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Graduate Record Exam - GRE

Should biomedical graduate schools ignore the GRE?

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE), which is required for admission to graduate and doctorate programs across the country, is not the best indicator for predicting a student's success while pursuing a doctorate in the experimental life sciences. And from that research, investigators recommend devaluing - if not eliminating altogether - the GRE from the applications process for biomedical PhD candidates. Ref. Source 3k.

GRE Exam Record Graduate

I think the GRE does not indicate success in any graduate program. I have a Ph.D. In Chemistry (So physical sciences, not life sciences), and still the GRE doesn't measure anything about success. The GRE only tells you how well students do at memorizing information and then selecting correct answers from a multiple choice. Only a few points are from the essay at the end, and even that doesn't tell you much besides that the test taker is literate enough to make a complete argument. Creativity, willingness to work hard, and ability to analyze information are key factors in doing well in any doctorate program. These abstract qualities are hard to measure though. I think until some other way to differentiate students comes along, graduate schools will have to rely on the GRE, as it does measure something, even if that something is completely unrelated to graduate school success. Until a better solution comes out, it is hard to advocate getting rid of any aspect of the application process.