BAT, GMAT, GRE, EA: choosing the right business school admissions test

Applying to a graduate business school program means asking the perennial question: “what business school admissions test is right for me?” To help you find the answer, we have created a comprehensive guide to the difference between the four admissions tests accepted by ESMT. 

What is a business school admissions test?

First things first: what is a business school admissions test? Simply put, it is a standardized test that measures a candidate’s academic aptitude and potential. In a business school context, this often includes assessing a prospect’s ability to handle the MBA or master’s workload, and their potential to contribute to the classroom. This means the test can cover topics like quantitative or verbal reasoning, or leadership strengths. 

ESMT accepts four of these tests, each designed to showcase your skills in a unique way. Our guide will take you through the different tests accepted at ESMT and other graduate business schools to help you understand which test is right for you.

Do I need to take an admissions test to study at ESMT Berlin?

Studying at ESMT Berlin means joining a diverse group of professionals who share our values, want to be part of our mission to develop responsible leaders, and who will thrive academically, personally, and professionally.

As part of the application process, then, we do generally ask for business school admissions test results (or for test waivers; more on that here). This allows us to carefully curate each cohort for our MBA and master’s degree programs and ensures that we admit the students who will be able to both benefit and contribute.

What business school admissions tests does ESMT accept?

While each of our degree programs has slightly different rules around business admissions tests and tests waivers, in general ESMT accepts four different admissions tests. These include the Business Admissions Test (BAT), the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT), the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), and the Executive Assessment (EA). 

You can scroll down for a quick guide to the differences between each test or click the links below for a more detailed analysis.

Please note, ESMT has no official minimum test scores. ESMT Berlin evaluates all test scores, including admissions tests and GPA, as part of a holistic profile review. Test waivers are available in certain cases. 

Want to know more? Take a detailed look at the differences between the graduate assessments accepted by ESMT.

Business Admissions Test (BAT)

The BAT is the ‘new kid’ in the admissions test group. It was launched in 2012 as an alternative to traditional business admissions tests and is now the most popular test for ESMT prospects who want to apply for an MSc or MBA without GMAT or GRE. It simplifies the admissions process by focusing on your reading comprehension, critical thinking, and reasoning, without needing to rely on you having a perfect grasp of English grammar and mathematical conventions.  

It differs from other admissions tests in that it comes closer to simulating what it will be like to make decisions in day-to-day business school contexts. Participants can, for instance, use calculators and notepads. The test is also not adaptive, meaning all participants get the same questions, and can therefore complete the test in any order. Additionally, the more straightforward test lends itself to a shorter preparation time: one to two weeks vs. the GMAT and GRE’s one to three months.

It is important to know that BAT is highly school-specific. Rather than take the test and then send your score to your approved schools, with the BAT an individual school invites you to take the test. Your results are then sent directly to that school, who will focus on their own specific grading criteria. If you have a particular school in mind, this can streamline the process. However, if you are considering multiple schools, a more traditional form of testing might be more appealing.  

The BAT is recommended for: Prospects who know they want to come to ESMT Berlin, prospects on a deadline, or prospects who prefer a short prep time.  

Watch a video to learn more about the BAT at ESMT 

Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT)

The GMAT is the world’s most widely used test designed specifically for graduate business education. It is designed to measure your verbal and quantitative reasoning skills, and how you effectively analyze data. This makes it appealing for candidates who excel in mathematical skills, or who do not have a STEM or quantitative background and need to demonstrate these skills in order to join a data-heavy program.

However, because the GMAT focuses strongly on topics including grammar, mathematics, and data, it can require some intensive preparation time. It is not uncommon for prospects to study for the test for several weeks or even months. It is important to keep this prep time in mind, especially when you are applying to business schools close to the deadline.

The GMAT is recommended for: Prospects applying for multiple schools whose strengths lie in quantitative reasoning, or prospects who need to prove their quantitative skills.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

The GRE is not just for business school admissions. While many business schools do accept it (including ESMT), the GRE can also be used by those applying to law school and graduate programs in other disciplines. It is an adaptive test, meaning the difficulty level changes based on your performance in the previous section.

Like the BAT and GMAT, the GRE measures classic skills needed for professional success, including verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills. Unlike the other admissions tests, which are solely multi choice, the GRE measures these skills through multi choice answers and longer form essay questions.

This makes it a solid choice for prospective students with strong writing skills – but those who find essays more challenging may need to commit to a longer prep time.  Like with the GMAT, this is something to keep in mind when applying close to a deadline.

The GRE is recommended for: Prospects whose strengths lie in quantitative and written reasoning and who are applying for multiple schools or multiple disciplines, or those who need to prove their quantitative skills.

Executive Assessment (EA)

While the BAT, GMAT, and GRE are designed for early- to mid-career professionals, the EA is a business school admissions test for those with more experience. The questions are designed to reflect this lived learning, and to highlight areas that might need more focus before beginning, say, an Executive MBA.

Run by GMAC (the organization who also run the GMAT), the The EA is designed for executives with busy lives who may not have the time to prep for the more traditional tests. The test itself sits at a trim 90 minutes, and the prep time is only around 30 days. However, it is the most expensive business school admissions test accepted by ESMT and requires experience that you cannot cram for.

The EA is recommended for: Prospects applying for executive-level programs, who have significant professional experience leading people, teams, or budgets.

Which ESMT Berlin admissions test is right for me?

With all that information on board, how do you choose the right ESMT admissions test without going into choice overload?

The first, and perhaps most comforting thing to know is that there isn’t really a wrong admissions test to choose from. ESMT only accepts leading admissions tests that have been carefully and strategically planned to showcase your strengths.

The second thing to know is that those strengths, along with your goals, can help you determine which test best suits you.

When picking the admissions test you want to take, consider questions like:

• Which program do I want to apply for, and which test best displays the aptitudes I will need in that program?
• What are my personal strengths and weak points and which test will let me showcase my best attributes?
• What is my academic and professional background like, and do I need to show certain skills not reflected in this background?
• Do I prefer multi-choice questions or essay formats?
• Factoring in program deadlines, how long do I have to prepare for the test?
• Can I get an admissions test waiver?

Do any of the ESMT degree programs offer admissions test waivers?

ESMT does offer admissions test waivers. However, waivers are not guaranteed. Whether you qualify for an admissions test waiver depends on which program you are applying for, what topics you have studied previously, what your grades were like, and what professional experience you have.

In general, waivers may be granted to select students who previously studied STEM topics, or who have solid, academic proof of their quantitative skills. This does not apply for the Full-time MBA program, where no waivers are granted.

If you think that your profile might qualify you for an admissions test waiver, you are encouraged to reach out to our recruitment team for more details.

How will ESMT know what I scored on the admissions test?

If you choose to take the BAT, your test will be sent directly to ESMT for free. We will then let you know how you scored overall.

If you take the GMAT, GRE, or EA, you can nominate ESMT as a chosen school to send us your results for free (please note, in most cases, this must be done on test day). If ESMT is not one of your nominated schools, you can send your results at a later date as long as they are still valid. However, there may be an extra fee involved.

For all four tests, your results are valid for five years from the day of testing.

Do you have any tips for taking an admissions test?

Our biggest tip for those taking a business school admissions test is prepare, prepare, prepare!

There is a lot of paid test prep material available, and this can be helpful for intensive test cramming. However, all four tests also have mock questions you can try for free on their respective websites. Additionally, the BAT offers free three full-size practice tests that you can take for free as many times as you like before you take the real assessment.

We highly recommend taking a sample assessment before your test appointment. This will let you get familiar with the look, tone, and feel of the questions, so that you have fewer surprises on the big day.

It is also important to decide whether you prefer the flexibility of an online test that you can do at home under test conditions, or the focus of an in-person test you do at a testing center.

Finally, make sure to look at admissions and scholarship deadlines for your preferred program and be sure to leave yourself enough time to prepare and test before they close. Alternately, opt for a test that requires a shorter prep time such as the BAT.

Still have questions? Our recruitment team can also help you decide on your testing plan, including which test is needed to best showcase your strengths, or whether your profile qualifies for a test waiver. Contact them here.