For many, graduate school is considered to be a pinnacle of achievement within a field, and justifiably so – a graduate degree can open a lot of doors and lead to an increase in earnings. However, the question must then be asked – what does it take to get into graduate school?
Commonly, many graduate students will take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), the standardized test commonly used for graduate school admission in the United States. However, the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) is the preferred exam for many graduate business schools globally, with several programs only accepting GMAT scores.
Grad School Test Resources
Grad School F.A.Q.
This question is one that many will ponder over the course of their academic career, and one that is reinforced with every mention of it from professors, academic advisors, and networking connections. There is no set criteria that can provide a yes or no answer, but there are a multitude of different variables that should be considered as it relates to graduate school relevance:
- Necessity: Is a graduate degree required for what you want to do? If so, what is the intended level of graduate study you have to go for? If not, will it make things easier if obtained, or will it just generally increase your chances due to the nature of graduate degrees themselves?
- Finances: Graduate degrees are expensive – what plans do you have to pay for a graduate degree? What is feasible for you and your personal financial situation and goals? What alternatives are available to you for tuition waiving (e.g., assistantships, scholarships, fellowships, etc.)?
Even if you decide that graduate school may not be your intended journey right now, there is no set “deadline” that closes the door forever. Many business students, if they are interested in graduate school, tend to apply three or more years after their undergraduate graduation – this allows for more intentional professional development, experience gaining, and skill building that they can then use to accentuate their graduate degree.
This depends entirely on your academic journey and which program(s) you would like to apply for!
- GRE: Standardly accepted across most graduate programs, recommended for non-business degree programs unless specifically said otherwise.
- GMAT: The hallmark of graduate programs – typically, what you should take if you are considering a graduate degree in business.
- Other Exams: While not covered here, there are a lot of other tests for various programs and professional schools (e.g., LSAT for Law School).