Test Preparation Resources

Professional schools frequently require an entrance exam as part of the application process. These exams are typically taken in the spring, a year prior to starting professional school (i.e. spring of junior year, or senior year if taking a gap year).

It’s important to learn all you can about the required exam and utilize any official prep resources offered by the test administrators. We have included a list of common test prep resources at the end of this page to supplement your preparation; however, the CLAS Academic Advisors do not endorse one commercial test prep product over another.

UPCOMING DEADLINES/EVENTS

  • December 7 at 9am EST - MCAT Princeton Review Practice Test. Register to receive a free, full-length computer based exam.  More information available here.
  • December 7 at 9am EST - GRE Princeton Review Practice Test. Register to receive a free, full-length computer based exam. More information available here.
  • December 7 at 9am EST - DAT Practice Test. Register to receive a free, full-length computer based exam. More information available here.
  • December 10 at 2pm EST - Preparing for the MCAT Exam (hosted by the AAMC).  More info and registration available here.
  • January 9, 2025 at 6pm EST - MCAT Princeton Review Test Strategy Workshop. More information including registration available here.
  • January 16, 2025 at 6pm EST - GRE Princeton Review Test Strategy Workshop. More information including registration available here.
  • January 23, 2025 at 6pm EST - DAT Princeton Review Test Strategy Workshop. More information including registration available here.
  • January 29, 2025 at 2pm EST - Join Dr. Wynn, PhD, a medical education learning specialist and the AAMC MCAT Prep Team for a webinar that will explore the crucial aspects of effective MCAT preparation. Register now!  
  • March 1, 2025 - New DAT scoring model goes into effect.  Read memo from ADEA for more information.  
  • April 12, 2025 at 9am EST - Register for a full-length computer based practice test for the MCAT, DAT and GRE.   

Professional School Application Timeline

Professional School Entrance Exams


How to prepare

Students should plan on spending around 3-4 months of preparation ahead of their test date. It is recommended to treat test prep like you would a 3-credit class in the amount of time you would put into studying for your exam. All courses relevant to the exam subject matter should be completed prior to taking the entrance exam. 

Practice exams are proven to be one of the best ways to prepare. Starting with a practice exam can be used to create a baseline for beginning your studying. Once you have started your preparation, it is suggested to use additional practice exams to gauge if your study methods are effective. Lastly, use full-length practice tests from a variety of resources (including the official test administrator) so you can build testing stamina and become familiar with varied test content. See resources below for more information about practice exams.


Testing Information

  • MCAT - There are 30 MCAT test dates available during the year in the U.S. which are administered at a Pearson VUE testing center.  The MCAT is not offered in February, October, November or December.  Refer to the AAMC’s Calendar, Scheduling Deadlines and Score Release Dates for more information.  The MCAT testing calendar is normally released in early October.    
  • DAT - The DAT is offered year-round at Prometric Test Centers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Once you have received your eligibility letter confirming that your test application has been accepted, you must contact Prometric to secure an appointment. It is recommended to schedule at least 60 to 90 days before your desired test date, since schedules fill up.  Refer to the DAT Guide for more information.     
  • OAT - The OAT is offered year-round at Prometric Test Centers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Once you have received your eligibility letter confirming that your test application has been accepted, you must contact Prometric to secure an appointment.  It is recommended to schedule at least 60 to 90 days before your desired test date, since schedules fill up.  Refer to the DAT Guide for more information.
  • GRE - The GRE General Test can be taken at any point throughout the year and is offered at Prometric Testing Center. You can Schedule Your GRE General Test up to a few months in advance.  
  • MCAT - Scheduling for January and March-June test dates opens at the end of October.  The July-September scheduling becomes available in February.  To register, you will need to have an AAMC account.  For more scheduling information visit the AAMC’s Register for the MCAT Exam website.      
  • DAT - You must first apply for and obtain a DENTPIN www.ada.org/dat. After your DENTPIN application is processed, you may contact a Prometric Test Center (www.prometric.com) to schedule your test date within the six-month testing window. Refer to the DAT Guide for more information.   
  • OAT - You must first apply for and obtain a PIN at www.ada.org/en/oat/pin . After your PIN application is processed, you may submit an OAT application at https://www.ada.org/en/oat/apply-to-take-the-oat. Once your application is approved, you will receive an email with instructions on how to schedule your test through a Prometric test center (www.prometric.com); the test must be scheduled within 6 months. 
  • GRE - You can Schedule Your GRE Test at any point throughout the year. You can take it once every 21 days, up to 5 times within any continuous rolling 12-month period.

If you receive accommodations at GVSU, you can also request to take your professional school exam with accommodations. Accommodations must be approved prior to scheduling the exam, so be sure to review policies early on.

  • Fee Assistance Program(AAMC/MCAT/AMCAS)
  • Fee Assistance Program (DAT) - A limited number of partial fee waivers (50% reduction) are available and must be filed at the time of application for the exam; see the DAT Program Guide for details.  Advised to apply early for fee waivers. 
  • Fee Assistance Program (OAT) - A limited number of partial fee waivers (50% reduction) are available and must be filed at the time of application for the exam; see the OAT Program Guide for details.  Advised to apply early for fee waivers.  
  • GRE Fee Reduction; scroll down to “Fee Reduction Program”

CLAS Advising participates in advisor discounts for AAMC products. Please visit www.gvsu.edu/clasadvising/payment to see a full list of discounted products.  

The AAMC offers free MCAT test prep resources, including Khan Academy videos, how to create a study plan, and free practice exams.

  • DAT Practice Tests - The DAT program offers practice tests with questions written by actual DAT test constructors.  Individual modules and full practice tests available.  Visit the ADA’s Dental Admission Test website for more information.  Through the US Army's March 2 Success program, 2 full-length DAT practice tests are available with detailed answer explanations for every question. Create an account on the March 2 Success website.  

 

  • OAT Practice Tests - The OAT program offers practice tests with questions written by actual OAT test constructors.  Individual modules and full practice tests available.  Visit the Optometry Admission Test website for more information.

 

  • MCAT Practice Tests - Through the US Army's March 2 Success program, 2 full-length MCAT practice tests are available with detailed answer explanations for every question. Create an account on the March 2 Success website.  

 

  • GRE Practice Tests - POWERPREP Practice Tests-two free practice tests and then three additional practice tests for individual purchase.

No scholarships available at this time.  The Kaplan MCAT and Princeton Review DAT scholarship closed in November 2024.

  • Test Taking Resources from the GVSU Student Academic Success Center
  • The GVSU Counseling Center offers self-help workshops for managing anxiety and stress, and tools for meditation and mindfulness.  

If anxiety becomes serious get help from the GVSU Counseling Center.

It is best to plan to take the test one time, but if you find yourself with a score you are not happy with consider the following:

  • How does your score compare to the schools where you are planning to apply? Perhaps your score is not competitive for all the schools on your interest list, but it might be competitive for others.
  • Know what the retake policies are for your test provider. There might be a waiting period or perhaps an annual or lifetime limit.  
  • Professional schools will see ALL test scores, but it is up to the individual schools how they will evaluate the scores. Thus, it is good to familiarize yourself with schools’ retake policies.  
  • If you need to retake a test, statistics show that you will need to significantly change your study plan and approach to preparation if you want to raise your score significantly. Do not rush into a retake.

Note: The CLAS Advising Center does not endorse a particular test prep product over another, but strives to educate students on reputable preparation resources available to them.

List of Test Prep Products & Resources

Products & Resources Link Action
Wyzant Tutoring (MCAT, DAT, OAT, GRE) https://www.wyzant.com/ View
Wiki Pre-Med MCAT Course http://www.wikipremed.com/ View
UWorld (MCAT) https://www.uworld.com/ View
Student Doctor Network http://www.studentdoctor.net/ View
Sketchy (MCAT) https://www.sketchy.com/explore/mcat View
Sean Studies: MCAT https://www.seanstudies.com/freedailymcatpassages.html View
ProtonGuru (MCAT) https://pgsolutions.thinkific.com/ View
Proton Guru | Free Organic Chemistry Review) https://www.proton.guru/free View
Princeton Review (MCAT, DAT, GRE, OAT) 20% Discount available through 5/31/2025 (code GVSU2024) http://www.princetonreview.com/ View
OAT Bootcamp (OAT) https://bootcamp.com/oat View
Mometrix (all tests) https://www.mometrix.com/ (Click on Graduate and Professional School to see the test resources) View
Memm (MCAT) https://memm.io/ View
McGraw Hill MCAT 2015 (Available on Amazon.com) View
MCAT Bros https://https://www.mcatbros.com/ View
Magoosh (MCAT, GRE) https://magoosh.com/ View
Khan Academy (MCAT) https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat (set up like a course) View
KAPLAN (MCAT, DAT, GRE, OAT) http://www.kaptest.com View
Jack Westin (CARS) https://jackwestin.com/mcat-question-of-the-day (Free CARS question of the day) View
Helica Learning Experience (MCAT) https://www.helicalx.com/ View
GVSU Library (OAT) Direct Link to Library Reserves View
GVSU Library (MCAT) Direct Link to Library Reserves View
GVSU Library (GRE) Direct Link to Library Reserves View
GVSU Library (DAT) Direct Link to Library Reserves View
Gold Standard MCAT Prep https://www.mcat-prep.com/mcat-practice-tests/ View
ExamKrackers Home Study (MCAT) https://examkrackers.com/ View


Page last modified December 5, 2024