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GMAT Top Colleges & Score Cut-Offs

Updated on 12 September, 2023

Shivangi Mishra

Shivangi Mishra

Sr. Content Editor

Getting into the world’s best management schools is not easy. Let’s face it; with limited seats and increasing competition, earning admission into top colleges with GMAT requires a lot more than academic brilliance. A report by U.S. News outlines this aspect in detail, stating how academic performance, while important for admissions to leading MBA courses, is not the only criterion. 

Here are some key takeaways that will give you an idea of what these institutions expect. 

  • Business schools desire students with leadership skills along with a history of making relevant or vital contributions to their organizations. 
  • GMAT best colleges often evaluate whether a candidate is a team player with the right attitude to collaborate with peers on group projects, along with possessing good communication skills.  
  • Test scores are essential since they work as differentiators between aspirants, with Quantitative test scores in the GMAT being crucial for those with humanities or social sciences backgrounds. 
  • Most top B-schools look for solid grades in undergraduate or graduate programs, in disciplines that are related to business and management, or in math-centric subjects. A good score in the Quantitative section of the GMAT matters, along with technical skills, certifications, and relevant experience. Some admissions committees prefer students with experience and knowledge of data analysis, demonstrating their abilities to manage vast data sets and draw inferences based on technical analysis. 
  • Institutions also seek honest candidates who are open about their weaknesses and how the management program can help them improve. Resumes are scanned thoroughly for extra-curricular and non-academic accomplishments, focusing on group work, meaningful contributions in any sphere, and leadership. Application essays can also make a difference in this regard. 

The basics that admissions committees scrutinize at leading B-schools usually include the following: 

  • Bachelor degrees in economics, management, or any related field for some institutions, while others are okay with degrees in any field. 
  • B-schools have minimum GPA requirements for students. For instance, it may vary from 3.50 to 3.78 for undergraduate programs, depending on the institution. 
  • Minimum GMAT scores are another criterion at several institutions. Elite institutions may often prefer students with GMAT scores of 726-738. 
  • English language proficiency scores are also necessary for admissions into several leading management programs. 

What is GMAT? 

Before learning about the GMAT top colleges that you can apply to, a brief overview of the examination is necessary. The GMAT has the following sections: 

  • Quantitative Reasoning- 31 questions (62 minutes) and a score range of 6-51. 
  • Verbal Reasoning- 36 questions (65 minutes) and a score range of 6-51. 
  • Integrated Reasoning- 12 questions (30 minutes) and a score range of 1-8. 
  • Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)- 1 question (30 minutes) and a score range of 0-6. 

The cumulative score range is 200-800, with 3 hours and 7 minutes total examination time. There are 80 questions that you have to answer in the GMAT. 

The GMAT examination is used by 2,400+ global universities and institutions across 114 countries and 7,700 programs. There are also 600+ testing centers worldwide. GMAT scores are vital for admissions into leading business and management programs at reputed institutions. It tests abilities that are vital for these programs, including problem-solving, analytical writing, critical reasoning, and more. GMAT is also a computer-adaptive test, meaning your skill levels determine your upcoming questions. 

Factors Determining GMAT Cut-Off

The best colleges accepting GMAT have specific cut-offs for admissions into their programs. What influences these cut-offs? Here are some key factors in this regard. 

  • The examination’s difficulty levels. 
  • The total number of available seats. 
  • The total number of students appearing for the examination. 
  • The number of candidates qualifying for the GMAT. 

Now that you know the requirements at leading business schools, the GMAT examination, and cut-offs, here is a closer look at the top MBA colleges worldwide with their GMAT score requirements. 

Top 50 MBA Colleges in World with GMAT Score 

Here are some of the leading MBA colleges worldwide with their GMAT score requirements: 

Name of the Institution GMAT Cut-Off (Approximate)Location 
Stanford Graduate School of Business740Stanford, USA
Columbia Business School730New York City, USA
Harvard Business School730Boston, USA
Northwestern-Kellogg727Evanston, Illinois, USA
UC Berkeley-Haas727Berkeley, California, USA
Chicago Booth 724Chicago, Illinois, USA
UPenn-Wharton722Philadelphia, USA
Dartmouth-Tuck722Hanover, USA
MIT-Sloan720Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Yale School of Management 720New Haven, Connecticut, USA
NYU-Stern718New York City, USA
Michigan-Ross710Ann Arbor, USA
INSEAD- Singapore709Ayer Rajah Avenue, Singapore
London Business School 707The Regent’s Park, London, UK
UCLA-Anderson 706Los Angeles, California, USA
Cornell-Johnson698Ithaca, NY, USA
UC-Kenan-Flagler694North Carolina, USA
Cambridge-Judge693Cambridge, UK
Washington - Foster692Seattle, WA, USA
Carnegie Mellon - Tepper691Pittsburgh, USA
HEC Paris690Jouy-en-Josas, Paris, France
IESE - Barcelona686Barcelona, Spain
AGSM- UNSW686Sydney, Kensington, Australia
IESE - Madrid686Madrid, Spain
Vanderbilt - Owen685Nashville, USA
Oxford - Said680Oxford, UK
Cranfield680Cranfield, Bedford, UK
IMD680Lausanne, Switzerland 
Rochester - Simon680Rochester, NY, USA
IE Business School 677Madrid, Spain
McGill - Desautels675Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Toronto - Rotman670Toronto, Ontario, Canada
NUS670Lower Kent Ridge Road, Singapore
NTU - Nanyang670Nanyang Avenue, Singapore
Johns Hopkins - Carey670Baltimore, USA
USC - Marshall669Los Angeles, California, USA
CEIBS - Shanghai667Pudong, Shanghai, China
ESADE - Barcelona660Barcelona, Spain 
Rutgers Business School657Newark, New Jersey, USA
Ivey Business School- Western University655London, Ontario, Canada
UVA - Amsterdam650Amsterdam, Netherlands
UBC - Sauder650Vancouver, Canada 
UCD - Smurfit646Dublin, Ireland
Copenhagen Business School645Frederiksberg, Denmark
Bayes Business School- City, University of London643London, UK
ESMT Berlin640Berlin, Germany
RSM Rotterdam640Rotterdam, Netherlands
York - Schulich636North York, Ontario, Canada
HKUST - Hong Kong Campus630Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong

Conclusion 

Shortlist GMAT top colleges and check their eligibility requirements before applying. Focus on performing well in the GMAT, keeping a targeted score in mind. While test scores are a vital criterion for admissions into leading MBA programs worldwide, institutions also look for other aspects as outlined above. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What GMAT score is required for top MBA colleges?

GMAT cut-offs vary across universities, while some do not have specific cut-offs. In most cases, a score above 700 is usually considered sufficient for admission into leading institutions. Scores above 650 are adequate for some institutions as well. 

Which is the No 1 MBA College in the world?

Going by the 2023 QS Global MBA Rankings, the Stanford Graduate School of Business is ranked at number 1. It is followed at number 2 by the Harvard Business School, while Penn (Wharton) takes third place. 

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Shivangi Mishra

Sr. Content Editor

She is an experienced writer and journalist who has extensively covered the education sector in India and Abroad. Now helping Indian aspirants realise their foreign education dream by providing them with relevant content and information through upGrad Abroad. Amateur traveller, loves to read Architectural Digest!

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