The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) – the admissions exam required by most business schools  – is probably unlike any test a student has ever taken in their academic career. Its purpose is to provide a common yardstick by which business school admissions committees can measure applicants’ ability to succeed in their MBA programs.

Brief history of the GMAT: In March 1953, deans from top-ranked MBA programs like Columbia, Harvard, Northwestern, Rutgers, Seton Hall, University of Chicago, University of Michigan, University of Pennsylvania, and Washington University (St. Louis) met to create an objective, national entrance exam for business schools. Originally called the Admissions Test for Graduate Study in Business (ATGSB), the name was changed to the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) in 1976.  The pilot was administered in February 1954 to 1,300 students – for all of 1954 it was taken by only 4,300 test takers and required by only eight business schools.  In 1997, GMAT moved from a paper-and-pencil format to a computer format.  In 2005, the original developer of the exam, ETS – the GRE’s developer – lost its contract to ACT, the administrator of the ACT.    In June 2012, the GMAT saw a major change to its content with the addition of the  Integrated Reasoning section, meant to measure data analysis and balanced decision-making skills that are important for success in business school and the business world.    

• Year created: 1953
• Number of tests takers in 2011: 258,200
• Length of test: 3 and a half hours, plus breaks
• Test format: computer-adaptive test (CAT) – level of difficulty adapts after each section.  If you answer a question correctly, the next question is more difficult.  If you answer a question incorrectly, the next question is less difficult. The new Integrated Reasoning section is NOT adaptive – the difficulty level does not change based on how you answer each question.
• Sections on test: Verbal, Quantitative, Integrated Reasoning, Analytical WritingAssessment
• Score range: 200-800; Integrated Reasoning section given its own distinct grade
• Cost of test: $250
• How often the test it administered: almost every day of the year
• Administrator of test: Graduate School Admission Council (GMAC)
• Interesting fact about the test: Test takers cannot bring personal items, including wallets, watches, purses, hats, bags, or coats into the testing room.

*GMAT is a registered trademark of the Graduate Management Admission Council, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

The Financial Times.com: “Business schools favour GMAT test-takers over GRE”

BusinessWeek.com: “More B-Schools Accepting GRE”

Admit One: Vault.com’s MBA, Law School and College Blog: More Business Schools Accepting GRE.  “Should You Think Twice Before Taking GMAT?”

Poets and Quants.com: “The Biggest MBA Application Killer”

Bschool Admissions Formula.com: “GRE on the Rise, but GMAT Still Dominates”

The MBA Show.com: “The MBA Show Episode 12 – B-Schools Figure Out What Women Want”

The LSAT (Law School Admission Test) is a skills-based exam designed to test the critical reading and analytical thinking skills that are crucial for success in law school.  According to Kaplan Test Prep’s annual survey of law school admissions officer, it remains by far the most important admissions factor, followed by undergraduate GPA.

Brief history of the LSAT: George D. Stoddard, a psychologist at the University of Iowa, and Merton L. Ferson, a dean at the University of North Carolina, developed the first standardized test for law schools in the 1920’s.  In 1930, Yale created its own law school admissions test.  These early prototypes of the modern day LSAT focused on exercises of synonyms and antonyms, verbal analogies, reading comprehension and recall.  It wasn’t until the late 1940’s when law schools across the country came together to create one standardized exam for all law schools across the United States.  Of all the standardized exams for graduate level education, the LSAT remains the only one not administered by computer and has seen relatively few changes over the years.

Test Facts:

• Year created: 1947
• Number of tests administered in 2011-2012 cycle: 129,925
• Length of test: 3 hours and 30 minutes
• Test format: paper-and-pencil
• Sections on test: Logical Reasoning (2 sections), Logic Games, Reading Comprehension, Experimental Section (unscored) and Writing Sample (not scored but it is sent to law schools along with your LSAT score)
• Score range: 120-180
• Cost of test: $160
• How often the test it administered: 4 times per year, generally February, June, October and December
• Administrator of test: Law School Admission Council
• Interesting fact about the test: Although more students take the October administration of the LSAT more than any other administration, there is no advantage to taking the LSAT during one time of the year versus another.

*LSAT is a registered trademark of the Law School Admission Council, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

Also in Survey: 78% of MBA Programs Predict
an Increase in Applications This Cycle

Available for Interview: Business School Admissions Expert

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO)

Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Carina Wong, carina.wong@kaplan.com, 212.453.7571

New York, NY (December 1, 2010) – According to Kaplan Test Prep’s 2010 survey of business school admissions officers*, the GRE is making significant headway in gaining acceptance at business schools: 39% of the 288 business schools surveyed say their program now allows an applicant to submit a GRE score instead of a GMAT score, compared to 24% last year. Of the schools that report being GMAT-only, 75% have no plans to consider accepting the GRE. Survey respondents included 22 of the top 30 business schools, as listed in U.S. News & World Report’s ‘Best Business Schools’ 2010 edition.

But even as more MBA programs accept the GRE, the exam required by most non-business school graduate programs, the GMAT maintains an edge in perception among MBA admissions officers. While 65% of respondents who accept scores from either test say there is no advantage to applicants submitting one over the other, 32% say applicants who submit a GMAT score have an advantage over those who submit a GRE score. Applicants seem to be aware of the perception – of the business programs that accept the GRE, 69% report that fewer than 1 in 10 applicants actually submitted a GRE score instead of a GMAT score this past admissions cycle.

“While the GRE is gaining acceptance among business schools, it’s still fairly new to the MBA admissions process and programs are not in a hurry to embrace it due to its lack of history in predicting business school performance. Additionally, many business schools are satisfied with the GMAT’s predictive ability.” said Liza Weale, executive director of pre-business and graduate programs, Kaplan Test Prep. “But there’s currently a bit of an arms race between the two tests, with both making changes to be more reflective of the critical thinking necessary in business school and, in the case of the GRE, in graduate school. The GRE is rolling out significant changes to its content, design, scoring and format next August, while the GMAT will be adding a new integrated reasoning section in June 2012. For the time being, we recommend that prospective MBAs take the GMAT, not the GRE, since doing so will provide candidates with more options for business school, and it may even give them an extra edge in the admissions process.”

The business school admissions process will likely become increasingly competitive – 78% of business schools surveyed predict an increase in the number of applicants for the current cycle.

Also in the Kaplan Test Prep survey:

• A Low GMAT or GRE Score is the Biggest Application Killer: 48% of the admissions officers surveyed report that a low GMAT or GRE score is the biggest application killer; a low undergraduate GPA placed second at 33%; lack of relevant work experience followed at 10%.
• New GMAT Section: When asked about their views on the integrated reasoning section that will be added to the GMAT in June 2012, 47% of admissions officers have a neutral view, while 31% consider it a positive development. In response to a question regarding their views on the difficulty of the revised test, 42% don’t think the new section – which is meant to measure examinees’ data analysis and balanced decision-making skills that are important for success in business –will make the exam any harder, but 21% think it will.
• High Standardized Test Score = Money for Business School: 89% say a strong standardized test score will help a student receive merit-based scholarships.
• Social Networking: 66% of admissions officers report that an applicant has sent them or a colleague in their admissions office a LinkedIn networking request. 9% of admissions officers say they have visited an applicant’s social networking page to help them evaluative their candidacy.

For more information about Kaplan Test Prep’s survey on the business school admissions landscape or to schedule an interview with a Kaplan expert, please contact Russell Schaffer at russell.schaffer@kaplan.com or 212.453.7538.

*The survey was conducted by phone in July and August 2010 and included responses from 288 of the nation’s top MBA programs, including 22 of the top 30 – as designated by U.S. News & World Report. Kaplan Test Prep also annually conducts surveys of admissions officers at colleges, graduate schools, law schools and medical schools.

About Kaplan Test Prep

Kaplan Test Prep (www.kaptest.com), a division of Kaplan, Inc., is a premier provider of educational and career services for individuals, schools and businesses. Established in 1938, Kaplan is the world leader in the test prep industry. With a comprehensive menu of online offerings and a complete array of books, Kaplan offers preparation for more than 90 standardized tests, including entrance exams for secondary school, college and graduate school, as well as English language and professional licensing exams. Kaplan also provides private tutoring and graduate admissions consulting services.

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WMAQ-TV.com (NBC-Chicago): “Naperville Senior Scores Perfect on SAT, ACT”

The Yale Daily News (Yale University): “GMAT vs. GRE”

Karen’s Business School Blog (About.com): “GMAT Has Advantages Over GRE in B-School Admissions”

The Oakland Post (Oakland University): “Grad school applicants on rise”

GraduateGuide.com: “More business schools beginning to accept GRE scores”

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a computer-based, multiple-choice examination used by medical school admissions officials to predict future success. It’s currently required by approximately 150 accredited medical schools across the the United States and Canada.

Brief history of the MCAT: With dropout rates in U.S. medical schools soaring in the 1920’s, physician F.A. Moss and his colleagues developed a standardized test to evaluate aspiring doctor’s preparedness for medical school.  Originally called the “Scholastic Aptitude Test for Medical School,” it consisted of true or false and multiple choice questions in topics like visual memory, memory for content, scientific vocabulary, scientific definitions, understanding of printed material, premedical information and logical reasoning. At the time, it was criticized for testing only memorization.  Coupled with stricter medical school admissions standards, the national dropout rate among freshman medical students decreased from 20% in the 1920’s to 7% in 1946.  Between 1946 and 1948, today’s MCAT was called the “Professional School Aptitude Test” before finally changing its name to the “Medical College Admission Test.”  In the 1970’s and 1980’s, content was added including more science, reading skills analysis and quantitative skills analysis.  In the 1990’s, the exam was divided into its current four subtests: Verbal Reasoning, Biological Sciences, Physical Sciences and a Writing Sample section.  In 2007, the MCAT transitioned from a paper-and-pencil to a computer-based format and test-taking time shortened from eight and a half hours to five and a half hours.   In March 2011, the Association of American Medical Colleges, the exam’s administrator, announced a redesign for the MCAT, which would take effect in 2015.  These eventually became the biggest changes to the exam in 25 years. Read more about what the new exam means for pre-med students and medical education as a whole here.

Year created:

• Number of tests administered in 2014: 126,803
• Length of test: 7  hours; On the new MCAT, test takers face 230 questions.
• Test format: computer-based test (CBT)
• Sections covered: Physics, Biochemistry, Organic Chemistry, General Chemistry, Sociology, Psychology, Verbal
• Score range: Each of the four sections on the new will be scored 118-132, for a total possible score of 528. This differs from the old 1-15 per section and 1-45 total scale. The first administration of the new MCAT took place in April 2015.
• Cost of test: $300
• How often the test it administered: Approximately 25 times throughout the year
• Administrator of test: Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)
• Interesting fact about the test: According to Kaplan’s 2015 survey of medical school admissions officers, a low MCAT score is the biggest application killer.

*MCAT is a registered trademark of the Association of American Medical Colleges, which was not involved in the production of, and does not endorse, this product.

Note to editors: Kaplan is a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO)

Russell Schaffer, russell.schaffer@kaplan.com, 212.453.7538
Carina Wong, carina.wong@kaplan.com, 212.453.7571

New York, NY (November 30, 2010) – After just two years in the full-service bar review market, Kaplan PMBR recently provided its 10,000^th student with comprehensive bar review services. In addition to having passed this threshold, Kaplan PMBR has also provided hundreds of thousands of students with supplementary bar review which includes preparing for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE), a national, 6-hour, 200-question multiple-choice test that is part of the bar exam in 48 states.

Since entering full-service bar review in 2008, Kaplan PMBR has expanded its comprehensive programs to 22 states (Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania and Texas) and Washington DC, in addition to preparation for the Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) in all 48 states that require it. Aspiring lawyers in Michigan, Ohio and Virginia will have a comprehensive option from Kaplan PMBR in time for the July 2011 exam. Currently, more than 80% of the U.S. Bar-taking population has access to Kaplan PMBR’s full-service bar review program.

Kaplan PMBR’s Complete Bar Review course includes: the Learn-Practice-Assess-Strengthen system of tools that includes an online Strengths & Weaknesses Guide; unlimited essay grading; unlimited lectures-on-demand that enable students to review parts of lectures specifically assigned to address individual weaknesses or make up missed in-class lectures at their convenience; mobile bar review iPhone apps that include a course manager and over 800 flashcards; innovative outlines designed for different learning styles; “Ask-An-Attorney” support; an “MBE Qbank” online quiz builder; and a money-back guarantee. More information can be found at www.kaplanpmbr.com.

Kaplan’s portfolio of legal education programs also includes three law schools (the wholly-online Concord Law School, Nottingham Law at Kaplan Law School and Holborn College in the U.K.); as well as criminal justice and legal training through its higher education division. Kaplan’s test prep division prepares tens of thousands of aspiring law students for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) annually.

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The Daily Nebraskan (University of Nebraska-Lincoln), November 30, 2010, “During tough job market, applying to grad schools becoming more competitive”

The Central Florida Future (University of Central Florida),  “GRE improvement underway”

DIRECTOR OF ACADEMICS, PRE-MEDICAL PROGRAMS

Expert on: MCAT; the 2015 MCAT changes; medical school admissions issues and trends; careers in medicine

Owen Farcy is director of pre-health programs for Kaplan Test Prep, and is responsible primarily for marketing, operations, and program development for the company’s MCAT, DAT, OAT and PCAT groups. An interest in global health and student advocacy has led him to work closely with several pre-health student groups, including the American Medical Students Association, Phi Delta Epsilon, and the Flying Samaritans. A long-time top-rated MCAT instructor for Kaplan, Owen has worked in a variety of roles within Kaplan and has been integral in the delivery of free online content to pre-med students throughout the world. He holds a BS in Biology from Emory University, and has previously worked in environmental education and sustainable development.