<p>Hi, i was wondering what is the difference between the MCAT and the GRE. From what i gather the GRE is much easier than the MCAT, it was a standardized test like the SAT. Can someone that have take both or one of those two, describe please the major differences between those two, especially the GRE. i kind of have a idea of what to expects from the MCAT, but i have no idea about the GRE, i'm thinking of taking both. can someone please share their experience of both or either the MCAT or GRE, especially the GRE. Thank you.</p>
<p>I'm sorry if the way i ask this is confusing to anyone.</p>
<p>MCAT assesses problem solving, critical thinking, written analysis and knowledge of scientific concepts and principles. It requires specific knowledge of topics in biology, genetics, anatomy, physiology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics and starting in 2015, sociology, psychology, biochemistry and statstics.</p>
<p>GRE is a test of verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing and critical thinking skills. </p>
<p>The GRE does not require any specific course-based knowledge.</p>
<p>Everything is different between the GRE and the MCAT. I teach test prep for the GRE and for the verbal section of the MCAT. The GRE is basically an SAT style test, but for potential grad students. The GRE has 3 sections–Analytical Writing, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning. There are 2 essays, 2 QR sections, and 2 VR sections, as well as an experimental section. One of the essays is the typical “give your opinion on a prompt” style, the other asks you to analyze an argument. The QR section is moderate level math; it is comprised of straight forward questions and quantitative comparison questions. Quant Comp questions give you two values and asks if they are equal, if one is bigger than the other, or if the relationship cannot be determined. The VR section has vocab questions and passages of various lengths. The GRE has an odd type of reading comprehension questions–the answer choices tend to be worded very broadly. The vocab can get fairly obscure. </p>
<p>The GRE is an adaptive test. This means that everybody gets the same first QR section, and then depending on whether you did well, average, or below average, you get a particular 2nd section. Same thing for the VR section. You can only get a top score (score range for QR and VR is 130-170) by doing well on the first section and thus getting the hardest second section (and of course, doing well on it, too). The essays are each scored out of 6, and then the two scores are averaged and rounded to the nearest half point. </p>
<p>I only teach the MCAT Verbal section and am not and never will be a medical student, so I have never sat for an official MCAT and cannot speak to the science sections of the MCAT. That said, as far as the verbal section goes, the MCAT has 7 passages of similar length and either 5, 6, or 7 questions. You get an hour for 40 questions total. The passages are at a moderately high level–I read plenty harder material in college, but the passages are written for the educated audience. The questions and answers are quite cleverly written and it can be fairly difficult to determine the best, or, as we usually say, the “least worst” answer. I was got an 800 on the CR section of the SAT and a 168 on the VR section of the GRE and I usually get a 12 (out of 15, of course) on the MCAT. I don’t find it difficult per se to get a 12, but I definitely have to think about the questions, and the jump from 3-4 questions wrong (what I usually get) to only 1 or 2 has not proved forthcoming, although the stakes are very low for me–only personal pride! </p>
<p>Is there a reason you need to take both the GRE and the MCAT? The GRE is not hard but it is tedious and expensive to sit for standardized tests that you don’t actually need. And I have a very high tolerance for standardized tests!</p>
<p>thanks everyone that replied.</p>
<p>glad there was a GRE person. I think WOWmom’s post overemphasizes the amount of “specific knowledge” for the MCAT and downplays the amount of critical thinking (unless the 2015 changes are more extensive than I thought). While yes, you do need to know some stuff (most of which is AP level material) the real issue is knowing it well enough to apply it to questions about a several paragraph passage on a topic you have never seen before, whether it’s the results of research, the explanation of a theory, or a novel idea.</p>
<p>They are very different tests.</p>