The GRE® General Test measures analytical writing, verbal, and quantitative skills that have been acquired over a long period of time and that are not related to any specific field of study.

The GRE analytical writing section tests your critical thinking and analytical writing skills. It assesses your ability to articulate and support complex ideas, analyze an argument, and sustain a focused and coherent discussion. It does not assess specific content knowledge.

The GRE verbal section measures your ability to analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it, to analyze relationships among component parts of sentences, to recognize relationships between words and concepts, and to reason with words in solving problems. There is a balance of passages across different subject matter areas: humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.

The GRE quantitative section measures your basic mathematical skills, your understanding of elementary mathematical concepts, and your ability to reason quantitatively and solve problems in a quantitative setting. There is a balance of GRE questions requiring arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. These are content areas usually studied in high school.

The Graduate Management Admission Test® (GMAT®) is a standardized assessment—delivered in English—that helps business schools assess the qualifications of applicants for advanced study in business and management. Schools use the test as one predictor of academic performance in an MBA or in other graduate management programs.

What the GMAT Measures

The GMAT measures basic verbal, mathematical, and analytical writing skills that you have developed over a long period of time in your education and work. It does NOT measure:

Format and Timing of GMAT

The GMAT consists of three main parts, the Analytical Writing Assessment, the Quantitative section, and the Verbal section. 

SAT I TEST

The SAT® is a three-hour test that measures verbal and mathematical reasoning skills students have developed over time and skills they need to be successful academically. Many colleges and universities use the SAT® as one indicator among others-class rank, high school GPA, extracurricular activities, personal essay, and teacher recommendations-of a student's readiness to do college-level work. SAT® scores are compared with the scores of other applicants, and the accepted scores at an institution, and can be used as a basis for awarding merit-based financial aid.

The SAT® is scored on a scale of 200-800 (for math and verbal) and is typically taken by high school juniors and seniors. The SAT test is administered several times a year.

SAT® Question Types

CLEP TEST

The College-Level Examination Program® or CLEP® provides students of any age with the opportunity to demonstrate college-level achievement through a program of exams in undergraduate college courses. There are 2,900 colleges that grant credit and/or advanced standing for CLEP® exams.

Why take CLEP® exams?

By taking one or more CLEP® exams in your strong subjects, you'll...

PSAT TEST

PSAT/NMSQT® stands for Preliminary SAT®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It's a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT I : Reasoning Test and SAT II: Writing Test. It also gives you a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs.

The PSAT/NMSQT® measures:

You have developed these skills over many years, both in and out of school. This test doesn't require you to recall specific facts from your classes.

The most common reasons for taking the PSAT/NMSQT® are:

You should definitely take the PSAT/NMSQT® in your junior year. Many students benefit from also taking it earlier, typically in their sophomore year. If you take it earlier, recognize that the PSAT/NMSQT® is a junior-level test, so don't get discouraged if your score is low. Your score will usually increase as your years of study increase.

The Paper-based TOEFL Test

Who Should Take the TOEFL Test?

Nonnative English speakers at the 11th-grade level or above should take the TOEFL test to provide evidence of their English proficiency before beginning academic work. The test content is considered too difficult for students below 11th grade.

Many institutions report that they frequently do not require TOEFL test scores of certain kinds of international applicants. These include:

nonnative speakers who hold degrees or diplomas from postsecondary institutions in English-speaking countries (e.g., the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand)
nonnative speakers who have successfully completed at least a two-year course of study in which English was the language of instruction
transfer students from institutions in the United States or Canada whose academic course work was favorably evaluated in relation to its demands and duration.
nonnative speakers who have taken the TOEFL test within the past two years
nonnative speakers who have successfully pursued academic work at schools where English was the language of instruction in an English-speaking country for a specified period, generally two years.

Students should contact their prospective institutions directly concerning their specific admission requirements.

LSAT TEST

The Law School Admission Test® (LSAT®) is a half-day standardized test required for admission to all 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 that law schools can use as one of several factors in assessing applicants. The test is administered four times a year at hundreds of locations around the world.

Many law schools require that the LSAT be taken by December for admission the following fall. However, taking the test earlier—in June or October—is often advised.

The registration fee for the LSAT is $118. If you meet certain criteria, you may qualify for an LSAC fee waiver. Late registrants must pay an additional $60.

If you register for a specific LSAT administration during the regular registration period, you are not eligible for late registration for that same administration. Once you have registered for a test during the regular registration period, you may not withdraw or cancel your registration and reregister for that same test during the late registration period.

Registration Information/Test Dates: Visit the LSAC Homepage at www.LSAC.org

ACT Assessment TEST

The ACT Assessment® measures the knowledge, understanding, and skills that you have acquired up to now. Although the sum total of this knowledge cannot easily be changed, your performance in a specific subject matter area can be affected by adequate preparation, especially if it has been some time since you have taken a course in that area.

MCAT TEST

The Medical College Admission Test® (MCAT®) is a standardized, multiple-choice examination designed to assess problem solving, critical thinking, and writing skills in addition to the examinee's knowledge of science concepts and principles prerequisite to the study of medicine.

Scores are reported in each of the following areas: Verbal Reasoning, Physical Sciences, Writing Sample, and Biological Sciences. Medical college admission committees consider MCAT scores as part of their admission decision process.

Almost all U.S. medical schools require applicants to submit MCAT scores during the application process. Many schools do not accept MCAT scores if taken more than three years ago.

Applicants should refer to the Medical School Admission Requirements (MSAR™) to determine specific MCAT requirements. The MSAR may be reviewed at many premedical advising offices or purchased from the AAMC Publications Web site.

MAT TEST

General Information: The Miller Analogies Test® is required for admission by some graduate schools. The MAT test is comprised of 120 analogies. Students have 60 minutes to complete the 120 analogies.

Estimated Length of MAT Exam: One and a half hours.