Have any of you taken both of them? If so, what were your scores? Did you score in the same percentiles?

How difficult is the GRE compared to the MCAT? (study time and stress level wise)

MCAT: 34 O (~92nd, ~50th percentiles)
Physics GRE: 930 (94th percentile)
General GRE:
- verbal 560 (~75th %le)
- quantitative 800 (92nd-100th %le)
- writing 5.5 (~86th %le)
I found the GRE verbal and analytical parts to be very easy compared to the corresponding parts on MCAT. My time spent ratio for just these parts is probably 1:50 (GRE:MCAT). Overall, I spent 3-4 weeks on studying for GRE (moderate studying, nothing hardcore) and about 3 months for MCAT (5-8 hours pretty much every day). To me, MCAT was much more stressful than the GRE. Maybe, it's because I wrote the GRE a year after the MCAT...

A better comparison is GRE vs SAT since they are pretty much identical (especially now). I spent a week of half-assed "studying" for the GRE and got 630V/720Q/5.5WS. Just do some practice tests to get used to the geometry in the math section and maybe look over some vocabulary words. If you have time, I would suggest reading actual literature or at the very least something like "The Economist."

Basically, don't worry about the GRE too much.

The subject tests are a little different however.

-X

Have any of you taken both of them? If so, what were your scores? Did you score in the same percentiles?

How difficult is the GRE compared to the MCAT? (study time and stress level wise)

A better comparison is GRE vs SAT since they are pretty much identical (especially now). I spent a week of half-assed "studying" for the GRE and got 630V/720Q/5.5WS. Just do some practice tests to get used to the geometry in the math section and maybe look over some vocabulary words. If you have time, I would suggest reading actual literature or at the very least something like "The Economist."

Basically, don't worry about the GRE too much.

The subject tests are a little different however.

-X

Hey Xanthines,

do you think taking the GRE in biology, in addition to MCAT, would help me for applying to MD/PhD programs?(on a side note, i want to do a PhD in the traditional biomedical sciences)

thanks

Thanks everyone!

Most people have told me that the GRE is cake compared to the MCAT, but I wanted to get the truth.

I guess it's not so easy to get 1600 on the GRE. Studying is still necessary.

Well, this just my opinion so take it with a grain of salt...

Unless your program specifically requires the subjects, I probably wouldn't take them. They are nice to have if you do well, but are a liability if you don't. You could try taking a practice test to see how you do, I suppose. I looked at the material and some of the sample questions and it looks pretty hard (I wasn't a bio major).

I'm not aware of any MSTP's that require the GRE and I only know of a few non-MSTP MD/PhD programs that do you require them. I took the GRE so I could apply to graduate schools. I avoided the ones that required the subject tests.

-X

Hey Xanthines,

do you think taking the GRE in biology, in addition to MCAT, would help me for applying to MD/PhD programs?(on a side note, i want to do a PhD in the traditional biomedical sciences)

thanks