Format of answers on GMAT

[BrookeL411]

Hi guys!
My question is regarding the format of the answer options on the actual test.

In the OG Guide, answer choices are labeled
(A) (B) (C) (D) (E)

On the CAT exams the labels are not included.

What is the format of the actual test? ...I find it a bit tricky without the labels so want to be ready! Thanks!

[StaceyKoprince]

There are not ABCDE labels on the real test - there are just 5 bubbles, one next to each choice. (This is as you'll see it on our CATs and the GMATPrep CATs, but not in any books.)

If you find this annoying or it possibly causes mistakes, then practice! You may want to cover up the five letters when you're studying out of a book. Use a piece of paper and leave just the second parenthesis visible (so that you do see something, since you will on the real test).

One thing I do is *always* work on my scrap paper, never in the book (which is good practice anyway, since you have to do that on the real test too). For verbal, I do use ABCDE, but I write them vertically to match what's on screen. The same is true for PS whenever I need to lay out the answer. The only weird one is data sufficiency, where I'm using the AD / BCE answer grid.

If you do this long enough, you'll likely eventually train yourself to "see" the ABCDE vertically even though it's not really there. :)