Q: What are the two types of GRE exams?
A: There are not two different “types” of GRE exams in terms of content or scoring, but there are two delivery formats for the same exam: the GRE General Test and the GRE Subject Tests.
Q: What is the GRE General Test?
A: This is the standard, comprehensive exam required for admission to most graduate and business schools. It assesses general verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills. The GRE General Test is administered year-round in two formats:
- GRE General Test at a Test Center: A computer-based exam taken at a secure Prometric testing location. This is the most common format.
- GRE General Test at Home: The exact same computer-based exam, but taken at your home or another suitable private location. It is monitored by a human proctor online via ProctorU.
Q: What are the GRE Subject Tests?
A: These are separate, paper-based exams that assess your knowledge of a specific field. They are required or recommended by some graduate programs to demonstrate mastery of undergraduate-level material in that discipline. As of the current test cycle, the GRE Subject Tests are offered in only four fields:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Literature in English
- Physics
Note: The Mathematics and Psychology Subject Tests have been discontinued.
Q: What are the key differences between the General Test and the Subject Tests?
A: The differences are significant:
- Purpose: The General Test measures broad, general academic skills for various graduate programs. The Subject Tests measure specific, deep knowledge in a single academic discipline.
- Format: The General Test is computer-based and adaptive. The Subject Tests are paper-based and non-adaptive.
- Availability: The General Test is offered almost daily. Subject Tests are offered only on specific dates, typically three times per year (September, October, and April).
- Structure: The General Test has sections for Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing. A Subject Test consists solely of multiple-choice questions within that single subject.
Q: Which test should I take?
A:
- The vast majority of applicants will need to take the GRE General Test. It is a non-negotiable requirement for thousands of graduate programs, including most business schools (which accept the GRE as an alternative to the GMAT).
- You should only take a GRE Subject Test if a program you are applying to explicitly requires or strongly recommends it for your specific field of study. Always check the admissions requirements of your target programs first.
Q: Where can I find more information on test structure and timing?
A: For detailed information on the structure and timing of the General Test, including how to manage your time per question, you can review our resource on GRE timing and pacing.