The GRE Tests

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.

Learn more about the GRE Program.

The GRE General Test

The GRE General Test helps admissions committees get a more complete picture of applicant strengths by providing information about applicants’ reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills. 

Learn more about the GRE General Test.

The GRE Subject Tests

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.

Mathematics test

The test consists of approximately 66 multiple-choice questions drawn from Calculus, Algebra and additional topics.

• Download the Fact Sheet to view test specifications (PDF)
• Download the GRE® Mathematics Practice Book to view content of the test (PDF)

Physics test

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.

• Download the Fact Sheet to view test specifications (PDF)
• Download the GRE® Physics Practice Book to view content of the test (PDF)

Psychology test

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.

• Download the Fact Sheet to view test specifications (PDF)
• Download the GRE® Psychology Practice Book to view content of the test (PDF)

Score reporting

The GRE Subject Tests report one total score on a 200–990 score scale, in 10-point increments, although the score range for any particular Subject Test is usually smaller.

Physics and Psychology tests

For tests taken beginning in September 2023, percent correct scores will be reported for the Physics and Psychology Tests on a range of 0–100. Percent correct scores from one test edition cannot be compared with percent correct scores on other test editions because these scores are not equated. For example, a percent correct score of 80 on Classical Mechanics from one Physics Test edition is not equivalent to a percent correct score of 80 on Classical Mechanics from another Physics Test edition.

For tests taken prior to September 2023, subscores are reported for the Physics and Psychology Tests on a 20–99 score scale, in 1-point increments. The subscore scales for each of these tests occupy only a portion of the 20 to 99 score range.

The ScoreSelect® option

With the ScoreSelect® option, test takers who retake a GRE Subject Test can decide which GRE scores from the last 5 years to send to designated institutions. Institutions receive score reports that show the scores that test takers selected to send to them. There are no special notations to indicate whether other GRE tests have been taken.

Receiving scores

Scores on the GRE Subject Tests will be reported on the following dates and are reportable for 5 years following the individual’s test date.

The fastest way to receive scores is through the ETS® Data Manager, a secure web-based system that provides fast, convenient score report viewing/printing capabilities. It is updated twice per week and scores are available in the system for as long as scores are valid.

How the tests are scored

For a detailed look at how the GRE Subject Tests are scored, download the GRE® Guide to the Use of Scores

Admissions

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.

Planning for the 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 benefits of using GRE scores

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:

• support institutions’ efforts to identify which applicants are academically prepared for graduate-level study
• provide a common, objective measure to help programs fairly compare applicants from different backgrounds

For more information, see the GRE® Guide to the Use of Scores (PDF) and Using Scores.

Holistic admissions

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.

For further information

If you would like more information about using and interpreting scores, or to discuss training for your graduate admissions committee, contact us:

Find and Recruit Your Future Students

Successful student recruitment requires planning, a solid communication strategy and some versatile services to maximize your desired results. Learn about two resources the GRE Program offers to help you achieve your enrollment goals.

Ready, Set, Recruit: A Tactical Approach to Identifying Your Next Class with the GRE® Search Service

Every year, recruitment strategies become more complex, and recruitment tools are more abundant. The GRE® Search Service – which schools can use regardless of their GRE score use policy – has helped thousands of graduate and professional programs find students who match their recruitment goals.

Whether the GRE Search Service is new to you or you are a seasoned user, you can benefit from this quick tour of the service’s most valuable features and benefits, as well as tips to maximize its effectiveness.

Join Jay Bryant and Mary Theresa Taglang, two former admissions and recruiting directors, for Ready, Set, Recruit: A tactical approach to identifying your next class with the GRE® Search Service — a free webinar that will walk you through the steps, strategies and best practices of using the service.

In this session, you will:

• Discover how to target candidates based on the goals of your school/program
• Build GRE Search Service filters that meet your budget and strategic plans
• Identify key messaging that speaks to the candidates you find in the GRE Search Service
• Review your current tactics to ensure they align with your needs

Sign up today and let us help you find amazing students for your next class!

Register for this session

Consult with Experts

Your success is our success. Let’s collaborate to address your institutional challenges.

ETS couples the strength of its 75 years of expertise with the experience of our “boots on the ground” advisors to bring you helpful data, insights and guidance. Let’s discuss and learn from each other as we move toward innovative solutions that address your challenges.

I enjoy working with schools, hearing about their challenges and discussing possible solutions. There’s a lot we can learn from each other.

John AugustoAssociate Dean Of Strategic Initiatives, Georgia State University

The team

The core team includes current and former deans, recruitment and admissions professionals, measurement experts, and others with knowledge and experience in graduate, business and legal education.
 

Areas of expertise

Our team can help you address recruitment, admissions and student success challenges at your institution.
 

Better align your recruitment and admissions practices with your enrollment goalsLearn effective recruitment strategies for attracting prospects to your programsUse GRE scores to help you validate applicant strengths and align resources

It’s hard to argue with the solid results I achieved using the GRE Search Service. The ROI speaks for itself.

Susan HallattFormer Director Of Graduate Admissions At The College Of Charleston

Reducing Barriers for Prospective Students

Expanding access to graduate education has always been our mission. We believe the cost and accessibility of an admissions test should not be a barrier to graduate study.

ETS reduces barriers for students with financial need, disabilities and health-related needs by providing resources such as: 

Fee Reductions

Free Test Prep

Accommodations

View Transcript

Learn more about our efforts to help level the playing field for applicants.

Fee Reduction Program

This program provides U.S. citizens who can demonstrate financial need and organizations that work with students from underrepresented groups with a substantial discount on the test fee and access to excellent test prep.

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Prepaid Voucher Service

Use prepaid vouchers to pay GRE test fees or official score report fees on behalf of sponsored test takers. Institutions and organizations can order and prepay for vouchers which they then distribute directly to their applicants. Vouchers carry the name of your organization and are valid for 1 year from date of issue.

For more information, download the form. To order vouchers, complete the form and submit it to GRE Institutional Services as indicated on the form.

Prepaid Voucher Form PDF

Free test prep

All test takers can access test strategies and tips, question types and explanations, and Analytical Writing prompts and sample essays through free materials, videos and virtual events.  

Learn More

Disability accommodations

ETS is committed to serving test takers with disabilities and health-related needs by providing services and reasonable accommodations that are appropriate given the purpose of the test.

Learn More 

GRE Scores

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.