LSAT GRE and GMAT: Oh My! Knowing Your Tests

By Uloop Archives on August 14, 2013

This article is brought to you by Kaplan, the leader in test preparation for over 90 standardized tests including the GRE, GMAT, LSAT and MCAT. To learn more about Kaplan’s Test Prep offerings, click here.

If you’ve already made up in your mind grad school is right for you, the next step is to consider which standardized tests to register for and complete. Academic excellence comes with preparation. Even so, it’s absolutely normal to feel nervous when considering the path of higher education. I’ll admit the grad school process is already intimidating. Regardless, just like there are tools to help students with college entrance exams, there are tools and programs to help undergraduates prepare for graduate school.

Kaplan is a company meant to assist students who are willing to learn. Not only does the company function as the world leader in test preparation, but for college students, Kaplan is an excellent choice in test prep for higher education programs. According to Kaplan’s company overview, tutoring and guidance is available “for more than 90 standardized tests for college and graduate school admissions.”

Before a student wishes to enroll in any sort of prep work, they must decide what area of study they wish to advance in, and which standardized test is the most appropriate. In that case, why don’t we break down the following tests:

LSAT: Also known as The Law School Admissions Test, this exam relies heavily on the skills and intuitive thinking of college students. It is split into 6 sections: Logical Reasoning I, Logical Reasoning II, Logic Games, Reading Comprehension, Experimental Section, and a writing sample. The first five sections range from 24 -28 questions, while the writing sample is comprised of one essay. The time to complete each section is 35 minutes. If you were to take the LSAT, your results would be presented in three forms: an inclusive score from 120-180, an assortment of scores above and below your own, known as a “score brand,” and lastly, your percentile score relative to the scores of the student population that also took the exam.

To learn more about the LSAT and grow familiar with the exam’s expectations, visit Kaplan’s LSAT page.

GREThis is The Graduate Records Examination. It is your most common and widely accepted graduate entrance exam. The GRE also helps to increase your chances of gaining acceptance in a master’s, PhD, or fellowship program. This test sectioned into 3 parts: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. According to Top Universities, “The first section aims to assess how well students can understand and interpret passages of text. The second section has more of a numerical focus, testing students’ ability to interpret sets of data. The third section consists of two timed essays – one analyzing an issue, and one analyzing an argument.” The Verbal section is comprised of 30 questions in 30 minutes, the Quantitative section allows 45 minutes for 28 questions, and the writing assessment has 2 essays with 45 minutes to analyze an issue and 30 minutes to execute an argument.

The testing doesn’t stop there. Depending on the program you’re applying for, there may be additional subject tests catered to your area of study. For more information on the GRE, click here.

If you’re already feeling some sort of pressure or worry, don’t. You have academic groups to support you. Thankfully, Kaplan has a GRE Prep Team, providing the knowledge and information on free practice strategies, upcoming informational events, financial aid information, and checklists to assist you along the way. Those tools can be found here.

 

GMATIf you have an interest in attending business school to earn a master’s in business administration (MBA), this exam is your best bet. Known as The Graduate Management Admissions Test, the GMAT consists of 4 areas: Analytical Writing, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative, and Verbal. The exam allows 30 minutes to answer 1 writing topic, 30 minutes for 12 Integrated Reasoning problems, 75 minutes to complete 37 Quantitative problems, and 75 minutes to complete 41 Verbal questions. Your score is then determined by how many questions answered, if they’re right or wrong, and the difficulty of the questions.

To learn more about the GMAT, you can visit the test’s official website. If you are interested in prep courses, tutoring, and practice exams for this particular test, visit Kaplan’s GMAT page.

Hopefully this eliminated any confusion and provided valuable information regarding graduate school entrance exams. Don’t let standardized tests discourage you from mastering an academic interest you are passionate about. Remember, it’s only a test, and it’s one of many factors that make up your application.

Are you looking for college advice and tips from successful students? Download the free Uloop & Kaplan eBook, Student to Student today!

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