Question: What is a Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)?
Answer: The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and other exams are administered in a CAT format. A computer adaptive test (CAT) does just as it sounds: It adapts to your responses. Based on your response to a given question, the computer determines the next question that you see. The CAT is tailored to your performance level and changes based on your responses. It provides a precise picture of your abilities because it creates an individualized test that challenges you and illustrates the range of your abilities. When you take a CAT remember that the first few questions are important. Your response to the first question determines what question you receive next. If you get the question right, you are presented with a more difficult question an d if you get it wrong, an easier question. Difficult questions are more heavily weighted - they earn you more points than easy questions. The questions you answer at the beginning of the test alter your score more than those you answer at the end.
