Nervousness filled Cristina Prado, a senior from Sao Paulo, Brazil, as she entered the Graduate Management Admission Test.

Her anxiety stemmed from the realization that she wasn’t as prepared as she wanted to be.

Prado took the business exam so she could get into graduate school. Her goal is to attend West Virginia University because of their sports administration program.

She said she purchased a preparation book and studied hard on her own, but she felt like it wasn’t enough.

“I didn’t feel prepared at all,” Prado said.

Prado did well enough to get into the schools she applied to, but her score wasn’t as high as she wished it would be.

Looking back, she said she wished she had more help and had tried other forms of studying.

Tess McKinley, assistant director of the Career Services Center, said Prado’s case is common. What helps one person learn the material might not work at all for another, she said.

The most common mistake when studying for any higher education exam – whether it be the LSAT, MCAT, GRE or GMAT – is procrastination, she said.

“The key is to prepare in advance and not to wait until the last minute,” she said.

The length a student should study before a test depends on the person, McKinley said. However, if a student studies only two weeks before the test, they would probably not be prepared, she said.

Practice tests, sample questions and Web sites can help students prepare. One Web site McKinley recommended for all tests is www.petersons.com.

The Web site provides information, including test-taking strategies, important dates and deadlines, as well as sample questions.

Other Web sites that help include www.lsac.org (for information about the Law School Admission Test), www.aamc.org and www.mba.com (for the Medical College Admission Test), and www.ets.org (for the Graduate Record Examination).

Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions at www.kaptest.com is another source that provides information concerning higher education tests for law, business, graduate and medical schools.

Kaplan has online courses, software, consulting and quizzes available on its Web site.

It also provides a tutor and classroom courses. They cost between $1,500 and $4,000, according to the Web site.

The Career Services Center, located at Downing University Center, Room A-230, or online at www.wku.edu/careerserv, also has helpful tools and Web sites available.

By clicking on the graduate school info link, students can reach Web sites recommended by the center.

In the office, the center’s counselors are divided up by each school at Western in order to provide the students with people who have expertise in their interests, McKinley said.

Prado said she thought these services would’ve helped her to raise her score.

No matter what test a student is interested in taking, McKinley said the most important thing is doing “your homework.” Look up resources on the Internet and research the exam, she said. Some Web sites allow students to take samples of a test or a full test.

Students should talk to faculty at the schools they are interested in attending or visit the school to help prepare them, McKinley said.

She suggested a few things a student should do a day or so before the exam once he or she decides to take one.

Getting enough sleep the night before and eating a well-balanced breakfast the day of the test are two things McKinley said can help make a successful examination.

She also added that bringing a sweater to the testing site and practicing relaxation techniques can help deviate some anxiety during the exam.

Prado said it’s important that students get comfortable with the types of questions being asked and the wording of the questions.

“Your score will reflect the amount of effort you put into it,” she said.

Reach Heather Ryan at features@wkuherald.com.