2009 - 2010
Quick Reference Guide to Standardized Graduate School Admissions Tests
Exam
MCAT
(Medical
College
Admission
Test)
PCAT
(Pharmacy
College
Admission
Test)
DAT
(Dental
Admission
Test)
Test
Administration
Computer based
at testing centers
Multiple
administrations
per year
$230
Content
Scoring

Physical Sciences (52 questions – about 42 are problem
sets based on 8 or 9 passages, 10 stand alone questions
[general chemistry and physics]; 70 minutes)
Verbal Reasoning (40 questions – based on 7-9 passages in
humanities, social sciences, or humanities; 60 minutes)
Writing Samples (2 essays; 60 minutes)
Biological Sciences (52 questions -- about 44 are problem
sets based on 8 or 9 passages, 8 stand alone questions
[biology and organic chemistry]; 70 minutes)
Scored within 4 weeks.
No penalty for incorrect
answers.
Scaled scores on each
section range from 1 – 15;
writing samples graded on
scale from J (low) to T (high).
Competitive score is 10 - 11
on each section.
Paper based,
typically at college
sites
Four
administrations
per year (June,
August, October,
January)
$150

Verbal Ability (58 questions [analogies and sentence
completions]; 35 minutes)
Biology (58 questions [general biology, microbiology,
anatomy and physiology]; 35 minutes)
Reading Comprehension (48 questions [several reading
passages]; 50 minutes)
Quantitative Ability (58 questions [geometry, algebra,
probability and statistics, precalculus, calculus]; 50 minutes)
Chemistry (58 questions [general chemistry and organic], 35
minutes)
Writing (critical thinking essay on single topic, 30 minutes)
Natural Sciences (100 stand alone questions [40 biology, 30
general chemistry, 30 organic chem]; 90 minutes)
Perceptual Ability (90 questions testing ability to visualize
and mentally manipulate objects in three dimensions (e.g.
orthographic projections); 60 minutes)
Reading Comprehension (50 multiple choice questions on
three reading passages; 60 minutes)
Quantitative Reasoning (40 multiple choice questions
[fractions, decimals, and percents, algebra, word problems,
geometry, trigonometry]; 45 minutes)
Scored within 6 weeks.
No penalty for incorrect
answers.
Scaled scores range from
200 to 600. Percentile ranks
range from 1 to 99 and
indicate performance relative
to “norm” (test takers in past
few years). 80th percentile in
composite and chemistry
section is competitive.








Computer based

at testing centers
Offered year round 
$205


Scored immediately.
No penalty for incorrect
answers.
Each section and overall
performance graded on a
scale of 1 – 30. Competitive
score is around 20 (each
section and composite).
OAT
(Optometry
Admissions
Test)
GRE
General
Test
(Graduate
Record
Exam)
Veterinary,
some other
allied health
programs
LSAT
(Law School
Admission
Test)
Computer based

Multiple choice
Offered year round 
$213


Computer
adaptive test
(cannot go back –
your answer
determines next
questions)
Multiple choice
and essay
Offered year round
$150
Paper test—
moving it to a
computer format is
being considered.
Offered 4 times a
year (Feb, June,
Sept, Dec)
$132 for the test
$121 for the
Credential
Assembly Service
GMAT
Computer
(Graduate
adaptive test (see
Management GRE description)
Admissions
Multiple choice
Test)
and essay
Offered year round
$250
Natural Sciences (100 stand alone questions [40 biology, 30
gen chem, 30 organic]; 90 minutes)
Reading Comprehension (50 questions based on three
passages; 60 minutes)
Physics (40 stand alone questions; 50 minutes)
Quantitative Reasoning (50 stand alone questions; 45
minutes)
Scored immediately.
No penalty for incorrect
answers.
Scaled score of 200 - 400,
with 300 as median (40th –
52nd percentile). Competitive
score is at least 300.



Analytical Writing (2 essays; 75 minutes total)
Verbal Reasoning (30 questions; 30 minutes)
Quantitative Reasoning (28 questions [arithmetic, algebra,
geometry, data analysis] ; 45 minutes)




Reading Comprehension (26-28 questions, 35 minutes)
Analytical Reasoning (23-24 questions, 35 minutes)
Logical Reasoning (24-26 questions, 35 minutes)
Writing Sample (35 minutes, not scored, but available to law
schools)
A repeat of one of the first sections to pretest potential new
questions (35 minutes)
Scored within two – three
weeks.
On an adaptive test,
guessing is discouraged.
Scaled score of 200 – 800 on
multiple choice sections, 0 –
6 on writing.
Competitive scores vary by
program. (1300 for
Veterinary Medicine)
Score is usually received
within three weeks.
No penalty for incorrect
answers.
Questions within sections are
weighted equally.
Scores range between 120
and 180.
Competitive scores vary by
school. (UB and SU = 157,
top tier schools = 170 )
Score is received within 3
weeks.
On an adaptive test,
guessing is discouraged.
Score 200 - 800.
Competitive score at top
schools = 700




Analytical Writing Assessment (2 essays, 30 minutes each)
Quantitative (37 questions; 75 minutes)
Verbal (41 questions, 75 minutes)
2009 - 2010
Major issues:
Students need practice with timed/high stakes computer-based format.
Strategies to reduce anxiety (know where you are going, see if you can visit test center, know what to expect of day)
On health professions exams: “Competitive” score is around 70% of questions correct – learning to be comfortable with making best guess and
moving on.
Content coverage is enormous on content based tests– not practical to expect that students will know all content. Study focus on areas that
students need polishing on, not stuff they simply don’t know.