Preparing for Grad School Exams

More exams, the fun keeps going!

More exams? But wait there’s more… Time flies when you’re having fun! It wasn’t until college that I realized how true this statement is. While it may feel like you just finished studying for the ACT/SAT, graduation will be looming and many students will be preparing for graduate school exams of some sort.

The University of Georgia offers Doctoral Degrees, Masters Degrees, Interdisciplinary Degrees, Education Specialization, Certificates, Dual Masters/Doctorate Degrees, and Online Pathways. The On-Campus Graduate School at UGA offers tons of Recruitment Events throughout the school year that allow students to come in, tour, get questions answered, and get the feel for Athens. While UGA is a fabulous option for graduate school, the programs are very rigorous and difficult, so consider visiting other colleges as well. This will give you the opportunity to meet professors and ask questions about the program. Start talking to an advisor early to be sure you have all the correct prerequisites, shadowing, or research hours you will need.

Whether you are preparing for Law School or another specific graduate program, researching the continuation of your education may feel overwhelming. Finding the right concentration is important. Consider all of your options including the location of schools, degrees offered, length of time to complete the degree, cost and funding, prerequisite classes, exams and other requirements needed for entrance, and so on. You also should take into account that most graduate schools require test scores with the application.

The University of Georgia offers different test prep courses for certain graduate school entrance test requirements to help UGA undergraduate students succeed on these tests. The UGA Career Center also is very helpful when it comes to helping students overall achieve a better chance of getting into any Grad School. They are a great resource to help prepare students for interviews and personal statement reviews as well as helping with jargon, the application timeline, and financial aid. Students can make an appointment or simply walk in from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Taking a course is optional and you may not need to spend hundreds of dollars to do so. Taking a practice test a few months before the actual exam to see where to start studying will help gear how much studying you’ll need to do. By this point in college, you should have a good idea as to how you learn best. Perhaps online studying is not the best choice for you; therefore a local class or private tutor may be a better idea.

Some of the popular test prep programs are Kaplan, Magoosh, BenchPrep, The Princeton Review, Next Step Test Prep, Khan Academy, and Manhattan Test Prep. Many are offered as online classes that allow students to study at their convenience. Some also offer private tutoring in person or online, as well as regular local classes. Some students who are majoring in finance or business will also take the Level 1 CFA exam. The Princeton Review now offers a test-prep course for only $299. Students who enroll will qualify for their money-back guarantee. Many accounting major students take the CPA exam while in school. Some of the more popular CPA review courses include Surgent, Becker, and Wiley.

Here a few additional pointers:

• GRE- Get the ‘GRE Word of the Day’ app to help vocabulary. Sign up for the Question of the Day from Kaplan. It’s free!
• MCAT- Next Step Test Prep offers live webinars to answer questions that may come up as you study.
• LSAT- Testmasters’ LSAT prep class is offered right on the UGA campus.

Prepare a timeline or checklist for each school you apply to. It may include GPA, test scores, letters of recommendation (LOR), personal essays, resume, interview, etc. Standardized tests are only one part of the application process. In addition, it may not be too soon to begin to look into scholarships or how you will finance your continuing education.

Applications also require an essay or personal statement. To be sure you are sending in your best work, we recommend working with Essential Essays, who assists students with brainstorming, planning, and writing college, law, and grad school essays that will reveal their personality and give their applications a positive edge.

Finally, it has become common for some students to take a year off before starting grad school. College is stressful and there is a lot of pressure to start Grad school immediately. Perhaps the year can be spent gaining experience that will add to your application or having more time to prepare for exams. Remember, this shouldn’t be a race; it should be a marathon. Give some serious thought to taking a gap year if you feel as if it might be beneficial to you.

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