Testing options for Master's

[Sunshine1528]

Here's my story:

I have a BS in Business/Accounting from 1982 - overall GPA 2.86 (yes, hindsight is wonderful and I see now what my priorities should have been ! )

Want to enter a Master's program since my career switched to HR 10 years ago and has been stagnant for about 7 years. New year, new changes I hope !

Due to my low GPA in college I need to take an exam in order to apply. The 3 options are: GRE, MAT & GMAT. I see the GRE & GMAT look very similar and the MAT is 100 mult. choice ?'s.

Any opinions on the easiest or the best for a person who has been out of college for 25 years? (And back in the workforce for only 10 . . .).

TIA !

 

[minou]

I have taken GRE, I had an almost perfect score in math. To be honest with you, the math section was way to easy. I come from a French school system, and the math that is on the GRE is easier than the math I studied in high school.
From what I hear, business/accounting sutdents take the GMAT.
Have you checked with your school what test they want you to take and the score that will get you in the program?

 

[Shadowpup]

I was on faculty at a university for a dozen years ... in computer science, but my husband taught business, and it's similar. I worked with both undergraduate and graduate students.

Here's what I'd tell returning students who needed to take the entry tests, when they had been out for awhile: practice test-taking before taking the official version that you will have submitted! Invest the time in helping yourself learn how to be tested. You have probably not taken a timed exercise in these subjects in 25 years, and that in and of itself is a skill.

Here's a way that helped my prospective returning students. There are inexpensive GRE (etc) testing books available. Pick up some used ones and take the tests. Start out by doing fewer questions, without time pressure. Begin with what you can comfortably do in fifteen minutes, for instance. Then, add the pressure of time (see if you can do in ten minutes what you used to do in fifteen). Add online testing, too.

After you've learned to handle timed tests again, extend the length of the test until you're comfortable with doing these for longer and longer intervals.

I'd say give it at least a month to practice testing, and add in a few refresher activities for the math, quantitative areas, etc as you go.

If this sounds like strength training ... well, it is very similar. I saw more returning adults fail because they did not build themselves up to learning how to study, and how to take tests under time pressure, than for any other reason. I'd also suggest that when you enroll again, you start with fewer courses than you think you can handle, and work up. It is far better to be putting extra time into fewer classes at first, and doing really well, than having to take an incomplete or a lower grade, and work for the next few years to get the lower GPA monkey off your back. The faculty will be aware of your background and if you can prove yourself in one class your first semester, with a solid A, life will be far easier as they will see you through your current skills, not your application package.

Regardless, best wishes and congratulations for starting back! Sounds very exciting.

[And, if you don't mind my saying, you are likely to do SO much better this time through, and have far more fun doing it. Some of the best students in my program had backgrounds like the one you describe; once they learned to handle the academic environment again (or for the first time, in a few cases), the extra focus, life experience, and overall maturity made them marvelous students and successful re-entering professionals.]

 

[eraslan]

It depends on what field you are going into. If you want to do an MBA (which I think is the best one for you without knowing much else), then you need to take GMAT, and you would need to take it even if your GPA was 4.0. If you want to pursue masters in various scientific fields (including social sciences), you would need to take GRE. I suspect you don't need either for some other programs, say Masters in Fine Arts.

 

[Sunshine1528]

Wow - great reponses .

I guess I should have mentioned I was not going for an MBA since I have already taken business courses for my BS. It was a Business bachelor's with an Accounting concentration.

My career is now in HR so I was planning on a Masters in HR to strengthen my career needs.

Also, the only University near me that has this type of masters shows that the scores for the 3 tests I mentioned.

I have taken some HR certifications and test for Compensation courses. Have a PHR (Professional Human Resources) certification and that was fun. A 400 question 4 hour test. It was actually a welcome challenge and after a 12 week study course I passed with an 87%. For me the best part was learning to study again and also being in class with those already practicing HR. I had only been in the field for 2 years and all my knowledge was self taught by reading the laws and interpretations, etc.

Shadowpup - I was thinking about the study guides as I have seen them at bookstores. Actually did the same when I was studying for the PHR. Bought an HR textbook and test guide as a supplement. So the online tests are worth the $ then?

And it sounds like I would most likely take the GRE from what the 3 of you were insinuating?

Guess a call to the university is in order. They also have introductory meetings so will schedule one and get further info.

Thanks for all the help ladies !