Have you taken any of the GRE Subject tests?

Have you taken any of the GRE Subject tests? Can you share your experience with us?

Thanks.

 

I took the GRE Literature in English in 1995, and the GRE Psychology in 1996. Both were reasonably challenging but not horrible; they were basically exactly what you might expect, namely a multiple-choice exam addressing what folks would generally cover in an undergraduate major in either of those fields.

My recollection is that, judging from sample tests, the GRE Computer Science was the scariest of the bunch. GRE Mathematics also looked pretty frightening, at least to a liberal arts major like myself. The GREs in Sociology and Education looked painless, and (as I recall) my mother aced both of them with virtually no studying based on her lifelong interest in the topics.


Cheers,

 

Thank you Tom.



I think I'm going to give the GRE in Psychology and Literature a shot. I don't have any academic background in either of them, but it's hard to pass up on the 60 credits --- if I ace them.

The Computer Science exam looks tough. Don't think I'll attempt that one.

Any other pointers would be appreciated.

James

 

The GRE (at least when I took it) gives you the option of not reporting your test scores immediately, you can send them later. So, you might as well take it, see how you score, and then decide if you want to report the score to your school.


Bruce

 

For the GRE in Psychology, I can recommend the Princeton Review's Cracking the... title; it sums up the essentials in about 200 pages (albeit in a very compressed way, so a certain amount of familiarity with the topic is necessary). Also helpful is a book called A Freudian Primer, as much of the test uses Freudian terminology (A Jungian Primer, by Calvin S. Hall, may also prove helpful). For the GRE Literature, I used the Cambridge Companion to Literature in English and my own bookwormish background.

If I were to go at a GRE "cold" with little studying, I'd probably pick the GRE Education. That seems to be the easiest of the batch.

Good luck!


Cheers,

 

My wife and I have purchased copies of this guide for just such an undertaking...I commend it highly and feel Tom's assessment is right on track.

Tom,
How much credit is this GRE worth? Does Excelsior offer batch credit for it like the Psych test?

Kindly,
Steven King

 

I don't think the GRE in Education is offered anymore.

From the GRE.ORG website:

Subject Tests are currently available in 8 disciplines.

Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology
Literature in English
Biology
Mathematics
Chemistry
Physics
Computer Science
Psychology

 

Good question! It used to be worth 30 semester hours but (if memory serves) those hours were awarded as elective credits rather than as a concentration. Now, I suspect wcitizen might be right--the exam could have been discontinued (possibly because grad programs in education now require vocational teacher exams, making the GRE Education sort of obsolete).

If this is the case, GRE Sociology would probably be my second bet--a basic overview of sociological terminology, coupled with good real-life experience and social issues literacy, would probably be enough to earn at least one or two dozen credits, if not the full 30.


Cheers,

 

The math GRE is for reasonably serious math students (you had better understand math through differential equations, at a minimum).

The comp sci GRE is for very serious comp sci students. You need a pretty specific background to do well on this.

Neither is the sort of test one can simply read a test prep book or two and expect to do reasonably well, even if you are a good test taker (aka good guesser).

 

If I read correctly the Excelsior catalog, the maximum 30 credits requires scoring in the top 20 percent. I guess that means the top 20 percent of takers of that particular test over time if it's so that the score is immediately computed.

That should amount to not just passing the GREs but of knowing the subjects durn well. Is that correct? Does getting a good score require much more than just passing?

COSC gives maximum credit for lower scores but the maximum is, I believe, 24 credits. And both schools award the credits as applicable to the sought degree.

 

The math subject test is very rigorous. Unless you majored in math, you would have a very tough time - and most of it would look completely foreign.

Tom57

 

Kaplan now offers online coaching for GRE Psychology. $499 for three months access. Don't know how good it is....

 

I took the Psychology GRE subject test in 2001. I read a lot of psych textbooks, particularly Social Psychology ones from a local state university, one on perception and history and a general psych book. I also used several of the sample tests in Barrons and Peterson's Guide. I had several psych courses in college, but I graduated in 83. I was applying for a school psych PhD program. I did quite well--760, but again I spent about two months in preparation. The sample test that they send you when you register for the test was very helpful as well.

 

Thanks for the info.

It'll be more of a challenge for me since I have don't an academic background in Psychology.

I think I'll buy the intro books like you suggested and maybe go for the Kaplan course too. I need the upper level credits so I will need to have a high score.