No one—except maybe Sheldon on “The Big Bang Theory”— will tell you the Graduate Record Exam, necessary to get into a master’s program, is easy. Some for-profit universities, including University of Phoenix and Capella University, do not require the GRE, so why take it? Potential employers may consider these online universities as diploma mills churning out unprepared graduates with insurmountable student loans, but students who earn a quality education show their skill sets so the line of judging higher education has shifted for some programs.
McGill University, which was ranked 18 in 2012 by QS World University Rankings, does not require the LSAT that is the pre-law requirement for graduate school. The university cites the LSAT would prove disadvantageous to French speaking applicants due to McGill’s bilingual learning environment.
The GMAT is the equivalent test required for MBA programs, and it is a test that may frighten students who majored in something other than math or business in their undergraduate degrees. The idea of taking tests—and not taking them well—permeates many academic records, but should those students who are not as strong in math reconsider their graduate studies, skipping an MBA altogether, or should they just apply to a school that does not require the GMAT?
Wendie Phillips, irector of student services at University of Washington Information School, cautions those who would assume lesser quality in universities not requiring the GRE.
“There is actually a trend among some graduate programs to NOT require the GRE as analysis of applicant test scores demonstrate it is not a good indicator of a student’s ability to succeed in a Graduate Program,” Phillips said. “The University of Washington has several nationally ranked graduate programs that have dropped or are considering dropping the GRE as a requirement based on this analysis.”
University of Dayton allows students the option of taking the GRE for some of its programs including a Master of Arts in English and a Master of Science in chemistry. The engineering programs do not require the GRE, but the GMAT is required for enrollment in the Master of Business Administration program. Mixed signals? It sure seems that way.
John Ward, a graduate student in Capella University’s mental health counseling program, said the quality of his instructors and the quality of his education is outstanding.
“I should finish in May, 2015; that is 18 months of course work and one year of internship,” Ward said. “I chose Capella University because it has an excellent master’s program that is accredited by the APA, and the program goes through residency and internship that most graduate schools do not offer. The convenience of it being online is a bonus.”
For those who consider graduate schools solely based on the waived GRE/GMAT/LSAT, consider the course work ahead. Students who do not t excel at math should not consider a math-intensive program, but students who simply do not test well and those who have excellent academic records can examine the programs closely to predict quality of education.
Judging a university often comes down to examination of what a student puts in to the program.
“As long as a university is fully accredited and allows the graduating individuals to sit for professional licensure in their state, then they are providing adequate training in the area,” said Craig Kerley, Psy.D., who attended Alfred University, which did require the GRE. Much the same as with an internship or extracurricular activity, students will get out of an education what they put in, but the chance that for-profit universities would not be as accepted by potential employers is the main thing to take away from the conversation because though gaining the necessary skills to work in a particular field is paramount, so is getting a job after graduation.
Garret Schweitzer, who is the Senior Software Engineer at the for-profit Universal Technical Institute expressed concern about “diploma mills” that do not offer high quality training, but schools including UTI and ITT Tech “have extremely high placement rates for graduates,” he said.
“If you’re getting a degree for something practical like engineering or computer programming or guitar playing, then I’d measure the degree by your effectiveness at the chosen profession,” Schweitzer said. “If you’re going to become a nuclear physicist, I think a more traditional route is probably better.”
Ellen Eldridge, Senior Communication Major.
