[We're following one post-grad as she grabs that diploma, packs up her college life and heads on out to the big, bad world. There's a lot of change comin' her way and one big challenge: The LSAT.]

So, it’s crunch time. From this point on until October 9^th, my life is really about one thing and one thing only – the LSAT. Of course, I will still have everyday life to live, but from this point on my post-grad life really is going to be dictated by what I am convinced to be as one of the most evil tests in all of existence.

And I’ll be the first to admit – I am terrified. I’m absolutely shaking in my Rainbow flip flops at the thought of one test having so much power over my life.

You gotta do what you gotta do though, right? And what I have to do is do well enough on the test in October, so I don’t have to take it again in December, and come out with a score that satisfies me enough to get into a good law school for Fall 2011 admissions.

A lot is riding upon this exam. If you aren’t familiar with the whole “getting into law school business of admissions,” the LSAT is the end-all-be-all factor in admissions. According to Top Law Schools.com, “Your undergraduate GPA and LSAT score are the two most significant factors that admissions committees look at. The fact that a four hour standardized test carries as much, if not more, weight than four years of classes should tell you how important the LSAT is.” Yikes!

I realize the importance though, so as my dad likes to say during business calls when he’s serious about taking something to the next level: “It’s time to bring out the big guns.” First things first, I have enrolled in a Kaplan LSAT Prep class that meets one to two times a week for three and a half hour sessions – taking me through every single question that I could face on the wicked test. It is going to be intense, with hours of homework and test prep, but Kaplan promises that with their help and a lot of hard work, students will be successful with their program (in fact, they guarantee it or you can get your money back or take the class again for free).

With my faith in Kaplan, I have come to realize that I need a lot of faith in myself too. Since a lot of my practice and studying will be outside of class, I need to rely on myself a lot. Taking the LSAT and going to law school was my decision, and I want to be successful in it, but I can’t help but be a little intimidated. That’s normal, right?

Although I may be a little scared (OK – a lot, but it’s kind of like first-day-of-school jitters … I’m sure it will cool off after I attend my first class tonight and actually take a full exam), I am very happy that I decided to commit myself to this. A lot of post-grads are so unsure of what they want to do, so knowing what I want to do and knowing how hard I have to work makes me feel grounded in a situation that has had me feeling like I’ve been dangling six feet off the ground. But even though I feel like this experience will keep me focused and grounded, it doesn’t mean it won’t be hard. In fact, I think this is going to be one of the hardest and trying things of my life.

With that said, it’s time for me to face my biggest fears on the post-grad journey: Ready or not, here I come!

Stepping inside, I couldn’t tell whether I was in a doctor’s waiting room or the locker area of a gym. To the right were chairs arranged in a tight circle, magazines scattered about the area; on the opposing wall there stood a row of rusted lockers.

A sign directed me to the front desk where a young man asked for my ID, and upon being certain that I was who I claimed to be, offered me a clipboard. I signed the honor code, promising that I would not use any forbidden study materials or divulge the contents of any question on the test. The specific rules for the GRE and testing in the center were stated on a piece of paper behind the one I’d signed, reminding me that nothing was allowed into the testing room with me, that study materials could not be used at any time after the test began, and that during my 10 minute break (if I wished to take said break) I could not leave the facility.

I returned my clipboard to the desk and was handed my driver’s license, which I was ordered to keep with me at all times. My bag was stowed away in one of the beaten-down lockers and I was led to the back where another man took my photograph, as evidently there needed to be further visual proof that I was the person taking the test, and then was told to sign in. With a stack of scratch paper in hand and a few number two pencils, I was led to a cubicle in one of the many testing rooms. There were audiophones available for anyone who found the sounds of keys clacking and computer fans blowing far too distracting.

With a whispered “good luck,” my new found friend returned to his cubicle to photograph the next unsuspecting test taker and to keep track of the various monitors that made his station look more like security than a place for people to sign-in and sign-out. The screen asked me to verify whether I was in fact the person who I claimed to be, then showed me a blurry photograph – the one that had been taken moments before – which looked more like a mugshot than one suitable for a testing agency.

Following this screen, I was given several tutorials, the first of which I took mainly to allow more time to calm down before the actual testing began. It also provided me with a moment of hilarity as the first tutorial was on how to use a computer mouse. I personally believe it provided me with more confidence, as after demonstrating that I could in fact left-click on a particular portion of the screen the computer offered me lavish praise.

The next tutorial taught me how to cut and paste, which again left me feeling above the bar. The only tutorial that taught me anything I hadn’t already known was the last one, which explained the different buttons that were used on the exam such as the “time” button, which would either hide or unhide the allotted time left; the “next” button that you clicked once you’d answered a question; and the “confirm answer” button if you were confident in your answer.

Finally, I was into the exam. Four hours later, I completed the last question and received my scores.

I share this story because, for anyone going into their senior year of college, graduate school is becoming a consideration. Personally I went through a lot of choices during the past year, debating between law school or another graduate program, before finally settling on psychology as my field of study.

There are many different exams required for graduate school, although the GRE is the most common. There is the online exam, which is the common GRE format, but then there are also subject tests for Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Literature in English, Mathematics, Physics, and, my personal favorite subject, Psychology. Unlike the basic GRE exam, which is made up of Verbal, Quantitative and Analytic Writing sections, subject test are three hour examinations only on the one particular subject.

In order to prepare for the GRE, there are many classes available to students who might struggle in recalling exactly what they were taught in high school math classes or need other assistance. I know I didn’t recall how to calculate the area of a circle the first time I took a GRE practice test (it’s our friend pi times the radius squared, for those who might be curious), so these prep courses were especially helpful.

The two major test preparation organizations for GRE and other examinations are The Princeton Review and Kaplan. Other such wonderful materials can be found with The GRE For Dummies and other study materials available from Kaplan and the Princeton Review which you can purchase without actually enrolling in any of their classes.

And, of course, when you officially register for the GRE, ETS is always happy to send you preparation materials!

With graduate school application deadlines approaching over the next several months, there is still plenty of time to take the GRE. The online exam is offered nearly every day at times that are convenient for anyone and everyone. If you are looking for a graduate program that requires a subject test, now is the time to find out and register as the latest most institutions allow you to take the test is November.

Now that I have my computer exam out of the way, it is time to start preparing for my subject test. Grad school, here I come.