Graduate School Entrance Exams

Most graduate schools will require you to take the Graduate Record Exam and other tests. That's right! It's the SATs all over gain, but on a slightly bigger scale.

You may also be asked to complete some other ability, achievement, or personality tests that vary from institution to institution. More information on the specifics will be provided to you by the admissions department of each school.

Remember, low scores on entrance exams do not automatically disqualify you from applying to psychology graduate programs. Low scores may mean you should select and apply to programs that do not emphasize test scores or that accept test scores in your range. You can partially compensate in other areas to help offset weak tests. As with each admission criterion, standardized test scores are only one part of the overall picture of a candidate, however, they are often used as one of the initial ways in which applicants are screened.

Graduate Record Exam

The GRE measures knowledge acquired over a long period of time and not indigenous to any specific field of study. The GRE consists of three sections: verbal, math (quantitative), and analytic (which measures abstract thinking). Some of the more competitive schools will also require you to take the "advanced" portion of the test, which for you would be in psychology (it consists of multiple choice questions pertaining to all the different fields within psychology). It's important that you adequately prepare yourself for this test by reading the booklet form Educational Testing Service, and by purchasing one of the GRE study guides (or you can see the ones in the Psychology Department). Give yourself permission to retake the test if you are not satisfied with you scores. Specific information on the test can be obtained from the Psychology Department.

The general GRE is a computer-based test. Computer-adaptive testing adjusts to the test-taker by providing different questions of either higher or lower difficulty based on the responses to previous questions. (Gives similar score with much fewer questions). Year round testing is offered at several locations. The subject tests are offered on paper. The test consists of seven 30-minute scantron sections and are given periodically throughout the year.

You can register for all GRE tests either by phone (1-800-GRE-CALL), on-line (www.gre.org), or by mail (pick up registration packet in the Psychology Department). You will need a VISA, MasterCard, or American Express if you register by phone or on-line.

Miller Analogies Test

You may also be asked to take the Miller Analogies Test. This is a 50-minute test consisting of 100 word analogies. Your scores is the total number correct. The mean for students intending to study psychology in graduate school is around 50 according to The Psychological Corporation (1994). As with the GRE, booklets are available to help improve your scores on the test, and it is useful to take practice tests to familiarize and prepare yourself for the actual event.