The Graduate Management Admission Council, which owns and administers the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), has collaborated with leading education and business media company Pearson to develop the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic), a new English-language test designed to measure the English-language skills of non-native speakers. The new test will debut on October 26, 20009.
GMAC and Pearson began working together in 2006 to come up with a test that could more accurately measure English-language skills than existing exams. The computer-based PTE Academic includes both speaking and voice recording capabilities, and score reports sent to schools will feature a 30-second audio clip of the test taker’s actual speech.
“We consistently hear from universities that no test today provides an accurate measure of a prospective student’s speaking ability,” David Wilson, president and CEO of GMAC, said in a statement announcing the collaboration. “Schools have a real need for a language assessment that measures the skills needed for successful class participation and group work, critical elements in graduate management education programs around the world.”
Beyond MBA programs, the test also will be used by other universities and higher education institutions as well as by government departments and other organizations requiring English proficiency. According to GMAC, more than 770 schools and programs worldwide have indicated interest in recognizing the new test.
To learn more about the new PTE Academic, click here.
