Thinking of returning to school? The Northfield Public Library can help with your preparations

Are you thinking of going back to school to enhance your job qualifications or follow a new career path?  Has it been awhile since you were in school?  Returning to school has been one of the strategies for many people who have found themselves reconsidering their career options.

According to the Council of Graduate Schools, the U.S. the number of graduate students in the 30 – 39 age range have increased by 30 percent to 700,000, while the number of students over 40 has doubled to around 540,000.

If you are contemplating a return to school and challenging a G.R.E.(Graduate Record Examination), LSAT (Law School Admission Test) or other admissions test, here are some things you need know.

1.     Preparing for one of these tests requires preparation since GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test) scores show a decline with age.  The average score for people 26-27 is 572; while the average score for people 40-49 is 501 and for those 50 and older it is 486.

2.     Graduate schools will not make allowances for age when evaluating applications and accompanying test scores.

3.     Some of the tests are long and most are computerized.  For example, each subject for a GRE test is estimated to take three hours and thirty minutes, the GMAT is estimated to take four hours.

Other good points to keep in mind are that:

1.     Money usually plays a role in how most people decide to prepare for tests and the cost varies widely depending upon the method chosen.  CONSULT THE RESOURCES AT THE NORTHFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY FIRST AS THEY ARE GENERALLY THE MOST AFFORDABLE OF THE OPTIONS which include taking refresher courses, browsing the Web for tutorial posted material, and buying or borrowing prep books, CDs or DVDs.

2.      You cannot cram for admissions exams, so give yourself enough time to prepare.

3.     Practice is important.  Taking practice tests is the best way to become reacquainted with the subjects that will be covered and the type of questions that will be asked.  When taking the practice tests have a pacing strategy, try to mimic the test conditions, and time yourself.  Practice tests are a good indication if you are improving and what subjects require further work. 

4.     Have a goal score.  Schools you may be considering applying to should be willing to provide you with the score range of recently admitted students.  Having this score will help you establish a realistic goal for admittance.

 

5.     Give yourself time to challenge the exam a second time but remember that some tests like the G.R.E and GMAT can be taken only once a month.  By taking practice tests repeatedly, you won’t have to retake the real thing.

6.     The math isn’t new.  Most people were exposed to the math on the tests - it’s more an issue of remembering what you were taught.  Do a bit every day to build up your confidence.

7.     The verbal component of most tests will focus on the vocabulary.

The Northfield Public Library has many tools to help you prepare for your return to school and they are free!  In addition to print copies of many test preparation books, the library subscribes to a FANTASTIC database called LearningExpressLibrary.  Free to people with a valid library card and available 24 hours per day this database includes a large number of practice tests for the GED, GRE, LSAT, and GMAT tests, as well as many more.

Tutorial information is also available by clicking on the “Skill Building for Adults” tab.  There you will find the equivalent of electronic books on subjects such as Writing and Grammar Skills Improvement, Math and Reasoning Skills Improvement, and Statistics Skills Improvement.

There are tutorial units and a GED test preparation module in Spanish.

This rich database has much more information that is useful to students of all ages.  Check it out!

 

TO LOCATE THE LearningExpressLibrary DATABASE

1.     Clicking on the homepage of the Northfield Public Library (www.ci.northfield.mn.us/library)

2.     Clicking on Electronic Resources (http://tomcat.selco.info/o_resources/?profile=nor)

3.     Scroll down and click on Learning Express (http://www.learnatest.com/LEL/index.cfm/?HR=http://www.ci.northfield.mn.us/library)

 If you would like more information about the LearningExpressLibrary database or other resources to prepare for returning to school please contact the Northfield Public Library at 507-645-1802.