For students looking to attend graduate or law school, there are several options available in preparing for the testing typically required by admissions representatives.
Amanda McGhee, a junior in communication, is already getting ready to take the LSAT in February.
“It’s not a common practice, but I like to be ahead of the game,” McGhee said. “I will know what I’m looking at in terms of law schools, so I can visit them this summer.”
With plans to study advocacy and corporate law, McGhee is using an LSAT book from Kaplan, a popular publisher of academic preparatory materials.
“I don’t have time to attend a class, so I have been studying with my book a lot,” she said.
Other students, like John Kells, a senior in civil engineering, prefer a more interactive studying method.
Kells completed a fall session of workshops to help him prepare for the GRE.
“There weren’t a lot of people in the class, so there could be lots of teacher interaction,” Kells said.
The workshops are offered through the Office of Professional Development at the McKimmon Center.
Chip Futrell, associate director of continuing and professional education, said he would encourage “any NCSU student to try out the classes.”
“I highly recommend going through a test prep workshop,” Futrell said. “I personally did not years ago because I don’t think anybody was providing those back in the Stone Age.”
The workshops typically last about nine weeks and range $599-699. The next session begins in February.
“I’d say if someone has the financial resources and time, to go to the class,” Kells said. “But you can still learn a lot from the books and going over problems every night.”
Futrell stressed that his organization “went out of its way” to find a low-cost provider for the workshops for students.
“We looked for an experienced company that we could work with, who also could provide the courses at a low cost,” he said. “We’ve ended up with a very low-cost provider with good service.”
Justin Thomas, a senior in biochemistry and chemistry, is using the same study method as McGhee for the GRE — but doubling up with Kaplan and Princeton Review texts.
“If you have some diligence and work through the books, I guess it’s the same [as the classes],” Thomas said.
McGhee said she is happy with the book she purchased and has enjoyed working with it.
“It’s really important to buy a book that you are comfortable with,” she said. “That way, you can relate to the information better, and it’s not as painful.”
Thomas said he liked his books because of the verbal section.
“The books have several hundred of the most common vocabulary words,” he said. “It’s one way to improve the verbal score.”
Futrell said registration for the next round of test preparation is currently open and will remain open through the first day of sessions.