<p>None of the graduate engineering programs require Gre subject test. But is it worth the time to take the Gre subject test in either Physics, chemistry or Mathematics for engineering majors intending intending to apply to grad schools? I know undergrad engineering programs do not prepare for any of the subject test so it must be really difficult to prepare.</p>
<p>I don’t know a single engineering grad student who has taken them, so I would postulate that it is a waste of time/money.</p>
<p>It’s a waste of time and money.</p>
<p>No! Dear lord, don’t take those. Math and physics majors stress about and study heavily for the math and physics GRE subject tests; don’t think that it’ll do anything but detract from your attractiveness as an engineering candidate if you walk in to take the GRE subject tests and inevitably get a terrible percentage score because you were the only person taking that test who didn’t major in it!</p>
<p>Looks like it was a terrible idea.</p>
<p>What if I am Engineering and Physics double major but I want to pursue engineering in the grad school? </p>
<p>Is it a bad idea because I am certain to do poorly on the test or because even getting a good score is not going to help?</p>
<p>Pretty much both, if you’re not planning on studying your rear off. The engineering grad programs reeeeally don’t care whether or not you can pass the physics subject GRE. They’re just going to wonder why you bothered to take it, they’re not going to accept it as “bonus credit” or anything like that. In fact, they might wonder whether or not you’re applying to physics grad programs, too, and they might wonder whether engineering’s your backup plan. It’s just… not a good idea.</p>
<p>Thanks aibarr! I appreciate your input.</p>
<p>I just thought that having a strong background in science and Mathematics can be helpful for an engineer. I have seen what is covered in the Subject test and I think I can score well. But if it does not help, I might as well spent my time on other things…</p>
<p>Some grad engineering programs recommend Gre Subject test. For example, if you are going into chemical engineering, chemistry subject test is recommended. Similary, biology test is recommended for bioengineering. Physics and Mathematics are indispensable in variety of engineering fields. It is hard for me to believe that Gre subject test can hurt you rather that helping you.</p>
<p>But again many things that are difficult for me to believe are true.</p>
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<p>Out of curiosity, what are some of these programs? A friend of mine applied to chemical engineering grad programs and never even considered taking any of the subject GRE’s. She would’ve definitely taken it if it were recommended.</p>
<p>Well, I exaggerated when I said that “some” grad engineering programs “recommend” Gre subject tests. For MIT chemical engineering program, chemistry test is “optional”. I know that optional is not same as recommended but optional implies that taking the test would help.</p>
<p>Also, many of the engineering programs emphasize strong background in physics, chemistry, mathematics and biology. Then why would a good score in subject test not help? Is getting a good score not a way to prove your proficiency in particular area?</p>
<p>A strong proficiency is different from having taken the subject GRE. For example, I did a minor in physics sticking to the quantum side of things. I never took an advanced class in electrodynamics, not much on relativity, and pretty much avoided the bulk of advanced physics. I’d expect to do rather poorly on the physics GRE, as I’m only really proficient in the subset of physics that actually applies to my field.</p>
<p>I imagine MIT has Chemistry as “optional” due to the possibility of chemistry majors trying to switch over to ChemE for grad school, and it would be another way to show their academic proficiency since they don’t necessarily have as strong of a background in ChemE as an actual ChemE would.</p>
<p>I could see something like Math being useful if you’re interested in going into a heavily computational/theoretical group, but if you’re joining a group that does mostly lab-based work, then it would be kinda pointless.</p>
<p>Samharris, which programs did you come across that recommended/stated optional for the biology test for Bioengineers? Thanks!</p>
<p>Hello all. I’m a mathematics major at William and Mary. I want to get into a graduate program for engineering. Which tests should I take? Just the general gre? Or maybe I should take the Mathematics Subject test?</p>
<p>This is good. I don’t want to take the subject tests. Tests suck :P</p>
<p>I am an undergraduate student from Morocco.I study in an American University in Morocco. And Id like to continue my study in Us, almost everybody advices me to take GRE for engeneering !!!
I d like tget any aditional info
thanks</p>
<p>I wouldn’t take any GRE subject test unless the program you’re applying to advises it. I might take it if it said it were optional, however, because if they were just going to throw it in the trash they’d probably have the courtesy to tell you as much.</p>
<p>I think they used to have a GRE subject test in engineering but eliminated it. Does anybody here know why that happened? I don’t… Anyway, if you’re applying to a graduate program in a subject you didn’t major in and there is a subject test for it, I’d take it. Case in point, I took the Math GRE test because I was applying to a few programs in mathematics departments. It can help convince people that you at least know something about the field and won’t just be winging it.</p>