College, Graduate School Admissions Tests for Military Applicants
Applying to college or graduate school typically means figuring out whether you need to take an admissions test before you even start putting your application together. Military service does not always provide an automatic exemption from admissions tests. Instead, whether you need to take the SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, or another exam depends on the school and program.
Undergraduate Admission
SAT
The SAT is a fully digital test administered by the College Board. The current test has two sections: reading/writing and math, which use an adaptive format. That means your performance on the first module of each section helps determine how difficult the second section is.
Undergraduate applicants take the SAT during their junior or senior year of high school; however, there’s no universal requirement. Each institution establishes its own admissions policy. A school may waive standardized testing for adult students, transfer students, or applicants who have accumulated a certain amount of college credit. Others have test-optional policies that apply to nearly everyone. There is no general SAT exemption specifically for military service.
>> Find VA-approved schools — Try our School Finder tool.
ACT
ACT testing consists of English, reading, and math. (Science is now optional, as is the writing test.) The ACT follows the same question sequence for all test takers and is still primarily offered on paper.
Like the SAT, the ACT is taken during high school, but the individual college you apply to determines whether you need a score. An institution may not require scores from transfer students or may allow applicants who have been out of high school for a specified period to apply without them.
Graduate Admission
GRE General Test
The GRE General Test is used for admission to master’s, doctoral, and other graduate programs, although it is also accepted by many business schools and some law schools.
The computer-delivered exam includes three sections:
- Verbal Reasoning
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Analytical Writing
Graduate schools increasingly set their own GRE policies at the program level. One department at a university may require it while another makes it optional or doesn’t consider GRE scores at all. Military applicants do not receive a general GRE exemption based on service.
GRE Subject Tests
GRE Subject Tests are separate from the GRE General Test and measure knowledge within a particular academic discipline. ETS offers Subject Tests in Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology. Biology and Chemistry GRE Subject Tests have been discontinued.
A Subject Test is only necessary when the graduate program requires one. Military applicants must satisfy the same requirement unless the university grants an individual waiver.
GMAT
The GMAT (previously known as the GMAT Focus Edition) is a graduate admissions test for business and management programs. It contains three sections:
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Verbal Reasoning
- Data Insights
Because business schools establish their own admissions rules, there is no universal GMAT requirement. Some business schools accept the GRE instead of the GMAT, while others offer test waivers based on academic background, professional experience, or other qualifications. Military leadership and professional experience may be relevant when a school evaluates a waiver request, but military service does not automatically waive the GMAT.
>> Find VA-approved schools — Try our School Finder tool.
Executive Assessment
The Executive Assessment (EA) was developed with experienced professionals and executive MBA candidates in mind and covers Integrated Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning.
Some programs may waive testing based on work history, academic performance, or other criteria. There is no universal waiver for service members, but military experience may strengthen a waiver request.
Law School
LSAT
The multiple-choice Law School Admission Test (LSAT) consists of two scored Logical Reasoning sections—one scored Reading Comprehension section, and one unscored variable section with either Logical Reasoning or Reading Comprehension questions. The LSAT also includes LSAT Argumentative Writing, a separately administered, unscored writing assessment.
There is no waiver for veterans or active-duty service members. However, while most candidates take the multiple-choice test at a testing center, LSAC allows certain exceptions for remote testing, including qualifying active-duty military personnel stationed abroad and spouses or dependents stationed overseas with them.
Medical School
MCAT
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is the standardized exam used for admission to medical school. All U.S.medical schools require MCAT scores for regular admission.
The MCAT has four sections:
- Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills
Applicants take the MCAT after completing the science courses covered on the exam and before applying to medical school. Because many medical schools place limits on the age of scores they’ll accept, taking it too early can create problems. In fact, many schools do not accept scores more than three years old.
Applicants considering military medical programs or scholarships still need to follow medical school admissions requirements.
Dental School
DAT
Unlike most other exams in this guide, the Dental Admission Test (DAT) has a uniform requirement: all U.S. dental schools require the DAT as part of their admissions process.
The DAT contains four parts:
- Survey of the Natural Sciences
- Perceptual Ability
- Reading Comprehension
- Quantitative Reasoning
The ADA recommends taking the DAT after you have completed the subjects covered by the exam. Because the DAT is required across the board, attending a test-optional undergraduate institution does not eliminate the testing requirement when you apply to dental school.
Optometry School
According to the Optometry Admission Test (OAT) program, all U.S. optometry schools require the OAT for admission.
The OAT’s sections are:
- The Survey of the Natural Sciences
- Reading Comprehension
- Physics
- Quantitative Reasoning
Military service does not provide an exemption, so an applicant who plans to attend a school that requires the OAT will need a qualifying score unless that institution offers an alternative route to admission.
>> Find VA-approved schools — Try our School Finder tool.
About the author
Michelle Nati is a contributing writer to CollegeRecon who has written about higher education and finance for Granita Media/Big Edition site Work and Money. She's also written law content for Leaf Group's Legal Beagle site and is a ghostwriter of non-fiction books. She lives in Los Angeles and spends her spare time combing flea markets for vintage photos and decor and playing with her dogs, Jellybean and Jukebox.
