<p>Hi Everyone
I am planning on applying to Columbia GS. But I need some advice on how to prepare for the Gsae. My thoughts were to take a SAT prep course from Kaplan or some other reputable test company. Any tips from alumni or others is appreciated.</p>
<p>I took the GSAE several months ago and was accepted – so while I don’t know how well I did, it must have been at least acceptable.</p>
<p>The GSAE is the verbal section of the SAT. That’s basically it. A Kaplan study course should suffice, but if it were me I’d just buy the big blue College Board book that comes with several example sections and search online for practice exams. </p>
<p>The only distinction between the GSAE and the verbal section of the SAT that I experienced (I took them within 2 weeks of each other) was that the GSAE allows you 1 hour for the essay section and the essay is written in a university-style blue book on a topic relevant to why you should be admitted to GS, as opposed to 30 minutes to write an essay on a more random topic on the SAT scantron. </p>
<p>I noticed that when I wrote my essay I was so tense and writing so hard and quickly that by the end I was literally losing the ability to hold my pencil. So my advice there would be to relax if you can.</p>
<p>Thanks Pointillicist. That was really helpful. How do you like GS by the way? Getting in is one of my serious goals. I actually met Dean Awn, one day by chance while working on campus one summer.</p>
<p>You’re welcome, ZC, and I’m glad it was helpful. It’s nice to have the opportunity to pay forward some of the help and encouragement I have received on this board.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer to your second question (yet!), because I deferred until spring semester 2014. Who knows, maybe we will start GS at the same time.</p>
<p>I will confess, however, that being accepted was in itself a pretty great experience. Getting in was one of my serious goals as well.</p>
<p>Thanks so much for this Pointillicist. I decided to take the GSAE and not the SAT ( which I instead decided to take in the spring if I do not get admitted)</p>
<p>I’ve been trying to understand how to best approach the GSAE. I will be taking it in Late September (applying for Early action Spring 14) and knowing that the GSAE is so similar to the SAT will help me gauge my ability.</p>
<p>Did you find yourself basically writing your admissions essay during the writing portion of the test? Is that topic the same essay I should expect when I take the GSAE in September 2013? What exactly or how much do you write in an hour?</p>
<p>Thanks again for your advice!</p>