Spurred by trepidation of entering a jobless economy, more University students are planning ahead for graduate school by taking standardized tests.

Ashley Hausman, a senior finance major from Augusta, said she took the practice Graduate Management Admissions Test, even though she doesn’t plan to attend graduate school immediately after graduation.

Hausman said she wanted to take the test before she entered the professional world since she can use her score for up to five years – as with most standardized tests.

With most graduate business programs requiring at least two years of work experience, Hausman’s strategy will allow her to focus on obtaining her desired job as a financial analyst, rather than having to worry and study for the GMAT after graduation.

“I want to take the test while I’m still in ‘study mode,’” she said. “I also want to use resources the University offers while I can.”

Hausman isn’t alone.

“As the [economic] market changes, many students use graduate school as a safe haven to ride out the job market,” said Russell Schaffer, senior communications manager of Kaplan Inc. Kaplan is a nationwide test preparation and education service.

Spring and summer mark when most students typically begin to prepare for standardized tests like the Graduate Records Examination, the Medical College Admission Test and the Law School Admission Test for winter deadlines.

Several graduate programs are receiving more applications as the economic recession worsens. But the programs haven’t expanded their capacity to meet the demand.

So to gain a competitive edge, many students have begun attending test-prep classes and workshops.

The number of people attending free strategy sessions has increased, said Christine Burgoyne, who manages test-prep programs by the Center for Continuing Education.

She said the workshops allow students to work with professionals who wrote standardized test questions in the past.

Yvette Leverett, University testing services coordinator, said she has seen an increase in students taking the GRE, LSAT and PCAT tests.

Schaffer said there was a 200 percent increase in attendance this year at “The World Grad School Tour,” an event featuring graduate programs and admissions policies from recruiting institutions.

“Despite attending test-prep courses, students should still study hard and plan ahead for graduate school,” he said. “Students have to be proactive and competitive to achieve post-graduate goals.”

And there are cheaper options available.

The Athens Kaplan Center provides free practice tests for students and the Center for Continuing Education sponsors free test-prep workshops.