Will Not Submitting GMAT Affect My Chances for HEC Paris Master in Marketing?

I'm from a Tier-1 college in India with a bachelor's in management (marketing). I have 1 year of full-time experience as a growth marketer, plus 6 months of internships in PR and advertising. My LORs are from my marketing professor and my current CMO. Since HEC says GMAT is optional, will applying without it weaken my application?

Asked by J Kumar about 2 months ago

Supriya J

Sr. Consultant

Yes, you can apply to HEC without the GMAT, but you need to be very strategic about how you build the rest of your application. Since you're not submitting a test score, other parts need to prove you’re ready.

Make your essays detailed and career-focused. Don’t just say you want to study marketing—show what you’ve already learned and how HEC will help you reach the next step. Tie it back to real work you've done.

Since your background is in growth marketing, try to show proof of creativity and measurable outcomes. Things like running A/B tests, leading ad campaigns, or improving ROI look great on a resume and can help cover for the lack of a GMAT.

One thing that helps in GMAT-optional cases is showing continued learning. If you've taken any short courses or certifications in marketing tools, branding, or even data (like Google Ads or Meta certifications), add them to show skill-building.

As long as the story across your resume, essays, and LORs is consistent and targeted, the GMAT isn’t mandatory. Just make sure nothing feels generic or incomplete.

Applying to HEC without GMAT? Get expert feedback on how to make the rest of your application stand out. Book a free session now!

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