GMAT May Be Nixed From MBA Requirements in Israel

The Council for Higher Education has recommended canceling the requirement for a score on the international Graduate Management Admission Test, better known among harried test-takers the world over as the GMAT, in order to gain acceptance to Masters of Business Administration programs. But Israel's aspiring tycoons shouldn't celebrate just yet – the GMAT is still firmly in place as one of the admissions requirements for nearly every university in Israel.

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The CHE made their recommendation after a special team, appointed for the occasion, examined the acceptance requirements for MBA programs. The council found that "the professional literature on the subject indicates the GMAT does not predict success in studies or in management positions.”
Despite their personal leanings, however, the council cannot force universities to change admission requirements.

The ruling from the CHE represents a significant about-face: In 2008, the Council actually recommended universities require aspiring students to take the exam, as many universities abroad have done for some time.

The GMAT is a test administered in English. It consists of a quantitative section and a verbal section and tests, among other skills, candidates' ability to function under time limits. Most MBA programs in Israel consider only a student's quantitative score but some universities, such as the prestigious Technion – Institute of Technology, consider scores from both sections when evaluating candidates.

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev allows students to register for the MBA program without the exam.

The GMAT test costs $250 and is administered in Israel five times a year.