Test optional explained — Why you should take the GRE/GMAT anyway
Standardized test scores are an optional application component for many postgraduate programs in the U.S. and Canada. Students who are juggling multiple requirements of an international education – like securing a visa and writing a personal statement – might be relieved to drop the GRE or GMAT from their study abroad checklist.
But just because test scores are optional, doesn’t mean they’re not meaningful. Including strong GRE/GMAT scores in an application can potentially give students an edge with admissions.
Here are six reasons to prepare for the GRE/GMAT.
1. “Test optional” isn’t “test blind”
Some postgraduate programs state that submitting test scores is optional, or proclaim that their admissions process is “test blind”. Test-optional guidelines give students the choice to submit scores. Students who don’t provide their test scores are not penalized.
The important distinction between “test optional” and “test blind” is that “test-blind” programs won’t take submitted scores into consideration when deciding whether to admit you.
With “test-optional” programs, strong test scores can still significantly strengthen your application, especially if you have an average GPA or earned your undergraduate degree from a lesser-known institution.
2. Test scores can unlock scholarships
Skipping the GRE/GMAT exams might seem like an easy way to save money. Depending on the test you take, it could cost US$220-US$300, not including time and prep materials. But taking these exams could be worth much more in the long run.
Investing in the GRE/GMAT can help you access international postgraduate scholarships. Even if your postgraduate program says its admissions process is test-optional, merit-based scholarships might rely on test scores as a factor when choosing award recipients.
If you receive a scholarship award, this financial aid can offset the exam fees and dramatically reduce your out-of-pocket expenses for school.
3. Stand out in competitive pools
Submitting high standardized test scores positions you as a stronger candidate, in general, but test scores are especially important when applying to ultra-competitive programs.
Admissions committees are likely evaluating qualifications from other students whose GPA, work experience and academic acclaim are similar to yours. With so many other exceptional students in the candidate pool, your GRE/GMAT score can be the tie-breaker that sets you apart.
4. Standardized scores build trust
Admissions committees might be unfamiliar with transcripts, or other academic records, from your home country. The GRE/GMAT are the most common proficiency exams taken by postgraduate students in the U.S. and Canada.
By volunteering your GRE/GMAT scores, admissions committees have a consistent and familiar benchmark to assess your application against all other candidates.
5. Signals commitment and seriousness
Choosing to take the test, when it’s not a mandatory requirement for admission, indirectly reveals a few characteristics about you as a student. It demonstrates initiative and a willingness to go above and beyond toward your international education.
It also signals your serious intentions to get into the program. Students don’t typically decide to take the GRE/GMAT on a whim – it takes long-term planning. From gathering review materials and studying extensively, to making a financial commitment, taking these exams shows that you’re a motivated student who doesn’t do the bare minimum.
6. Visa credibility support
Although the DS-160 application for a U.S. student visa doesn’t explicitly ask for GRE/GMAT scores, having them available can help, indirectly. During the visa interview process, a consular officer asks many questions about your study plans, including your academic readiness.
Bringing your GRE/GMAT scores to the interview as supporting documents demonstrates that you’re academically capable of succeeding in your chosen program. It also shows that you’ve taken thoughtful steps to prepare for this next step in your international education.
When skipping standardized tests might make sense
There are some scenarios where opting out of the GRE/GMAT might be acceptable:
- Your program is truly test-blind. If an institution or postgraduate program you’re applying to specifically says that it’s “test-blind,” that means it won’t consider exam scores as a criteria for its admissions decision. In this case, dropping the GRE/GMAT from your study abroad checklist is OK.
- You’re uniquely qualified. Everything else in your academic background and application is beyond exceptional, and you possess other unique experiences or rare characteristics that likely no one else has. If this sounds like you, submitting GRE/GMAT scores might have a minimal impact.
- You’re facing significant barriers. You might have factors going against you that truly make taking the GRE/GMAT inaccessible. For example, if your home country has limited or nonexistent test centers, or there’s no reliable access to the internet to take the exam remotely. You might also be faced with meeting tight visa and final admissions deadlines, and there’s no feasible time to sit for an exam.
Although there are some valid justifications for ignoring an optional test, they’re typically extreme reasons. Even then, these reasons have their own considerations.
For example, you might apply to a couple of programs that are test-blind, but the other three programs on your top five list might require score submissions. Unless you intend on only applying to test-blind programs, you’d need to prepare for – and take – the GRE/GMAT in advance anyway. And although your application might be highly competitive, there’s no guarantee that other students don’t have equally extraordinary qualifications.
If you’re unsure if having the GRE/GMAT on your study abroad checklist is worth it, reframe this task as an investment in your future and your journey toward international education success.
Want to know which test-optional schools actually deliver results?
Submitting your strong test scores can give you an edge in the admissions process. The next step for accepted students is fine tuning how to pay for their education. If you still need financial support after gathering aid, like international postgraduate scholarships, MPOWER Financing can help.
Whether you’re pursuing an MBA, engineering or other postgraduate program, MPOWER’s school network includes the most reputable, accredited colleges and universities in the U.S. and Canada.
