Most universities require that you take a comprehensive entrance exam. The most common exams are the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).

Check your prospective college’s requirements, but the GRE is almost always taken through ETS, a non-profit organization whose mission is to advance quality and equity in education for all people worldwide, and the GMAT is almost always taken through Pearson Professional Centers. It is important to know early which test will be required so that you can study, take practice exams, and nail the test. Also find out the minimum scored needed in order to even be accepted into your choice of program, as this may help you prepare.

The GMAT is typically required for admittance into most business programs and the GRE is used for everything else. Double-check because some graduate programs do not require either test.

The GMAT tests four areas: analytic writing, quantitative, verbal, and integrative reasoning. The test is regularly $250.

The GRE also tests four areas but they are verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical skills. This test is regularly $175. If required by your chosen university, you can take GRE subject-specific tests. These tests include the following subjects:

Biology

Chemistry

Physics

Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology

Math

Computer Science

English Literature

Psychology