Free EA Practice Test | Manhattan Review

Manhattan Review Free EA Practice Test

Manhattan Review offers a free EA practice test, featuring computer adaptive technology, questions at several different levels of difficulty, and online access. Interested students should fill out the online form on the Manhattan Review website, and they will then receive an access code via email.

Official EA Practice Tests

Official EA practice tests can be obtained from the GMAC website (www.mba.com). Test-takers can download a free EA questions sampler. This sampler includes nine questions across Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning. By signing up for a free account, users will have access to the sampler for two weeks, allowing them to become familiar with the variety and structure of typical EA questions. The GMAC offers a variety of official options to prepare for the exam, including practice assessments and practice questions specifically targeting the three sections on the test, including Integrated Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. These resources are available for fees ranging from $30 to $195. Given the relative newness of the EA, there are no unofficial "how to" study guides filled with practice questions. While there are countless free and pay-to-access EA resources, the format and content of the exams are not similar enough that these resources will be beneficial for everyone, although some students may find them to be helpful.

Unofficial EA Practice Tests

Most private test prep firms have written their own versions of EA practice tests. Unofficial practice tests created by informed organizations are usually close reproductions of the actual EA and its computer adaptive technology, but unlike the official versions, they are dependent on inference and information publicly released by GMAC. Students must understand that unofficial practice tests are not approved by GMAC, and scores should therefore be regarded as approximations of student performance.

Specialized EA Practice Tests

Some test prep companies also offer specialized practice assessments based on specific EA sections or specific types of EA exercises. Available options include EA math skills practice tests and verbal skills practice tests (e.g., sentence correction). Specialized EA practice tests can be helpful for students who struggle with certain areas of EA knowledge or with certain types of EA exercises, but these materials should be regarded as only one portion of a comprehensive preparation plan.

Using EA Practice Tests for Preparation

EA practice tests, both official and unofficial, play a key role in the EA preparation process. Practice tests are the most effective way to assess student strengths and weaknesses, progress, and the effectiveness of study time. The ultimate goal of practice tests should be duplication of the timing and conditions of an actual EA administration, although students can and should work their way up to this ideal by initially allowing smaller blocks of questions and longer periods of assessment. Success on practice tests also builds student confidence, which can only benefit a test-taker's final EA scores.

Avoiding Poor EA Practice Tests

Unfortunately, there are plenty of poor-quality EA practice materials available in the test-prep marketplace. Students preparing for the EA should carefully review the sources of all EA practice tests and the credentials of all authors. The success of test prep firms is entirely dependent on the test score results they produce, but multi-subject publishers have less incentive to create optimal materials. Professional tertiary educators, especially those devoted to business-relevant fields, should be considered much more credible than generalists. Bad practice tests actually do far more harm than good, because they give students an inaccurate impression of their skill level, and disappointing results on the actual EA can be eminently discouraging for most aspiring graduate business students.

As always before you purchase a product (in this case, a prep course or preparatory resources), it is worth taking the time to do your research so you have a clear understanding of exactly what you can expect the product to do. Simply because something is expensive does not necessarily mean it is a superior product, but there are always times when you get what you pay for, meaning you will need to spend more to purchase a higher-quality product. Speaking with people who have used prep books or worked with particular prep companies is always helpful, as is reading reviews online. This is another reason why it is important to begin preparing for the EA early…if one particular type of preparation turns out not to work for you, you will still have time to adjust course and try something else to help you achieve your desired test score.