The GRE tests were created more than 70 years ago to provide common measures that would enable graduate applicants to be compared, regardless of their background. The GRE Program’s dedication to fairness exemplifies nonprofit ETS’s mission to help advance quality and equity in education for all people.
Today, thousands of graduate and professional programs around the world use GRE scores as part of their holistic review of applicant strengths.
The GRE General Test measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills that have been developed over a long period of time and are required for success in today’s demanding programs.
Learn more about the GRE General Test content.
The GRE Verbal Reasoning measure assesses the ability to:
The GRE Subject Tests in Mathematics, Physics and Psychology measure undergraduate achievement in a particular field of study and help departments evaluate applicants’ readiness for graduate school.
Carefully developed by committees of examiners with expertise in particular disciplines, each GRE Subject Test measures content taught in undergraduate programs that is important for graduate study in that discipline. The tests are intended for individuals who have an undergraduate major or extensive background in the field. These computer-delivered tests are offered each year on multiple dates in September, October and April.
The test consists of approximately 66 multiple-choice questions drawn from Calculus, Algebra and additional topics.
The test consists of approximately 70 multiple-choice questions covering Classical Mechanics, Electromagnetism, Atomic Physics, Optics and Wave Phenomena, Quantum Mechanics, Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics, Special Relativity, Laboratory Methods and Specialized Topics.
The test consists of approximately 144 multiple-choice questions that are drawn from the core of knowledge most commonly encountered in courses offered at the undergraduate level within the broadly defined field of psychology. A question may require recalling factual information, analyzing relationships, applying principles, drawing conclusions from data and/or evaluating a research design.
Admissions is an art and a science. Quickly identifying who is ready to pursue an advanced degree and fairly comparing applicants is a significant challenge. The GRE tests are standardized and objective measures that give faculty committees a way to directly compare applicants with different backgrounds and experiences. Thousands of graduate and professional school programs around the world, including business and law, use GRE test scores as part of their admissions process.
Thoughtful engagement and reflection about graduate admissions practices is essential to meeting the goals of your program and ultimately supporting your institution’s mission. To facilitate that, the GRE Program provides information and resources to faculty, administrators and others involved in graduate admissions decision making and policy setting as you work toward evaluation and enrichment of your programs’ practices.
The GRE General Test and GRE Subject Tests were designed to achieve a specific intended purpose that adds value to the admissions decision-making process. GRE scores can:
For more information, see the GRE® Guide to the Use of Scores (PDF) and Using Scores.
The GRE General Test measures skills that graduate and professional schools have identified as necessary for academic success. However, GRE test scores cannot offer insight into all of the qualities that are important to graduate programs; therefore, they should be considered in the context of an applicant’s entire application package. For more information about how GRE scores can be used as part of holistic admissions, see our Holistic Admissions site.
GRE scores are a proven measure of an applicant’s readiness for graduate-level work and indicate their potential for success. Backed by extensive research and ETS’s steadfast commitment to fairness, validity and security, the GRE General Test can help you get a more complete view of applicant strengths.
GRE scores are used to make decisions that affect people’s educational and career paths. In recognizing these high stakes, ETS provides score users with guidelines, interpretive data and resources to assist them in using scores appropriately in graduate admissions decision making.
