What is the Graduate Record Exam (GRE)?

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is an entrance exam required by many graduate and professional degree programs. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the GRE and its structure and content early on in the graduate school preparation process.

The GRE General Test includes questions that emphasize higher-order thinking skills that are important for success in graduate school such as application, synthesis, and analysis and includes 3 main areas: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing.

The GRE Subject Tests measure your knowledge in a particular field of study. Some graduate programs in psychology require applicants to take the Psychology GRE Subject Test. Before studying for and taking the Psychology Subject Test, make sure to research the admission requirements of the particular graduate programs to which you intend to apply to ensure the Subject Test is required.

When should I take the GRE?

GRE scores are generally valid for 5 years. At the latest, you should take the GRE a few months prior to your graduate school application deadlines. You can certainly take it sooner if you’ve studied adequately and feel prepared.

How should I study for the GRE?

The best way to study for the GRE varies from student to student. If you have strong organizational and time-management strategies, you may find that following your own individualized, self-created study plan works best. You can use a variety of free and paid online resources, apps, and books to study. If you find that you need the structure of a class to keep yourself on track with studying, there are numerous test preparation companies that offer a range of GRE prep courses. If you have benefited from individual tutoring in the past, you can also hire a GRE tutor. Some test preparation companies offer individual instruction/tutoring options, or you can look for a local private tutor.

There are a number of resources to access free full-lenth practice exams, including the GRE website. We recommend taking several full-length practice exams before taking the actual GRE.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, but make sure you are well-prepared before you take it the first time. It is time-consuming and expensive to take the GRE multiple times. If you need to take it more than once, make sure to review the GRE guidelines for retaking the exam.

This depends on the type of graduate or professional program you are pursuing, as well as the specific program/school. You can check each program’s website for information about minimum scores. Sometimes programs don’t have stated minimums but will provide information on their website about average scores for admitted applicants. If you are unable to locate this information on their website, programs typically have an admissions coordinator you can ask.

There are testing center locations located throughout Colorado and the United Status, as well as internationally. When you create an account on the GRE website, you will be able to browse testing locations.

The GRE is similar to the SAT/ACT in that they are all exams used for entrance into educational programs and they contain math, verbal, and writing components. However, unlike the SAT/ACT the GRE is generally considered more difficult and tests skills and knowledge gained throughout BOTH high school and college.