GREs-- take both tests now and which is more important?

[golfishties]

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I am very excited to have found this board and will appreciate any help I get here! I have a lot of other (more important) questions, but since I'm trying to sign up for the GREs in the next day or so…

1) For most of the summer, I have been planning on applying to programs this fall; however, lately I am not as certain of this goal and may be reconsidering applying this year. I was wondering whether it is still a good idea to take the tests now to get them out of the way? I have been studying a good portion of the summer for the general test and just recently started studying for the subject test. This would be my first time taking both. Also, if I do decide to apply to some programs then I will definitely need at least to have taken the general GRE test.
2) Which test would it be more important to focus on/give myself more time to study? If I am taking both tests, I'm not sure which order I should take them in or how much time in between the two test dates I should give myself.
3) Should I even bother taking the subject test if I'm not sure if I will apply? I took the practice test on the ETS website without any studying or preparation and I got a 550 (which seems to be a bad score—right?). However I think I would improve after studying and I generally do well on standardized tests, particularly multiple-choice tests.

 

[PrisonPsych]

Scores are good for five years, so it certainly wouldn't hurt you to take them now, just make sure you study! And if you take them now, you won't have to worry about them next year when you're trying to get all the other stuff for the applications together.

Overall GRE is IMHO the more important of the two. Many schools don't require the subject GRE. But if you stagger your test dates by a month or so, you can study for the one and then study for the other after you're done with the first one.

 

[psyed4clinPhD]

I agree that general GREs are more important too. Good luck 🙂

 

[Quynh2007]

I never took the subject test.

I think all schools require the General, but only some require the subject as well.

 

[golfishties]

Thank you for the advice. I believe I will take the tests this year and focus my studying based on the fact that the general GREs are more important.