Everyone knows that grad school is a lot different from undergraduate studies, but there is at least one aspect that the two phases of education share—and that's the importance of entrance exams. Whether you're studying law or finance, most accredited institutions require test scores of some sort, and it pays to find out as much as possible beforehand. Get the goods on the most common types of graduate school exams:
GRE
For many graduate programs, this is the big one. The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) predicts success by measuring verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing. In the GRE's computer-adaptive format, the response to each question affects the complexity of the next one. (For example, a correctly answered question triggers a slight increase in difficulty, and so on.)
GMAT
For students entering MBA or other management programs, the GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) assesses basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills that a student has developed over time. (Despite its name and purpose, the GMAT does not measure acquired knowledge of business.) Also a computer-adaptive test, the GMAT consists of three main sections: Analytical Writing, Quantitative, and Verbal. Visit the "Advice" section at www.GradView.com for everything you need to know before registering.
LSAT
Law school?bound students must undergo the LSAT (Law School Admission Test), which consists of multiple choice questions that gauge reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logical reasoning. The LSAT also contains an unscored writing section that is sent to the applicant's law school(s) of choice. To find testing locations and other information on the LSAT, visit the Web site of the test's administrators, the Law School Admission Council, at www.lsac.org.
MCAT
The MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is a multiple-choice test required by virtually all medical schools in the United States. The MCAT gauges skills related to problem solving, critical thinking, and writing, as well as knowledge of science, using four sections: Physical Sciences, Verbal Reasoning, Writing Sample, and Biological Sciences. The MCAT was designed and is administered by AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges). Visit www.aamc.org for more on mastering the MCAT.
Praxis
Praxis is a series of professional assessments for beginning teachers. The first in the series (Praxis I) measures skills in reading, writing, and math. The Praxis II subject tests gauge knowledge in K?12 subjects, as well as both general and specific knowledge related to teaching. Find out more about the Praxis series by visiting ETS (www.ets.org), the testing authority and a valuable resource for students interested in earning teaching licensure and certification.
Other Graduate Exams
Listed above are the most common graduate admissions exams, but there are plenty of other, more discipline-specific tests such as the DAT (Dental Admission Test), the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test), and the VCAT (Veterinary College Admission Test). Research a wide variety of graduate school admission tests by visiting www.GradView.com.
