1. When the academic journal Scienceexamined application requirements for PhD programs in eight STEM-related disciplines at 50 top-ranked US universities, it found that only 3% of schools required prospective students to submit GRE general test scores in 2022—a massive drop from 84% in 2018.
2. Between 2018 and 2021, the number of GRE tests administered in the US plunged 50%, according to data from the Educational Testing Service (ETS), which administers the exam.
The GRE served a real need when it first came about. But universities seem to believe that there are better alternatives for evaluating students for graduate school—and are acting accordingly.
The purpose of the GRE exam
The GRE has been around for more than 70 years. The exam measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills, which the ETS says reflects “the kind of thinking” demanded in graduate school programs.
In the late 1950s and 1960s, the GRE was designed to allow returning Americans soldiers, many of whom were using an educational assistance benefit within the GI Bill, to apply to graduate school. Many soldiers had taken non-traditional career paths and hadn’t attended elite, private universities with selective reputations, says Suzanne Ortega, president at the Council of Graduate Schools, a higher education advocacy organization.
The GRE allowed the soldiers to demonstrate their preparation for advanced studies. “So it really was a tool that had inclusion as a goal,” says Ortega.
But times have changed.
Why schools stopped requiring GRE test scores
The problems with the GRE are well-documented, including the exam’s limited ability to measure whether a student will succeed in school. Multiple studies also have found that the test is biased against people based on their socioeconomic backgrounds.
All this has led to a public conversation about whether the GRE should even be used in graduate admissions. The volume of this chatter escalated as test centers closed during the covid-19 pandemic and universities began waiving the GRE testing requirement, Ortega says. The exam also is not cheap—it costs $220, and some students choose to take it more than once to try to boost their scores.
But perhaps the biggest strike against the GRE, Ortega says, is that there are other measures that can sufficiently measure students’ critical thinking skills and potential to succeed in a competitive graduate school environment, such as work experience, interviews, and reference letters.
The risk of removing a “critical datapoint”
ETS says it is concerned about universities doing away with the GRE requirement, which isn’t surprising given the company’s financial incentives.
Alberto Acereda, associate vice president of global higher education at ETS, tells Quartz via email that schools are removing a “critical datapoint” that helps determine a student’s level of preparedness for graduate-level study.
“Long term, institutions and programs will likely discover that dropping the test does not, in fact, help them reach their intended goals,” says Acereda.
He adds that the exam is particularly helpful in evaluating students outside of the US due to countries’ different grading systems. The exam “is the only common denominator available,” he says.
It’s hard to say what the long-term consequences of abolishing the graduate exam will have on the evaluation process. That said, it’s pretty notable to see universities, which are notorious for being slow to adapt, being willing to quickly move against a test that has long been status quo.
When the academic journal Science examined application requirements for PhD programs in eight STEM-related disciplines at 50 top-ranked US universities, it found that only 3% of schools required prospective students to submit GRE general test scores in 2022—a massive drop from 84% in 2018.
Many graduate programs use GRE scores as an initial screening tool to filter through a large number of applications. Programs may set minimum score requirements to ensure that applicants possess a certain level of proficiency in the skills required to succeed in graduate studies.
Top universities worldwide utilize GRE scores as part of their holistic application review process. A competitive score can strengthen your application and increase your chances of admission to prestigious graduate programs, opening doors to world-class educational experiences.
programs in eight disciplines at 50 top-ranked U.S. universities. Only 3% currently require prospective students to submit GRE General Test scores, compared with 84% 4 years ago. An additional 5% strongly recommend that prospective students submit scores.
It is clear that the GRE is not required as a measure of likely graduate school success, and ETS never says that it is. Many schools do not require the test. Some studies suggest that undergraduate GPA is a better predictor of graduate achievement than GRE (Monahan).
Why schools stopped requiring GRE test scores. The problems with the GRE are well-documented, including the exam's limited ability to measure whether a student will succeed in school. Multiple studies also have found that the test is biased against people based on their socioeconomic backgrounds.
Generally, a 75th percentile is a pretty good GRE score, and a 90th percentile is an excellent one. Thus, we can say that a score of 318 and above is good, whereas a score of 329 is an excellent one. A score of 300+ is considered average, and a 292 score is considered below average.
One of the main problems with the GRE is its ability to predict graduate school performance, particularly the first-year grades. Several critics have cited that its predictive validity is actually weak. Also, the GRE fails to cover areas like a student's intellect, creativity, and perseverance to finish a program.
It depends on the graduate program and the institution. While some schools have made the GRE optional or eliminated it altogether, others still require it as part of their admissions process. It's important to research the specific requirements of the program you're interested in.
There is no universal GRE score cutoff for a Ph. D. Although some doctoral programs may require a minimum GRE score for admission, many do not (or don't require GRE scores at all).
This aptitude test helps measure your readiness for graduate school. A high score may even do more than your GPA to communicate your capability as a graduate student. Start preparing for the GRE a few months in advance so that you can have plenty of time to practice and study.
No matter when you report your scores or which options you choose, you will select which scores to report and the schools will see all your scores from those testing sessions. Schools will only see the scores that you send to them, and there will be no special indication whether you have taken additional GRE tests.
No, 300 is not considered a good GRE score for graduate school. A GRE score above 310 (verbal reasoning scores of 155 – 170, quantitative reasoning scores of 155 – 170, and analytical writing scores of 3.5) is considered good for graduate school.
Your GPA is a cumulative statistic that spans years of effort. Admissions officers give more weight to your GPA than your GMAT or GRE. Also, admissions committees pay attention to your major, your school, your country of education, and your transcripts.
What is the average GRE score? Now that we have the possible score range, let's look at the average GRE scores. Going strictly by absolute numbers, the average scores for the Quant and Verbal sections are 153.66 and 150.37, respectively.This adds up to a total score of 304.
Using this data, we can generally state that anything above 317 is a good GRE score that can put you in good stead for most competitive programs. While a score below 310 can still be good enough for most public universities, it makes you less likely to qualify for the more selective programs.
No matter when you report your scores or which options you choose, you will select which scores to report and the schools will see all your scores from those testing sessions. Schools will only see the scores that you send to them, and there will be no special indication whether you have taken additional GRE tests.
It's important to note that not every program at every top school accepts the GRE. This can mean different things at different schools. Some truly won't accept it, meaning they won't look at scores at all. If you are only applying to programs that don't take the GRE that means you can skip the exam.
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