Executive Assessment (EA) Practice Tests

Taking practice tests is an important component of preparing for the Executive Assessment.

Practice tests allow you to determine your baseline Executive Assessment scores in the early stages of your studying, hone your strengths and eliminate your weaknesses when you enter the practice test phase of your studying, and build stamina and test-taking prowess in the final weeks leading up to your Executive Assessment test.

So, if you’re seeking information on where to find Executive Assessment practice tests, when to take them, and how to prepare for them, you’ve come to the right place! In this article, we’ll discuss all of those things and answer some other common questions about practice EA tests.

• What the Executive Assessment Is
  • A “Mini-GMAT”?
• Where to Find Executive Assessment Practice Tests
  • The Target Test Prep Executive Assessment Prep Course
  • The Official Executive Assessment Practice Tests
• Start Your EA Studying with an Executive Assessment Practice Test
• Take All of the Official Executive Assessment Practice Tests Before Test Day
• How Long Will an Executive Assessment Practice Test Take?
• How to Properly Take an Executive Assessment Practice Test

Let’s begin by discussing what the Executive Assessment is.

What the Executive Assessment Is

The Executive Assessment is a computer-based standardized test that can be taken year round at one of about 600 test centers around the globe or online at home. Regardless of whether you choose to take the EA in person at a testing center or online at home, the EA test format is the same. Both versions of the EA have the same sections, number of questions per section, question types, and time per section. In addition, the scoring algorithm used by both versions of the Executive Assessment is identical. As a result, Executive Assessments taken in person and online carry equal weight in the application process.

A “Mini-GMAT”?

People often refer to the Executive Assessment as the “mini-GMAT” because the EA, for all intents and purposes, appears to be a shorter version of the GMAT. However, the EA is not quite a mini-GMAT. There are some important differences between the EA and the GMAT.

The Executive Assessment was originally designed to be taken by working professionals applying to Executive MBA programs. However, in recent years, a wider range of graduate business programs, including traditional MBA programs and specialized degree programs, such as Master of Finance programs and Master of Accounting programs, have begun accepting EA scores.

If you’re considering taking the EA for an EMBA program, just be sure you meet any EA-related criteria set by the programs to which you’re applying. For example, Wharton’s EMBA program accepts the GMAT, GRE, and the Executive Assessment, but those applicants submitting Executive Assessment scores must have at least 8 years of work experience.

Now, let’s discuss where to find Executive Assessment practice tests.

Where to Find Executive Assessment Practice Tests

Executive Assessment practice tests are not as easy to find as GMAT practice tests. However, there are a couple of solid sources of EA tests.

The Target Test Prep Executive Assessment Prep Course

If you’d like to take an Executive Assessment practice test that includes realistic questions, expert video solutions, and analytics providing a robust, topic-by-topic breakdown of your performance, Target Test Prep has you covered. As a bonus, you can reach out to us for a complimentary consultation after you’ve taken the practice test. We’re more than happy to help you devise a strategic plan of study that will help you earn the EA score you need to maximize your chances of acceptance into the EMBA programs or other programs of your choice.

In addition, if you’re seeking comprehensive prep for the EA, our EA Course will provide you with all of the content, skills, strategies, and expert tips and tricks you’ll need to earn a competitive EA score.

The Official Executive Assessment Practice Tests

The Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), the company that produces and administers the Executive Assessment, provides students with four Executive Assessment practice tests, which utilize the same EA scoring mechanism as the real test. These practice tests are great to take at the beginning and near the end of your Executive Assessment preparation.

Let’s talk a bit more about when and how to take practice EA tests.

Start Your EA Studying With an Executive Assessment Practice Test

By taking a full-length Executive Assessment practice test during your first week of studying, you’ll be able to determine your baseline EA score. This score will give you a rough idea of where you’re starting, and thus you’ll be better able to create a strategic study plan for reaching your score goal. At this point, the best place to access a full-length EA practice is the GMAC Executive Assessment website.

Before you take this EA practice test, spend a few days familiarizing yourself with the format and the content of the Executive Assessment. Doing so will help to ensure that your score is an accurate reflection of your current skill level. After all, if you were to go into the practice test without knowing much about the Executive Assessment, you’d probably earn a score that is lower than your current ability level, simply because you didn’t have familiarity with the question types, or were unaware of the section timing and test directions, etc.

Now, don’t make the mistake of doing weeks and weeks of studying before you take your initial practice test. Spending too much time studying in advance of this practice test is not a strategic use of your time. Remember, the goal of taking this first Executive Assessment practice test is to get a baseline score.

Keep in mind that a practice test simply provides you with a barometer of your current ability levels. In other words, your score on this Executive Assessment practice test is a temporary measure of your skills and abilities. Regardless of your performance, you definitely can make large improvements in your score!

Let’s now discuss why it’s important to take all of the official Executive Assessment practice tests before test day.

Take All of the Official Executive Assessment Practice Tests Before Test Day

To maximize your EA score, be sure to take all of the remaining official Executive Assessment practice tests in the weeks leading up to test day. Even if you’ve been preparing smart and hard for the EA, sitting for the Executive Assessment without having taken a sufficient number of practice tests will likely result in a less-than-optimal experience for you.

Taking these full-length practice tests will allow you to put all of the concepts, strategies, and skills you’ve learned into practice. In addition, you’ll build stamina, timing skills, and comfortability with the exam.

So, let’s discuss how long a full-length Executive Assessment practice test takes.

How Long Will an Executive Assessment Practice Test Take?

A full-length Executive Assessment practice test takes 90 minutes to complete. Each test is composed of a 30-minute Integrated Reasoning section with 12 questions, a 30-minute Verbal Reasoning section with 14 questions, and a 30-minute Quantitative Reasoning Section with 14 questions.

It’s a smart idea to download the practice test software the day before you take a practice test to ensure that your practice test is working correctly on your computer. You don’t want to encounter a situation in which you have trouble downloading the software right before you’ve planned to take the test.

After you take your practice test, take time to think carefully about the score you earned and what your process will be moving forward. If you’d like some expert assistance in creating a strategic plan of EA study, we’d be more than happy to help you. Just reach out to us at info@targettestprep.com.

Now, let’s talk about how to properly take an Executive Assessment Practice test.

How to Properly Take an Executive Assessment Practice Test

When you take an Executive Assessment practice test, it’s important to replicate test-day conditions as much as possible.

The following guidelines will help you achieve a realistic Executive Assessment experience:

• If you plan to take your “real” EA test in person at a test center, take your practice test at a quiet location away from home, such as a study room at your local library.
• Take your test in a location where you can focus. Taking a practice test at home is not recommended if you’ll be taking your actual EA at a test center.
• If you plan to take your “real” Executive Assessment online, take the practice test in the same location where you’ll take your real EA.
• Do not skip any of the sections of the test.
• Don’t take any breaks, because you won’t have any during the 90-minute in-person or online Executive Assessment.
• In general, don’t do anything that you won’t be able to do on test day (for example, drinking coffee or using your cell phone during the exam).
• If you’re taking the Executive Assessment online, be sure to use only the online whiteboard feature provided to you and/or a whiteboard and dry-erase marker setup that is approved by GMAC.
• Take your practice EA at a time when you are rested and refreshed.

Now that you know the basics of taking Executive Assessment practice tests, you may want to check out this comprehensive guide to the Executive Assessment.