In a sea of subjective applications, the GMAT remains one of the few ways to prove readiness, resilience, and real leadership potential.
There’s a lot of noise right now about the GMAT. Some business schools are dropping it, and others are reinstating it. Everyone seems to be asking the same question: Is it still relevant?
As someone who’s worked with thousands of prospective MBA students over the years—and as someone who’s obsessed with what it takes to succeed in high-stakes environments—I can say without hesitation: the GMAT is not just relevant. It’s essential.
That might sound like a bold claim in an increasingly test-optional world, but it reflects a more profound truth: when approached strategically, the GMAT isn’t a gatekeeper. Instead, it’s a signal. A stress test. A chance to prove you can deliver the thinking, stamina, and grit that business school demands and the workplace requires.
The Myth of the Optional Test
Test-optional policies were introduced with good intentions. They aimed to widen access, increase diversity, and lower barriers for qualified applicants. And they did lead to modest increases in application numbers and representation from underrepresented groups.
However, removing the GMAT didn’t remove the need for what it measures. Core business skills, including quant, verbal, and reasoning, are still essential to succeed in an MBA program. Some candidates admitted without test scores struggled with program rigor. This was not a question of intelligence, but of unproven readiness.
The GMAT is a reliable, comparable measure of preparedness. It helps schools identify who’s equipped for the academic challenge and adds transparency to an increasingly opaque admissions process.
A Measure of Merit and a Mirror
The GMAT brings objectivity to an otherwise subjective process. We all know resumes can be massaged, edited essays, and recommendations influenced. A standardized test, however, gives admissions committees a common benchmark, leveling the playing field.
When they take a standardized test, candidates from different academic institutions and life experiences compete equally. This is especially valuable for applicants without traditional business or elite education backgrounds.
It’s not about perfection—it’s about potential. Performing well on the GMAT signals that you can think critically under pressure. It shows initiative and a willingness to take on a challenge others might avoid.
Why the GMAT Is Especially Important for Entrepreneurs
GMAT skills are real-world business skills, even if you’re not heading into a corporate job. Think about it:
- Quantitative reasoning = financial modeling, investor metrics, business analytics
- Reading comprehension =
- Critical thinking = essential for fast, informed decision-making in uncertain environments
Not every business school graduate ends up in a corporate role, and many MBA candidates have entrepreneurial ambitions right from the start. For this group, the GMAT might seem like an unnecessary detour. But in reality, the skills it develops directly apply to startup life.
The GMAT requires the kind of mental agility, data fluency, and resilience that founders rely on daily. More than that, the studying process itself builds and strengthens the confidence needed to make tough calls or pitch bold ideas. That’s because it promotes discipline, self-awareness, and strategic thought—all of which are foundational to entrepreneurship.
A Different Kind of Challenge
Yes, the GMAT is hard, but that’s the point. It’s not meant to be easy, but to stretch you. There’s growth in that process. As the test forces you to confront what you don’t know, it helps to build mental endurance and adaptability.
Prepping for the GMAT helps to develop the true leadership traits of self-discipline, humility, and the ability to learn from failure. And yes, test fatigue is real, but it’s also part of the training. High-stakes decision-making doesn’t happen in ideal conditions. The GMAT simulates those conditions better than any application essay ever could.
Looking ahead, more business schools may make tests optional, and others may return to the GMAT. However, competent candidates serious about getting better, not just getting in, will see the value in challenging themselves with the test.
Because the GMAT isn’t just a hurdle, it’s a mirror. It shows you where you’re strong, where you’re weak. Where do you need to grow? And if your goal is to lead—whether in a Fortune 500 company, your own startup, or the next chapter of your life—that’s the kind of insight you can’t afford to skip.
Photo by Nathan Dumlao; Unsplash
