January 12, 2022

New York, NY (December 1, 2021) — The 2021 Kaplan/Manhattan Prep business school admissions officers survey finds an evolving role for the GMAT®, GRE®, and Executive Assessment® in the business school admissions process, possibly giving applicants a strategic advantage*. According to admissions officers at nearly 100 full-time MBA programs across the United States, 67 percent currently waive the admissions exam requirement amid test taking challenges caused by the COVID-10 pandemic, including 34 percent who say their school may make the waiver permanent. But at the same time, 88 percent of exam-waiving schools say that submitting a competitive admissions exam score helps a prospective student’s application; these admissions officers explained their reasoning:

“Anything an applicant can do to stand out from the pack is helpful. A good GMAT score shows us that they are willing to invest time to prepare for the MBA and that they have the baseline knowledge to begin.”
“There is too much variance in GPA scores, and letters of recommendation are not always an accurate reflection of the applicant’s potential success. The standardized tests, even though they have their flaws, are useful in admissions decisions.”
“Our scholarships are based on GPA, GMAT score, and interview experience, so strong GMAT scores have a very important impact on admissions and scholarship offers.”
“In situations where an applicant’s GPA is lower than we would typically consider, strong scores might lead to us giving the applicant additional consideration.”
“With so few taking the tests, a GMAT/GRE score can really make a candidate stand out.”

“While the admissions process remains fierce and top business schools are reporting record numbers of applicants, in some ways the admissions process has never been more flexible, and aspiring MBAs would be wise to take advantage of that,” said Brian Carlidge, vice president of admissions programs, Kaplan. “A good strategy for prospective students is submitting applications to a range of schools, including ‘safety schools’ and ‘reach schools.’ If you take the GMAT, GRE or EA, those scores are ‘for your eyes only’ unless you decide to share them. If your score is likely to help you get into a certain school, submit your score, but if you think it would hurt your chances of getting into a different school, then keep it to yourself and let other pieces of your application like your GPA and work experience speak to your strengths.”

The Kaplan/Manhattan Prep survey also finds that admissions officers almost unanimously view applicants who take the GMAT Online (97 percent) and GRE At Home (97 percent) no differently than applicants who take the exam in-person at a testing service.

“This is good news for applicants, especially since the online versions of the exams have become a permanent option,” said Carlidge. “Business school applicants can now be fully confident that they won’t be at any admissions disadvantage if they decide to take the exam from the comfort of their own home. Just focus on getting the best score possible.”

For more information about Kaplan’s survey, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

*Admissions officers from 96 full-time business schools across the United States were polled by e-mail in between September 2021 and October 2021. Among those polled are 24 of the top 100 programs as ranked by U.S. News & World Report.

Test names are the property of the respective trademark holders, none of whom endorse or are affiliated with Kaplan or Manhattan Prep.

About Kaplan

Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, and student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, and schools/school districts, and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaptest.com.

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Press Releases

December 1, 2021

November 30, 2021

Above The Law: “The LSAT’s Monopoly On Law School Admissions Is Officially Over”

Law.com: “ABA Council Votes to Let Law Schools to Accept GRE Scores in Lieu of LSATs”

Kaplan in the News

November 30, 2021

Kaplan Survey: Medical Schools Predict Another Competitive Admissions Cycle, But Pandemic-Era Changes Like Virtual Interviews May Benefit Applicants

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC)

Press Contact: Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 917.822.8190
Twitter: @KaplanEdNews

New York, NY (November 29, 2021) ⁠— Up 26 percent at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; up 30 percent at Howard University College of Medicine; and at Tulane University School of Medicine, up a whopping 35 percent. All across the United States, applications to medical school increased this past year, and according to a new Kaplan survey, that trend won’t be reversed in the 2021–2022 admissions cycle*. Of the admissions officers surveyed, 50 percent predict that the number of applicants will stay at last cycle’s elevated volume; 33 percent think that number will increase; and only 17 percent believe there will be a decrease in applicants. But while the pandemic-era applicant surge points to another extra competitive admissions cycle, 88 percent say they have made their admissions process more flexible due to the impact that the coronavirus pandemic has had on everything from MCAT® testing dates to securing the recommended number of clinical hours. This is similar to Kaplan’s finding from 2020, when 93 percent noted increased flexibility.

Among the biggest changes to the admissions process is the advent of the online interview in lieu of an in-person interview—88 percent of medical schools say they extend this option to prospective students now. This was almost unheard of just two years ago. In fact, when asked which pandemic-era change they plan to keep in place moving forward, the online interview was mentioned more than anything else. As one admissions officer shared, “We have a responsibility to our applicants to provide a safe opportunity to interview…All interviews will therefore be virtual and we will continue to determine whether to move to virtual interviews as a more effective mode of delivery even after the pandemic is no longer a factor.” However, another admissions officer said that although this remains an option, all its applicants last year opted for in person interviews.

But while much has changed in the medical school admissions process since the COVID pandemic’s start, there’s one constant, finds the survey: a low MCAT score remains “the biggest application dealbreaker,” outpacing other factors like a low undergraduate GPA.

“COVID’s impact on the medical school admissions landscape is unprecedented and will likely be felt for years to come. With applications predicted to remain at near record levels, it means that future doctors will need an extra strong application overall, from a high MCAT score to a solid GPA, to a compelling personal statement,” said Petros Minasi, senior director of pre-health programs, Kaplan. “On the flip side though, there are some silver linings. Having the option of an online interview will likely come as a big relief to prospective students, who can often spend $10,000 or more traveling from one part of the country to the other for in-person interviews. Plane ticket prices and hotel costs add up quickly since the average applicant applies to between 15 and 20 medical schools. This previously impacted which medical schools cost-conscious prospective doctors applied to, but not for the time being. That’s a good thing for access and equity.”

For more information or to schedule an interview with a medical school admissions expert, contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 917.822.8190.

*Based on the results of a Kaplan e-survey conducted between August 2021 and October 2021 of 61 accredited medical schools across North America.

MCAT® is a registered trademark of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

About Kaplan

Kaplan is a global educational services company that provides individuals, universities, and businesses with a diverse array of services, including higher and professional education, test preparation, language training, corporate and leadership training, student recruitment, online enablement and other university support services. With operations in nearly 30 countries, Kaplan serves nearly 1.1 million students each year and has partnerships with 2,000-plus universities, colleges, schools/school districts and more than 4,000 businesses globally. Kaplan is a subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company (NYSE: GHC). For more information, please visit www.kaplan.com.

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