What Is the Executive Assessment?

The Executive Assessment (EA) is a standardised entrance exam designed for applicants interested in attending an Executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme at select schools, including SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, King's College London, and The Wharton School.

Graduate business school programmes tend to require the GMAT or the GRE, which tests your reasoning, quantitative, and analytical abilities. The EA assesses those same skills, but it goes one step further, factoring in your professional experience. When you take the EA, it can replace your need to take either of those tests, but only if the school and programme you're applying to accept it, and if you meet the experience requirements.

Learn more about what the EA entails, how it’s scored, and how you can decide whether it’s the best entrance test for you. 

What is the Executive Assessment?

The Executive Assessment is an entrance exam designed to gauge how ready you are to begin an executive MBA, or a graduate-level business programme focused on executive management and training for professionals with about 10 years of business experience. The Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) designed the exam for “experienced leaders” who want to apply to graduate school but who don’t necessarily have the time to prepare for the GMAT.

The EA takes your professional skills into consideration, and evaluates you on a number of other areas, including reasoning, critical thinking, communication, and problem-solving. 

Executive Assessment: Format, scores, and cost

You take the EA on a computer at an approved testing facility. Your score possibilities range from 100 to 200, and the school you apply to will compare your score to your peers—both those who are applying to the same programme and those who have already entered it. A good EA score is often considered to be above 150. The EA costs $350 USD, and your scores will be valid for five years [1].

What’s on the Executive Assessment?

The EA has three sections: integrated reasoning, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning. You have 90 minutes to answer a total of 40 questions [2]. The three sections are as follows: 

• Integrated reasoning: In this section, you have 30 minutes to complete 12 questions that evaluate your ability to interpret graphics and tables, analyse complex problems, and answer multiple-choice questions. This section emphasises logic and reasoning, presenting you with questions designed to see how well you evaluate information based on multiple sources and formats.

• Verbal reasoning: In this section, you will have 30 minutes to complete 14 questions that test your ability to read comprehensive sections, evaluate arguments, and correct sentences. It's designed to assess how you can read, interpret, and edit.

• Quantitative reasoning: In this section, you will have 30 minutes to complete 14 questions that assess your ability to interpret data and solve problems. It's designed to see how you draw conclusions and analyse data using your maths and reasoning skills. In terms of maths, you can expect to use basic arithmetic and some algebra.

Business school exams: GMAT, GRE, EA

If you’re applying for an executive MBA program, you will likely need to submit standardised test scores. You can choose to take the Executive Assessment (EA), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). 

Each of these entrance exams is unique—and each school has a list of which ones it accepts. Ultimately, you need to research the schools you intend to apply to and learn more about which entrance exam they prefer in order to figure out the best one to take.

GMAT

The GMAT tends to be the most common entrance exam for graduate business programs. It’s made up of three sections: verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and data insights. You'll have 2.5 hours to complete the test [3]. Two sections (verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning) are computer-adaptive, so as you progress through the test and answer questions correctly, subsequent questions may grow more difficult.

Compared with the Executive Assessment, the GMAT typically contains more challenging maths questions, according to the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. Compared with the GRE, the GMAT places a greater focus on grammar while the GRE places a greater focus on vocabulary [4].

GRE

The GRE is commonly used by many graduate schools across the US and Canada. It’s made up of five sections that measure verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. The computer-based test takes around two hours to complete [5].

The GRE places less emphasis on maths compared to the GMAT. However, the GMAT allows you to use a calculator on some problems. 

Executive Assessment

Although the content on the EA is similar to the GMAT and GRE, the EA specifically measures your data-driven skills. While the GMAT's questions become harder or easier on a question-by-question basis, the executive assessment's question difficulty level changes after you complete the Integrated Reasoning section. 

Compared with the GMAT and GRE, the Executive Assessment is shorter and takes less time to complete, though that doesn’t mean it’s easier. It’s also intended for applicants to executive MBA programs. 

Is the Executive Assessment right for you?

If you have verifiable work experience as a business professional and want to enrol in an Executive MBA programme that requires the Executive Assessment, the EA may be the right exam for you. The following key questions can help you determine whether you should take the EA: 

Does the school you’re applying to accept the executive assessment?

Around 100 business schools around the world accept the EA, compared to more than 2,400 that accept the GMAT and 1,300 that accept the GRE [4]. Before you decide which entrance exam to take, make sure the schools you plan on applying to will accept the results. 

What programme are you applying for?

The EA is appropriate for one type of MBA programme: executive MBA. If you’re interested in any other graduate business program, one of the other tests would likely be a better fit, but this also varies from school to school. For example, Duke University's Fuqua School of Business in the United States accepts the EA for multiple programs, including its global executive, management business analytics, and accelerated daytime MBA programs [6].

Do you meet the experience requirement?

Many graduate business programs, particularly executive MBA programs, have experience requirements. Executive MBA programs tend to be designed for professionals with 10 to 15 years of experience, with at least some of that experience in management. Research the eligibility requirements with the schools and programs you're intending to apply to before you sign up for your entrance exam.

How to prepare for the Executive Assessment

Although the Executive Assessment is shorter than the other graduate entrance exams and designed for professionals who can’t dedicate as much time to preparation, you still need to spend some time studying for the test. In fact, people who sit for the executive assessment typically spend an average of 21 to 30 hours preparing, according to GMAC [7]. 

It’s important to prepare as best you can before applying. Some suggestions to help get you started include: 

• Review the EA questions sampler: This free resource from GMAC empowers you by offering sample questions similar to what you'll see on the Executive Assessment. By taking this nine-question sample test, which gives you an instant score and feedback, you can become more familiar with the structure and nature of the questions you might see on the day of your test. 

• Take a prep course: Because many of the EA sections overlap with the GMAT, you can take prep courses designed to help strengthen your skills in key areas. The Math for MBA and GMAT Prep, available on Coursera, can help you strengthen your maths skills so you’re prepared to succeed in the quantitative reasoning section.

• Listen to Inside the GMAT podcast: If you want insights into what the EA is and how it can benefit you, the makers of the GMAT have a podcast resource worth listening to. 

• Talk to current MBA students or alumni: If you can connect with others who have taken the EA, you can glean valuable tips for preparing and approaching test day. You might also get some firsthand knowledge that'll help you better prepare for your MBA experience.

Explore further

The Executive Assessment is one of several exams you have the chance of taking for acceptance into different US and non-US Executive MBA programmes. You can find graduate business degree programs available on Coursera from a number of top-ranked university programs. In the meantime, enrol in an open course from the University of Illinois to see whether an MBA is right for you.