Tag Archives: LSAT

14 May 2020

COVID-Related News: Grad School Exams

For those of you who have been preparing to sit for the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or MCAT in the coming months, we know how unsettling it must feel when a global pandemic disrupts your carefully calculated grad school preparation. Fortunately, each respective entity is working hard to keep us informed about modifications made to the format, administration, or schedule of their exams. Identifying the information that is relevant to your situation might feel daunting. Here’s what we know about the official changes made to the following popular grad school exams: 

GRE Update:

The Educational Testing Service (ETS) is now offering a GRE General Test at-home option. The at-home option is identical in content, format, and on-screen experience to the GRE exam taken at a test center. During the online exam, test-takers are monitored by a human proctor. Per ETS, at-home administrations are currently available around the clock every Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday through June 30th. Appointments may be available as early as 24 hours after registering for the exam, but in our experience, most students wait 2 – 3 weeks for an appointment, so be sure to plan accordingly. Looking to take the GRE at home? Start the registration process here

Please note: If you are planning to take the GRE, you MUST take the test on a PC or laptop with a Windows operating system. If you attempt to take the exam with Mac iOS software, you will be denied access. This is crucial. If you have any questions about whether your software is sufficient for the at-home GRE, check out this equipment and environment checklist, where you will also find info on what constitutes a suitable testing environment (private room, built-in camera, microphone, and more). If you still have questions, feel free to reach out to us! 

GMAT Update: 

Like the GRE, the GMAT Online Exam is becoming widely available as the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC) continues to support students who are working to meet upcoming business school application deadlines. The GMAT Online Exam is remotely proctored and open to all prospective test-takers. The most notable change is the omission of the Analytical Writing Assessment Section. The online version will include the Quantitative, Verbal, and Integrated Reasoning sections, with the same number of questions and time per section as the in-person version of the exam, for a total exam time of approximately 3 hours. 

In an impressive feat of flexibility, appointment times are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can schedule an appointment up to 24 hours before an available testing window. Registration is now open until June 15th, at which point public health conditions will be re-evaluated and future appointment dates will be added as needed. 

Please note: The GMAT Online Exam can be taken on both Windows and Mac PCs or laptops, but do check out their system requirements before registering. 

LSAT Update: 

The Law School Admission Council (LSAC) has announced the unveiling of an online, remotely proctored version of the LSAT: the LSAT-Flex, which has been on the horizon for some time now. Check out what we have to say about the new LSAT in-home administration. In short, candidates who were signed up for the April LSAT have been automatically registered for the May LSAT-Flex (administered during the week of May 18th). Likewise, those who were registered for the in-person June LSAT as of April 29th can opt to take the June LSAT-Flex (administered during the week of June 14th). 

Registration for the June LSAT-Flex is now open! LSAC encourages prospective test-takers, especially those who prefer to test at a certain time of day or have scheduling conflicts, to sign up as soon as possible. Slots will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis — so nail down that time slot while there are still plenty of options available!

LSAC notes they do plan to resume offering the in-person LSAT once public health conditions allow. However, if the LSAT is in your future, stay tuned because this online, shortened version of the LSAT may prove to be a welcome change. As the world adjusts to a “new normal,” the LSAT may transition permanently to an online “new normal.”

MCAT Update:

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has not made any indication that the MCAT will be moving into remote territory. All May test dates have, of course, been cancelled. As of May 8th, three new test dates have been added to the calendar (June 28th, September 27th, and September 28th). Three test appointments will be held per date. Registration for these dates is now open. 

The AAMC has temporarily shortened the exam in order to increase testing capacity while following social distancing protocols in test centers. For more info on how this notoriously lengthy exam is being shortened, here is a breakdown of the new version. Test-takers can still expect to be tested in all four sections with fewer questions in each, for a total exam time of 5 hours and 45 minutes (rather than the typical 7 hours and 30 minutes). The scoring for the shortened exam will be identical to that of the full-length exam. 

As we all experience the daily sensory overload of COVID-related news, we hope our updates provide some clarity as you take these important steps towards graduate school. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you are seeking additional academic or test prep support during this challenging time. As always, at Sentia we don’t just tutor, we’ll be with you every step of the way™!