It is nice to want to take a standardized test to facilitate your admission into the next phase of your life but knowing what any of the exams stand for will help you make better decisions. So, the MCAT vs GRE, which would you sit for and why?
This article will clearly introduce the MCAT and GRE while also stating similarities and differences between the two exams.
MCAT vs GRE in 2022: Overview
What is MCAT?
The Medical College Admission Test is a standardized, multiple-choice exam that prospective healthcare professionals must complete before applying to a medical school.
It is the Association of American Medical College that administers it and the admission system in graduate schools has felt the impact in over 90 years since it was introduced.
Research shows that over 85,000 students take the MCAT annually and if you intend to attend a medical school either in the US or Canada, you must take the MCAT as part of the application requirements.
What is GRE?
There is no way you can talk about the world’s most widely accepted graduate test without having to talk about the Graduate Record Examinations.
So, unlike the MCAT which is exclusive to medical students, the GRE serves a useful purpose to graduate students in all fields, including business and law.
The Educational Testing Service administers it and it has been in use since 1949. Statistics show that about 700,000 students take the test each year and although it is computer-based, paper-based assessments are accessible in areas where computers are not available.
MCAT vs GRE: What Areas do they Cover?
MCAT
The MCAT is a test that assesses prospective students on the industry-related skills and knowledge needed to succeed in medical school.
There are four portions to the test. Each segment is regarded as a fundamental requirement and a predictor of a student’s future performance.
The areas it covers include:
- Biological and Biological Foundations of Living Systems: Here, you will solve problems that show that they understand both biological and biochemical concepts.
- Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems: In this section, you will show that they have a fundamental understanding of chemical and physical underpinnings.
- Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior: This section addresses health-related functions that are more concerned with human and social issues than with scientific issues.
- Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills: This section deals with testing your critical thinking and reading comprehension skills regarding medical data.
GRE
Generally, the GRE is all-encompassing and covers quite a lot of subject areas. But, below is a list of the major question types.
- Verbal Reasoning: this section assesses your ability to make conclusions and interpret meaning from a variety of text types. The questions will be divided into two halves. Reading texts and completing the questions that follow will make up one part. In the other section, you must read texts and accurately understand them.
- Analytical Writing: Here, you can use the written word to express and articulate themselves.
- Quantitative Reasoning: You will show their ability to comprehend and interpret a variety of quantitative data sets.
The GRE subject tests are in the following subjects
Biology, Chemistry, Literature in English, Physics, Psychology, Mathematics.
How long do both Exams Last?
The MCAT exam lasts for about six hours and thirty minutes, excluding breaks and setup time. The duration of the show is around seven hours and 33 minutes.
While the GRE General Test takes around three hours and 45 minutes to complete. Short breaks will be factored in, perhaps lengthening the total sitting duration.
MCAT vs GRE: Cost
If you schedule your test in advance, you’ll pay about $320. However, the price will increase to $375 if you wait until eight days before the test date to register.
Depending on your location, you may be charged an extra $115 for registration.
The cost for the GRE test varies depending on the location where you take it. In most parts of the world, it costs about $205.
However, there are exceptions.
- Australia $230
- India $213.30
- China $231.30
- Turkey $255
Globally, the cost of the GRE Subject Tests is $150.
MCAT vs GRE: What are the Similarities?
Below are what you can find common between both exams.
Standardized Tests
Both tests are standardized. This means that all test takers get the same set of questions. The same standards are used to evaluate their responses.
Entrance Exams
Both the MCAT and GRE tests are entrance tests that committees use to evaluate a candidate’s capacity and finally decide if it should admit them into a graduate school.
Computer-Based
Another striking similarity between the two exams is that they’re both computer-based. Just like the GMAT, a computer system administers them and follows a pattern to your level of understanding.
MCAT vs GRE: Differences
The table below shows a clear-cut comparison between the two standardized tests.
| MCAT | GRE |
| Required for medical school (MD or DO) | Requirement for graduate school (most Master’s or Ph.D. programs) |
| Administered by the AAMC (American Association of Medical College) | Administered by ETS (Educational Testing Service) |
| About 30 test dates per year. | Offered year-round. Registration is first-come, first-served. |
| Scores are valid for 3 years. | Scores are valid for 5 years. |
| Can take up to 3 times in one year and 7 times in a lifetime. | Can take up to 5 times in one year. |
| Cost: $315 | Cost: $205 |
| Not adaptive. | Adaptive, Multi-Stage Test. Adapts to your performance. |
| 7 hours and 30 minutes long | 3 hours and 45 minutes |
| 4 sections: 1) Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems (95 minutes) 2) Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (90 minutes) 3) Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems (95 minutes) 4) Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior (95 minutes) | 3 sections: Analytical Writing Verbal Reasoning Quantitative Reasoning |
| The maximum score is 528. The top 10% of all test takers score at least 514. | The maximum score is 170. The top 10% of all test takers score at least 163 on Verbal, 165 on Quantitative, and 5.0 on Analytical Writing. |
MCAT vs GRE: Which Should You Take?
You’ll almost certainly have to take the MCAT or the GRE if you want to be a doctor or a research scientist.
Both standardized tests are required for admission to postgraduate schools, or the next level of education beyond college.
Which test you should take is determined by the type of career you want to pursue. The MCAT is required if you wish to go to medical school and become an MD or DO.
If you want to go to graduate school for a Master’s degree or, eventually, a Ph.D., you’ll need to take the GRE.
MCAT vs GRE: Which is Easier?
The GRE is often thought to be easier than the MCAT. This is because it does not cause specialist knowledge in a certain topic and instead covers a wide variety of less difficult questions. The GRE is also less difficult than other exams, such as the LSAT and GMAT.
Conclusion
Having argued the similarities and differences between MCAT and GRE in greater depth, this article will help you determine which entrance exam you need for your next career steps.
Good luck!
References
- https://schoolandtravel.com/gre-vs-mcat/
- https://www.thoughtco.com/gre-vs-mcat/
- https://mygreexampreparation.com/mcat-vs-gre/
- https://magoosh.com/mcat/mcat-vs-gre-2/
- https://www.kaptest.com/study/mcat/should-you-take-the-mcat-or-the-gre/
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