Entrance exams can play a large part into your graduate or professional school acceptance. Each school and program has different entrance exam requirements. After you have chosen the schools you plan to apply to, consult the specific programs to verify which test(s) are required.
Use this section to learn basic information about the most common tests and how to prepare for them.
What test(s) should I take?
The list below includes the most common entrance exams. Click on the name of each test for information about scheduling, locations, and costs.
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Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
Required at nearly all graduate schools. It measures critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning skills. It may also include subject tests focused on your undergraduate field of study. (Click here to learn about GRE scores)
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Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT)
Required by most business schools. It consists of 3 sections: quantitative, verbal, and writing.
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Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
Required for admission to all American Bar Association (ABA) approved law schools, most Canadian law schools, and many non-ABA approved law schools. It provides a standard measure of acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills.
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Medical College Admission Test (MCAT)
Almost all U.S. medical schools require applicants to submit MCAT scores. It is a multiple-choice examination designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, writing skills, and knowledge of science concepts and principles necessary for the study of medicine.
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Miller Analogies Test (MAT)
A less common requirement for graduate school. It is an analogy based test to identify students who excel at critical thinking.
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Praxis
Evaluates individuals for entry into teacher education programs.
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Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
often required of students whose native language is not English. It measures the ability of non-native speakers of English to use and understand English as it is spoken, written, and heard in college and university settings.
Preparing for an entrance exam
The most effective way to prepare for an entrance exam is to practice test taking skills. Standardized tests are intimidating because they are timed. Familiarize yourself with the amount of time you will have for each section and practice working under pressure.
One of the best ways to prepare is to take a series of practice tests under test-like conditions. Working through problems from sample tests will show you how the instructions and problems are set up and suggest strategies for approaching each section of the test. You can take a sample GRE test online from Princeton Review.
There are GRE, LSAT, GMAT and MCAT test preparation services and classes located around the nation. Listed below are just a few organizations offering these services (sometimes for a fee):
- ETS.org – free POWERPREP® II software
- Newgre.org – deciphering grad school admissions, and the new GRE
- Number2.com – free online GRE test preparation
- GRE.com – preparation for general GRE test & subject tests
- MyGREtutor.com – free online GRE test preparation
- Princeton Review – preparation materials for the GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT, and TOEFL tests
In addition, the Goshen College library has a number of test preparation books. Search the library catalog by typing the title of the exam in the keyword search box and choosing “Title keyword.” The library has sources for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and MCAT.