top-ranked, full-time MBA programs including:

• Columbia Business School
• University of Virginia Darden School of Business
• Duke University Fuqua School of Business
• NYU Stern School of Business (test administered by Pearson VUE)
• UCLA Anderson School of Management
• University of Texas McCombs School of Business
• Georgetown University McDonough School of Business

Still, the GMAT or GRE are more widely accepted across full-time MBA programs, so it’s best to check whether or not the school you’re applying to accepts the EA.

“The GMAT or GRE is the safest and most well-trodden path to admission and scholarship aid at full-time MBA programs,” Corcoran says. “In an ideal scenario, candidates achieved optimal scores weeks or even months ago. But we are entering a period when applicants with pressing deadlines may be faced with difficult choices.”

Sources: Forbes, University of Pennsylvania

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