DO YOU HAVE TO TAKE BOTH THE GRE AND GMAT FOR ENTRANCE TO GRADUATE SCHOOL IN THE US?

DO YOU HAVE TO TAKE BOTH THE GRE AND GMAT FOR ENTRANCE TO GRADUATE SCHOOL IN THE US?

NO.  USUALLY EACH INDIVIDUAL GRADUATE SCHOOL PREFERS ONE TEST OVER THE OTHER AND THIS USUALLY DEPENDS UPON WHAT TYPE OF GRADUATE DEGREE YOU WANT TO PURSUE.  FOR EXAMPLE, IF YOU WANT TO GET A MASTERS DEGREE IN BUSINESS THEN YOU WOULD PROBABLY ONLY HAVE TO TAKE THE GMAT.  IF YOU WANT A GRADUATE DEGREE IN ENGINEERING, YOU WOULD PROBABLY NEED TO TAKE THE GRE.  JUST CHECK WITH YOUR PARTICULAR GRADUATE SCHOOLS.  THERE IS NOT MUCH OF A BENEFIT TO TAKING BOTH THE GRE AND GMAT.  AS ALWAYS, CHECK WITH THE SCHOOLS YOU ARE INTERESTED IN GOING TO.  REMEMBER, THESE TYPE OF THINGS CHANGE ALL THE TIME AND YOUR SAFEST BET IS TO CHECK WITH THE PARTICULAR SCHOOL OF INTEREST'S ADMISSION DEPARTMENT.

HOW DO I DETERMINE WHETHER THE ACT OR SAT IS THE BETTER TEST FOR MY CHILD?

HOW DO I DETERMINE WHETHER THE ACT OR SAT IS THE BETTER TEST FOR MY CHILD?
THIS IS A GREAT QUESTION THAT I GET ASKED OFTEN. HERE IS A LIST OF MY SUGGESTIONS:
 

1) IF YOUR CHILD HAS TAKEN THE PSAT (PRE SAT) OR PLAN (PRE ACT) THEN YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH SEE FROM THESE SCORES WHICH TEST YOUR CHILD IS BETTER AT. KEEP IN MIND THOUGH, THAT EVEN IF YOUR CHILD DOES WELL ON THE PSAT OR PLAN THEY STILL MAY NEED SOME TUTORING OR HELP TO DO AS WELL ON THE REAL TEST.
 

2) AS A GENERAL RULE OF THUMB, ON THE PSAT A SCORE OF 160 OR BETTER JUNIOR YEAR PROBABLY MEANS YOU COULD PROCEED WITH TAKING THE SAT, BUT YOU MIGHT NEED SOME OUTSIDE HELP. ON THE PLAN, IF YOU SCORE 22 OR ABOVE THAT WOULD PROBABLY BE OK TO PROCEED WITH THE ACT, BUT AGAIN YOU MIGHT NEED SOME HELP.
 

3) ALSO, IF YOUR CHILD IS NOT GOOD AT READING THE SAT IS A BAD IDEA. IT HAS A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF READING ON IT. ALSO, IF YOUR CHILD IS AN EXTREMELY SLOW TEST TAKER THE ACT MIGHT CAUSE THEM SOME PROBLEMS ALSO.
 

4) OVERALL, I WOULD SAY RIGHT NOW THAT OF THE TWO TESTS, THE ACT IS THE "EASIEST" ONE. IT IS MUCH SHORTER THAN THE SAT AND IS CERTAINLY FAR LESS MENTALLY TAXING THAN THE SAT.

5)  TRULY THE BEST THING TO DO IS HAVE YOUR CHILD TAKE SOME PRACTICE TESTS FOR THE ACT AND SAT AND SEE HOW THEY DO.  I WOULD EVEN GO SO FAR AS TO SUGGEST HAVING YOUR CHILD TAKE A REAL ACT OR SAT AT MID PART OF JUNIOR YEAR AND WHICHEVER ONE THEY DO BETTER ON PURSUE THAT TEST.  IF THEY DO WELL ON BOTH TESTS BY ALL MEANS PURSUE BOTH.  

6)  IF YOU ARE APPLYING TO A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE COLLEGE, YOU ABSOLUTELY MUST TAKE BOTH THE ACT AND SAT AND ALSO THE SAT II SUBJECT TESTS (USUALLY 2 OR 3 SUBJECT TESTS).  IF YOU DO NOT DO THIS, YOU WILL PUT YOURSELF AT A SERIOUS DISADVANTAGE.  ALSO TAKING ALL THESE THREE TESTS COULD OPEN UP SEVERAL ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.