Mansfield University Home PageMost graduate schools require you to take an entrance examination as part of the application process. The most common of these is the GRE (Graduate Record Exam), which is a two part test covering general knowledge and also content-specific knowledge. The general knowledge part tests your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills that are not related to a particular discipline. There are eight subject areas for the content tests: Biochem/Cell and Molecular Bio, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Literature in English, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology. GRE tests are given only a few times per academic year and you must preregister for them. Mansfield University administers only the subject matter tests. For more information: www.ets.org
Another entrance exam is the MAT, or Millers Analogy Test. This test is designed to assess your analytical thinking using high-level analogies. Some graduate programs prefer this assessment because it tests your reasoning and sense-making skills, and not simple memorization. For many people pursuing a degree in the fine and liberal arts, the MAT is the entrance exam. For more information, go to Miller Analogies Test Home Page.
The GMAT is for students who are business-school bound. This entrance test assesses mathematical and quantitative interpretation ability. Problem solving is heavily emphasized. It will also assess basic verbal, math and analytical writing skills. http://www.mba.com/mba/TaketheGMAT is the link for more information.
For students who want to go to law school, you’ll have to take the LSAT (www.lsat.org) which is designed to measure some of the skills considered essential for success in law school: the reading and comprehension of complex texts with accuracy and insight; the organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it; the ability to think critically; and the analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others.
Finally, there’s the MCAT which is for medical-school students. The MCAT assesses your ability in problem solving, critical and analytical thinking, writing skills, and knowledge of science. Almost all US medical schools require this exam as part of the application process. For info: http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/start.htm
A final word: once you take any graduate school entrance exam, the clock is ticking. Many schools will accept exam scores that are within three years’ time… any scores older than that and they don’t accept them.