Is the GRE test harder than MCAT?

Asked by: Imani Baumbach V  |  Last update: October 16, 2023
Score: 4.8/5 (65 votes)

The MCAT is necessary for entry into medical school, while the GRE is a general test that you may need for law school, business degrees, and even some fine arts programs. Most people think the MCAT is harder than the GRE, but that doesn't mean the GRE is without challenges.

Is the GRE more difficult than the MCAT?

Because MCAT tests much more specific concepts and skills, the MCAT will require a more focused study. It is ultimately more challenging in terms of subject matter. However, both GRE and MCAT are challenging in their own ways and require a significant amount of time for preparation.

Is it better to study for the MCAT or GRE?

Between the GRE and the MCAT, the MCAT is widely regarded as the more difficult of the two exams. It's much longer and more focused on content knowledge than the GRE, which is more focused on general aptitude in certain areas. Many pre-med students say they take 300-350 hours to prepare for the MCAT.

How is the GRE compared to the MCAT?

Overall Focus: The GRE covers general academic skills, which is why it suits a broad range of postgrad programs, while the MCAT has a more specific focus on social and biological sciences.

Is the GRE the hardest test?

GRE is typically considered more complex than other tests like SAT or ACT. The reason being its more challenging vocabulary and reading sections. Most of the questions asked in the test require you to have a higher level of reasoning skills.

What to expect with the new GRE

43 related questions found

Is getting a 300 on the GRE hard?

So, earning a 300 on the GRE puts you at about the average of all GRE test-takers. For most students applying to graduate school, performing at an average level is not what they would view as “hard.”

What level of math is on the GRE?

The content in these areas includes high school mathematics and statistics at a level that is generally no higher than a second course in algebra. It doesn't include trigonometry, calculus or other higher-level mathematics.

Is MCAT the hardest test in the world?

Is the MCAT the Hardest Test? Unfortunately, the MCAT is likely not the hardest test that you will complete in medical school. If anything, it's the first of many difficult exams. The USMLE exams are a series of three exams that you will need to pass during your medical studies.

What matters more GPA or GRE?

One of the most important parts of your graduate school application is your GPA. Combined with your GRE score, those two numbers hold the greatest weight when it comes to how likely you are to get into a particular school. Unlike your GRE score, though, your GPA has another facet to it: Your transcript.

Does the GRE really matter for grad school?

Many graduate schools in the United States and Canada, as well as most universities around the world, use the GRE to determine an applicant's eligibility for the program. To gain admission to their programs, most universities place a premium on a high GRE score.

How long does a GRE test take?

The GRE clocks in at 3 hours, 45 minutes. The GRE consists of six sections with a 10 minute break after the third section. Here's how you can expect to spend your time on test day.

How many times can you take the GRE?

How Often Can You Take The GRE? The Graduate Record Examination can be taken once every 21 days, but not more than five times in one calendar year. This means that if you're not satisfied with your score, you must wait 21 days to re-test.

Is the MCAT mostly memorization?

You do, of course, need to memorize some things for the MCAT, but by and large, the MCAT is about recall and association: drawing the connections between subjects. This format actually mirrors how memories are organized in the brain: in semantic networks.

What is the hardest part of the GRE?

The Math Portion: The math portion of the GRE does require a solid knowledge of math concepts. For many, this makes the GRE difficult because the quantitative reasoning portion covers concepts such as basic statistics, graphs, data tables, geometry and algebra.

Can you pass or fail the GRE?

Misconception #2: It's possible to “fail” or “pass” the GRE. It's possible to get GRE scores that are below the minimum for the university you apply to. But you can't “pass” or “fail” the GRE in the same way that you could pass or fail a university exam or professional certification test.

How challenging is the GRE?

Compared to the ACT and the SAT, the GRE is typically considered more difficult because, even though the math tested on the GRE is a lower level than the math tested on the SAT and ACT, the GRE has more challenging vocabulary and reading passages, and the math problems have trickier wording or require higher-level ...

How rare is a perfect GRE score?

Your GRE Quant score will be a number from 130 to 170. About 4% of test takers earn a perfect Quant score. At the opposite end, very low Quant scores are rare: only about 8% of test takers score in the bottom quarter of the range (140 or below). A perfect GRE Verbal score is much rarer than a perfect GRE Quant score.

Is 80% good on the GRE?

In general, any score above the 50th percentile can be considered a decent GRE score. Try to aim for a score that's higher than the average of students in your prospective program. Remember to focus on the GRE section that's most relevant to your field of study.

Is it easy to get a 170 in GRE?

Scoring a perfect 170 in GRE quantitative is not easy, but it is definitely achievable with the right preparation and strategies. In this blog, we will provide you with some tips and tricks to help you get a perfect score in the GRE quantitative section.

What is the hardest grad school test?

GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

Owned and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), GRE is among the world's most difficult exams. The exam is administered both online and in person. As a standardized test, GRE measures the overall academic readiness of students who want to attend graduate school.

Has anyone gotten a 45 on the MCAT?

But Graham Wehmeyer, a senior microbiology major, was walking into the dreaded MCAT, or Medical College Admission Test, completely prepared. Seven and a half hours later, Wehmeyer became one of the few examinees to receive a perfect 45 on the MCAT.

Has anyone gotten 100% on the MCAT?

Anything between a score of 524 and 528 is considered in 100th percentile, and there is no perfect score, as the exam is calculated on a percentage basis and changes from year to year. The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that about 85,000 people sit for the MCAT every year.

Do I need to memorize formulas for GRE?

Always try to memorize the standard formulas because they are vital to solving Quant problems. Unlike other standardized tests, there is no list of formulas for the GRE math section.

How much calculus is on the GRE?

Test Content

Approximately 50 percent of the questions involve calculus and its applications—subject matter that can be assumed to be common to the backgrounds of almost all mathematics majors. About 25 percent of the questions in the test are in elementary algebra, linear algebra, abstract algebra, and number theory.

Are you allowed a calculator on the GRE?

The bad news is that you cannot bring a calculator to the GRE. The only calculator allowed on the GRE is the on-screen calculator made available for your use. In short, you have access to their calculator if you need it, but cannot bring one of your own.