[Bioinorganic78]

Hello everyone,

I will be applying to chemistry graduate programs (PhD, bioinorganic) next year. None of the schools I am interested in require the chemistry GRE subject test, but several list it as recommended/highly recommended. I was not planning on taking the test (the less standardized testing the better), but I am just curious if this will at all lessen my application or shot at the top applicant fellowships. I am a chemistry major (biochemistry concentration) with a current 3.89 GPA if that helps, and will be taking the standard GRE test.

[jeffmoonchop]

I had to take the GRE to move from England to Canada for my PhD. The same was recommended that I should take chem too but I didn't but still got the position. It depends on the competitiveness of the project you're applying for. If you think hundreds of people will apply for it I would take the chem GRE but then again it could backfire if you got a more average score. Your GPA is really good and they usually just look at that and less so the tests.

[Bioinorganic78]

I had to take the GRE to move from England to Canada for my PhD. The same was recommended that I should take chem too but I didn't but still got the position. It depends on the competitiveness of the project you're applying for. If you think hundreds of people will apply for it I would take the chem GRE but then again it could backfire if you got a more average score. Your GPA is really good and they usually just look at that and less so the tests.

Okay, thank you for your reply. I heard the Chem GRE is very difficult, I'll probably not take it.

[Corribus]

I didn't take it, and I had no problem getting into grad school. As I recall, it covers a lot of analytical chemistry, which I never had in undergrad, so I probably would not have scored very well.