The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized computer-adaptive test used by schools to help assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business or management. The GMAT measures basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills.The Carlson Full-Time MBA program requires every applicant to take the GMAT without exception.

The Carlson Full-Time MBA program does not have a minimum GMAT score requirement. Our average GMAT score is currently 660 (80% range 612-720), and our average GPA is about 3.4. However, please keep in mind that a wide range of scores are accepted, based on the strength of the complete application. If you take the GMAT more than once, the admissions committee will consider your highest score.

Preparing for the GMAT
We strongly recommend you begin your preparation by exploring mba.com, a website published by the organization which developed the GMAT. You will find an abundance of information about the MBA degree and taking the GMAT, including preparation materials and how to register for the test.

The University of Minnesota's College of Continuing Education (CCE) offers both online and classroom GMAT prep courses, generally at about half the cost of the U.S. based test prep agencies.

CCE Prep Courses

There are a number of U.S. based test prep agencies which offer online and classroom GMAT prep courses, free practice tests, and fee-based full-length practice materials. These links are for convenience only; this list of programs does not imply endorsement by the Carlson School of Management or University of Minnesota.

Kaplan Test Prep
Princeton Review
Thomson Peterson's
Veritas

You may also prefer studying with self-paced GMAT prep books or cd-roms:

Amazon.com (GMAT search)
Barnes & Noble (GMAT search)

Registering for the GMAT
You may register for the test at mba.com, or by calling 1-800-717-GMAT. GMAT testing centers are located throughout the world.

GMAT Results
Results typically become available to our program 2-4 weeks after you take the test. You must request that the testing service send your score report to the Carlson Full-Time MBA program for your application to be considered complete. Score reports are available to our program for five years after the test date.

Pearson VUE and ACT, Inc. administer the GMAT. To make the results of a previous test available to the Carlson Full-Time MBA program, visit mba.com and request an additional score report. The code for the Full-Time MBA program is D2N-VJ-15.

If English is not your first language, you must take either the TOEFL or IELTS exam. The Full-Time MBA program accepts results from either test, so it isn't necessary to take both. Your scores must be less than 2 years old when you apply.

If you have completed the last 2 years of a bachelor's degree or 1 year of graduate school in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, or New Zealand, you are exempt from taking an English test. However, you are not exempt if the language of instruction is English in a non-English speaking country or if you have lived in an English-speaking country for several years.

TOEFL
Competitive candidates to the Full-Time MBA program generally score between 90-105 on the internet-based TOEFL exam, between 250-282 on the computer-based TOEFL exam, or between 600-650 on the paper-based TOEFL exam. We must receive an official score report directly from the Educational Testing Service. The code for the Full-Time MBA program is 6874; the department code is 02.

TOEFL
Box 899
Princeton, NJ 08540
toefl@ets.org

IELTS
To be considered for admission, we require a minimum overall band score of 7.0, with no section lower than 6.5. We must receive an official test report from the test center. When you take the exam, please specify that you wish to have the report sent to the University of Minnesota MBA program.

International English Language Testing System