Applying
Admissions Tests
The secret to performing competitively on Admissions Tests
All health professions, except chiropractic, require an admissions test to determine
your level of competitiveness. Schools look at your academic record, cocurricular
record, and the quality of your application and interview to decide on your competitiveness
for their school. Your academic record consists of your overall and science/math GPAs
and your admissions test score. Your GPAs are college specific and colleges have various
levels of rigor. Thus, health professions schools want to evaluate how competitive
you are at the national level, and thus require standardized admissions tests. Hence,
in addition to your test score, you should note your percentile score. A high GPA
and a low-admissions test score make it difficult to be competitive.
Aptitude Tests
Admissions tests are very different from the tests you had in high school and in many
colleges. Most college exams are called Achievement Tests. Here, the emphasis is on
understanding and memorizing the work, and then recall on an exam. The tests like
the MCAT, DAT, GRE, etc. are very different, they are called Aptitude Tests. The focus
is on scientific reasoning and critical thinking. Because you are proficient on Achievement
Tests does not mean you will be proficient on Aptitude Tests. Thus you must begin
your first year in college to prepare for Aptitude Tests. It is a different way of
thinking and requires repetitive practice to acquire the necessary skills to be competent.
Aptitude Tests consist of long passages.
How Should I Prepare for those Tests?
You should begin in your first semester of college. Once you have identified your
intended health profession, you should obtain preparation materials for the test you
will have to take. Preferably, you should order materials from the company that makes
the test. For example, if you are premedical student, then obtain MCAT materials from
www.aamc.org, other supplemental materials will be helpful. You should spend a lot
of time reading the exam requirements. There are at least two things you should know
about each exam:
1. The content areas on the exam
2. The specific cognitive skills being tested on the exam
If you clearly comprehend these two sets of information, you are already 50% successful.
You should take a full-length exam at least 12 months prior to taking the exam. This
diagnostic exam will guide you in your test preparation, as to your strong and challenging
content areas and skills. You will be better prepared for the test.
All the best on your admissions test, and remember to discuss with your health professions advisor, your progress on your test preparation.
Admissions Tests
DAT Required for Dental Schools
GRE Required for PT, PA, and some Veterinary Schools
MCAT Required for MD, DO, and some Veterinary and Podiatry Schools
OAT Required for Schools of Optometry
PA-CAT Required for some PA Schools
PCAT Required for some Pharmacy Schools
Please see the following PDF for more information on Health Professions Programs that do not require admissions tests.