Entrance Exams – Pre-Health/Pre-Law Advising Center

Entrance Exam Overview

Entrance exams are required by a majority of health professional programs and tests you on the knowledge you would need to know for your health field of interest. High entrance exam scores suggest that an applicant is ready for the rigor of health professional school. Thus, it is important to do your best to prepare and study for your entrance exams.

Types of Entrance Exams Before Studying Study Methods Success Tips Testing Locations in Hawaii Test Prep Funding Opportunities

Types of Entrance Exams

There are different exams required by different fields. The table below lists the entrance exams that correlate you are able to take for the field you may have an interest in. For more information on these individual exams as well as access to test prep material, click on the links under the exam column of the table.

Exam	Fields	Official Website
MCAT	Medicine Physician Assistant*	AAMC
DAT	Dentistry	ADA
OAT	Optometry	ASCO
PA-CAT	Physician Assistant*	PA-CAT
GRE	Occupational Therapy Physician Assistant* Physical Therapy	Educational Testing Service
NLN TEAS	Nursing	NLN TEAS

* Many physician assistant programs require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Some schools also accept the Physician Assistant College Admissions Test (PA-CAT) or even the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) in place of the GRE.

Before Studying

Before you start studying for an exam, you should ask yourself the following questions:

When Should I Take my Exam?

First, you should identify when you plan on entering health professional / graduate school and also when you will need to submit your applications. Most applicants will take their exam at least one year prior to matriculation. The earliest applicants should take their exam should be after they have completed all relevant course work. At the latest, applicants can take their exam right before they submit their applications.

Other factors you should consider are:

Completion of relevant course work - You may want to consider waiting until you have completed the relevant course work before taking your exam. Creating an academic plan can help you to plan when you can take these relevant classes and ensure that they are taken before you take your exam.
Test dates and locations - Some exams may only be offered on specific dates and locations throughout the year. This information can be found on the individual webpages for each exam.
Other responsibilities - You may want to consider what other responsibilities you have that may hinder your focus on preparing for your exam.
Are you ready? - Most importantly, you should take your exam when it is right for you. How you study and prepare for your exam can determine how ready you feel for it.

When Should I Start Studying?

Different entrance exams may require different timelines for studying:

MCAT, DAT, OAT: 6 months to 1 year prior
GRE: 3 to 6 months prior

The earlier you study, the better the result. It is recommended that you study at least one hour per day, depending on the amount of material you would need to go over. It is also recommended to take full-length practice exams every two weeks. Full-length practice exams are offered by test prep companies as well as test prep providers. These resources are listed under each exam's individual webpage.

To further determine when you should start studying and how often, ask yourself:

How comfortable am I with the material?
How long ago have I taken courses relevant to my exam?
Have I taken a practice or diagnostic exam? If so, how do I feel about my performance?

Study Methods

There are different study methods applicants can utilize when studying for their entrance exams:

Independent study
Group study
Private tutor
Commercial Course Preparation
- Self-paced: individual study, as the prep company provides you with materials to study at your own pace and location
- In-person: provide in-class instruction taught by an instructor, and are regularly scheduled in various locations and dates offered by the prep company
- Live online: similar to in-person courses, except the learning sessions are held online and can be taken wherever you have internet access

Each of these study methods have their own advantages and disadvantages that applicants may want to consider:

	Pros	Cons
Individual Study	– Flexible Schedule – Can study anywhere – Cost-effective	– Lack of structure – Tendency to procrastinate and fall behind study schedule – No professional assistance/ guidance
Group Study	– Help from peers – Interactive – Fun	– Distraction – At group’s pace
Private tutoring	– One-on-one learning experience – Flexible schedule and location	– Cost – Tutor Compatibility
Commercial Prep Course	– Structured – Professional assistance – Different options	– Cost – Less flexible schedule – Limited in-class locations

Each applicant is different and there is no singular right way to prepare for an entrance exam. Applicants should choose the study method or methods most suitable to them.

Success Tips

✓ Learn as much as you can about your entrance exam.

✓ Start preparing for the exams well in advance.

Pace yourself over the months that you will spend studying.
Find a balance while preparing thoroughly and do not burn yourself out.

✓ Study material covered on the exams by

Reviewing courses you took.
Studying textbooks and materials.
Taking preparatory courses offered by the test provider or commercial companies.

✓ Take practice exams under realistic, timed conditions.

✓ Review the results of your practice exam and identify areas in which you need improvement.

Spend more time reviewing material in these areas.
Identify tactical errors you have made.
Begin to develop strategies for answering each type of question.

✓ Scope out the exam location prior to your exam day.

✓ Take time just before the exam to relax.

Get a good night's sleep.
Eat a good and nutritious breakfast.

✓ Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the exam's start time.

✓ Do your best the first time to save yourself additional time, money, and energy!

Testing Locations in Hawaii

Location

Address

Phone

Exams Offered

Pearson Professional Centers

1441 Kapiolani Blvd
Suite 204
Honolulu, HI 96814

(808) 944-5057

Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)

Prometric Hawai'i

1132 Bishop Street
Suite 710
Honolulu, HI 96813

(808) 521-4389

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

Dental Admission Test (DAT)

Optometry Admission Test

Additional Locations for the GRE

Location	Address	Phone
UH Mānoa	2600 Campus Road Queen Liliʻuokalani Center for Student Services Honolulu, HI 96822	(808) 956-3454
UH Maui College	310 Kaʻahumanu Ave. The Learning Center – L01 Kahului, HI 96732	(808) 984-3240
UH Hilo	200 W. Kāwili Street Room PB 9 Hilo, HI 96720	Phone: (808) 932-7881

Test Prep Funding Opportunities