What to Expect From At-Home Graduate Exams
With social distancing measures in place and uncertainty surrounding much of the application process, graduate school test administrators have been forced to innovate to provide interested candidates access to their exams. This access has come with some changes to the usual test format and administration procedures. Before you sign up for an at-home version of your graduate school exam of choice, learn more about what to expect below.
The GRE General Test
The GRE’s administrator, ETS, has faced widespread test center closures. As a result, it has launched an at home option for the General Test. The online version is identical to its in-person counterpart, and can be taken on a desktop or laptop. If you’re planning to sign up for the GRE General Test at home, it’s worth noting the following:
The exam requires a Windows operating system. (You can use a Mac, but you’ll need to install a Windows operating system. You may also want to double-check that your device meets the technical requirements.)
You may take notes during the test, but you’ll be required to do so using a whiteboard with an erasable marker or paper with transparency sheets and an erasable marker. This will allow your proctor to ensure that any notes you take are erased prior to the end of your exam experience.
Outside of ensuring that your testing environment and device meet ETS requirements, the exam format will, again, be identical to that experienced in the test center. You can view more details and policies here. ETS has also taken steps to ensure that students are able to cancel and reschedule in-person dates that will no longer be available without the usual associated fees.
The GMAT
The Graduate Management Admission Council (or GMAC) is also offering an at-home version of the GMAT known as the GMAT Online Exam. The changes to the online administration are pronounced, and it’s worth taking the time to prepare for the following items:
The format of the test will not allow for order selection and will be administered in this order: Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Integrated Reasoning. There is no Analytical Writing Assessment in the online version of the exam.
Test-takers will not be permitted to use physical writing instruments. Instead, an on-screen whiteboard will be provided for notes and calculations. (This has been one of the more polarizing changes to online offerings of graduate exams.)
There will be no break between Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning. The only opportunity to pause will be during the optional, five-minute break between Verbal Verbal Reasoning and Integrated Reasoning.
Both Windows and Mac computers can be used to take the test, but it is highly recommended that you run the system test and check all system requirements prior to your designated exam time.
Outside of the above changes to the administration, the content, algorithm, and all other aspects of the test remain consistent to the format taken in person. You can check out additional specifications and policies on GMAC’s FAQ page. GMAC has also taken steps to allow for additional cancellation and rescheduling flexibility.
The LSAT
The Law School Admission Council (LSAC)—the creators of the LSAT—are also offering an online alternative to their standard exam: the LSAT-Flex. This alternative comes with several changes in format and structure:
The LSAT-Flex is currently available to test-takers who were previously registered for in-person April and June exam dates.
The test can be taken using either a Mac or a Windows operating system, but will need to comply with ProctorU’s technical requirements.
The exam format will be shortened to include three 35-minute sections: one each for Reading Comprehension, Analytical Reasoning, and Logical Reasoning. This brings the overall length down to about two hours in total.
Given the shortened nature of the test, there will be no breaks.
Test-takers are permitted to use scratch paper (five sheets), No. 2 or HB pencils, a highlighter, an eraser, and a sharpener to complete their scratch work during the exam.
Additional policies and procedures can be accessed on LSAC’s LSAT-Flex page.
The MCAT
As of May 18, no announcements have been made concerning an at-home alternative to the in-person MCAT. However, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has released details about a shortened in-person exam to be administered from May 29-September 28 (restrictions permitting). This shortened test will have a duration of 5 hours and 45 minutes, and it will include the same exam sections and content requirements as the standard version of the MCAT.
The AAMC has also waived all rescheduling fees in order to provide test-takers with additional flexibility to plan their admissions timeline and next steps. More information concerning AAMC’s response to COVID-19 and MCAT availability can be found on their coronavirus FAQ page.
Rest assured, the testing bodies for all graduate-level exams understand the uncertainty test-takers and graduate school applicants face, and they are attempting to provide an experience that will allow students to show their expertise in the required skill sets and move forward with their applications.
All at-home exams are also prepared to accommodate test-takers with disabilities. So, if you qualify for accommodations for the in-person exam, check in with your testing body to see what next steps need to be taken to receive your accomodations for the online, at-home administration.
No matter what graduate-level acronym you’re currently preparing for, aim to stay up to date with and prepared for the changes you can expect to see.
A lifelong learner and career teacher, Hailey Cusimano is a tutor, curriculum developer, and the host of the Varsity Tutors Test Prep 4 All class series. She was a two-sport varsity athlete as an undergraduate, holds an MBA degree from Rollins College, and spends her free time hiking and running with her two dogs.