How is the CAT test different than a paper/pencil GMAT test?

Jeff Glazer: My name is Jeff Glazer with Griffon Preparation Services and we will be discussing the computer adapted test format for the GMAT exam.

Host: How is the CAT test different than a paper/pencil GMAT test?

Jeff Glazer: The computer adaptive test ultimately has quite a few differences from the paper and pencil test that you may be used to, if you took the SATs, ACTs or any other number of exams in your past. One of the biggest differences that most people notice on the computer adaptive test is that you get asked only one question at a time and you must answer them in the order they are given. So, if you dont like the question and you leave it you cannot come back to it, not only that you actually must choose an answer even if you have no idea before they will ask you the next one. Other things that make the computer adaptive test very, very different from most test takers is that you obviously cant draw on the computer screen; so where you are used to paper and pencil test where you can underline or make notes, here you will have to use separate scratch paper provided by the testing center to take any notes or anything along those lines. Other big differences are that its adapting to you, the test taker so if you get a question right you are going to start seeing harder questions and when you get questions wrong you will start seeing easier questions throughout the exam whereas paper and pencil tests give you all the test questions upfront so they had a range of using medium and hard regardless of who is taking the exam.