The Graduate Management Admission Council, which administers the GMAT, is launching the Business Writing Assessment (BWA). In this BusinessBecause guide to the BWA we explain what it is, why it has been introduced, who needs to sit this test, and how it can help your application.
If you’re taking the GMAT to support your application to business school, you’re in good company. The test remains the most popular choice for candidates applying to top b-schools such as Harvard Business School, where among the Class of 2026, almost two-thirds submitted GMAT scores with their application.
The GMAT exam was recently streamlined to focus on the skills required to succeed at b-school and in the future workplace, such as critical thinking and data analysis.
However, the emergence of ChatGPT and other AI tools—and the ease with which applicants can use these to support their application statements and essays—has led a handful of business schools to request a robust way to test candidates’ written communication, without access to such aids.
This is where the Business Writing Assessment (BWA) comes in. Find out more about the test in our FAQ:
What is the GMAC Business Writing Assessment?
When it launches very soon, b-school candidates can opt to sit the Business Writing Assessment (BWA), which is a 30-minute proctored test that can be taken online, anywhere in the world. The BWA tests candidates’ ability to analyze the reasoning behind a given argument on a topic, and write a critique of it. The test topic is relevant to both business and general interest. Candidates can share their results and essay with participating schools: Harvard Business School, Columbia Business School and MIT Sloan School of Management.
Is this separate to the GMAT?
"Yes", says Adam Witwer, GMAC's chief product officer. "Test takers of the previous edition of the GMAT had no choice but to take a written assessment (the Analytical Writing Assessment or AWA) and the score was included, by default, in the official GMAT score report sent to their chosen schools. The BWA, however, is a completely separate module delivered independently from the GMAT. It gives test takers the flexibility—and option—to demonstrate their writing ability in today’s AI-affected world, and can be utilized by candidates to prove their communication prowess to support their school—and job—application process."
Who needs to take the BWA?
The BWA is in its pilot year and some schools, such as Harvard Business School, have made the test mandatory for GMAT-sitting applicants who are invited to interview. HBS states on its MBA application page that candidates can either sit the test before they apply, or wait until they are shortlisted for interview.
What are the advantages of taking the BWA before applying to HBS?
If you sit the test before you apply (or before you’re shortlisted for interview) to HBS, you have plenty of time to retake the test if your score isn’t as strong as you’d like. However, HBS states that you will not be penalized for waiting to take the BWA after you are shortlisted for interview.
If not applying to HBS, is the BWA worth doing?
At time of writing, only HBS has made the BWA a mandatory addition to the GMAT among candidates who are invited for an interview, although MIT Sloan has also said that some candidates invited to interview will be required to sit it. It is always recommended that you thoroughly check your chosen schools’ websites before submitting your application in case of any changes.
According to GMAC's Adam Witwer: "If your desired schools require you to take the BWA—first of all, congratulations as it indicates your GMAT scores have gotten you through the door—you should be in a good place as the BWA will allow you to showcase the writing skills you have already demonstrated, with a little prep of a couple of hours."
He adds that the exam is a great way to showcase your written communication skills: "Now that the BWA is decoupled from the GMAT, it allows all candidates to focus—in a streamlined testing process—on the data analytic skills critical not only to their success at business school but also their future jobs in the business world. Then for those invited to (or who wish to) highlight their business writing skills to meet their education and career goals, the BWA offers freedom of choice. It is this choice that has led us to believe the GMAT is superior to the alternatives available in the market."
What’s the cost of BWA?
The Business Writing Assessment costs $30 USD globally, with an additional $8 fee if a candidate schedules or reschedules within 72-24 hours. (No scheduling/rescheduling/cancelling is allowed within 24 hours.) Candidate score sending is free.
How do I register?
You can register to take the Business Writing Assessment on its official site.
