GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) GRE Subject Tests Overview Syllabus

GRE Subject Tests Overview syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for GRE Subject Tests Overview in GRE (Graduate Record Examinations), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Purpose and Use of Subject Tests

   3 topics

   • Role in Graduate Admissions
     • Demonstrating undergraduate field knowledge
     • Programs that require or recommend them
   • Format and Scoring
     • 200 to 990 scaled score range
     • Paper-based and computer-delivered formats
   • Relationship to the General Test
     • When to take both
2. 2

   Mathematics Subject Test

   3 topics

   • Calculus and Analysis
     • Single and multivariable calculus
     • Sequences, series, and differential equations
   • Algebra
     • Linear and abstract algebra
     • Number theory
   • Additional Topics
     • Topology and real analysis
     • Probability and discrete mathematics
3. 3

   Physics Subject Test

   4 topics

   • Classical Mechanics and Electromagnetism
     • Newtonian mechanics and Lagrangian methods
     • Electrostatics, circuits, and magnetism
   • Modern Physics
     • Quantum mechanics fundamentals
     • Atomic and special relativity topics
   • Thermodynamics and Waves
     • Statistical mechanics
     • Optics and wave phenomena
   • Laboratory Methods
     • Data analysis and measurement
4. 4

   Psychology Subject Test

   3 topics

   • Biological and Cognitive Psychology
     • Sensation, perception, and neuroscience
     • Learning, memory, and cognition
   • Social and Developmental Psychology
     • Social behavior and personality
     • Lifespan development
   • Clinical and Measurement
     • Abnormal and clinical psychology
     • Research methods and statistics

GRE Subject Tests Overview flashcards for GRE (Graduate Record Examinations)

24 of 52 cards from the GRE Subject Tests Overview deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the GRE Subject Tests designed to measure?

   Achievement in a specific subject area, assessing knowledge and skills acquired over an extended period of undergraduate study in a particular field.

2. In graduate admissions, how do Subject Test scores typically function relative to GPA and recommendations?

   They serve as a standardized supplement, helping admissions committees compare applicants from different undergraduate institutions on a common metric within a discipline.

3. Which types of graduate programs are most likely to require or recommend a GRE Subject Test?

   Discipline-specific doctoral and master's programs (e.g., physics, psychology, math) where deep field knowledge is critical; many programs have made them optional.

4. How can a strong GRE Subject Test score help an applicant with a weaker undergraduate record?

   It can demonstrate mastery of the subject independent of grades, offsetting concerns about GPA or a non-traditional academic background.

5. As of the current testing format, which GRE Subject Tests are offered?

   Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology (Biochemistry, Biology, Chemistry, English Literature, and Computer Science were discontinued).

6. What question format do GRE Subject Tests use?

   Multiple-choice questions only, administered as a single test in the chosen subject.

7. What is the score range for a GRE Subject Test total score?

   200 to 990, reported in 10-point increments.

8. How is the GRE Subject Test raw score converted to a scaled score?

   The number of correct answers (raw score) is converted to the 200-990 scale through equating, which adjusts for differences in difficulty across test editions.

9. Is there a penalty for wrong answers on the current GRE Subject Tests?

   No. Scoring is based only on the number of correct answers, so test-takers should answer every question (formula scoring with a guessing penalty was used historically).

10. What is a percentile rank on a GRE Subject Test?

    The percentage of a reference group of examinees who scored lower than a given scaled score, showing relative standing among test-takers.

11. Which subject test additionally reports subscores, and what is their purpose?

    The Psychology Subject Test reports subscores (e.g., for content areas), helping programs evaluate performance in specific subdomains.

12. How does the GRE Subject Test differ in purpose from the GRE General Test?

    The Subject Test measures knowledge of a specific discipline, while the General Test measures broad verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills.

13. Which sections make up the GRE General Test?

    Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing.

14. Can the GRE Subject Test substitute for the GRE General Test in admissions?

    No. They assess different things; programs may require one, both, or neither, so the Subject Test does not replace the General Test.

15. What is the score scale for each measure of the current GRE General Test (Verbal and Quantitative)?

    130 to 170 in 1-point increments, with Analytical Writing scored 0 to 6 in half-point increments.

16. Roughly what proportion of the GRE Mathematics Subject Test is devoted to calculus and its applications?

    About 50 percent, making single- and multivariable calculus the dominant content area.

17. State the limit definition of the derivative of a function f at a point x.

    f'(x) = lim(h→0) [f(x+h) − f(x)] / h.

18. What does the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus connect?

    Differentiation and integration: the definite integral of f from a to b equals F(b) − F(a), where F is an antiderivative of f.

19. In multivariable calculus, what does the gradient ∇f of a scalar function point toward?

    The direction of greatest rate of increase of f, with magnitude equal to that maximum rate of change.

20. What is a Taylor series of a function f about a point a?

    f(x) = Σ (n=0 to ∞) f⁽ⁿ⁾(a)/n! · (x−a)ⁿ, representing f as an infinite polynomial near a.

21. What is the ratio test used for, and what does it conclude?

    Testing convergence of a series Σaₙ: if lim |aₙ₊₁/aₙ| = L, the series converges absolutely if L<1, diverges if L>1, and is inconclusive if L=1.

22. What defines a vector space?

    A set with vector addition and scalar multiplication satisfying axioms like associativity, commutativity, a zero vector, additive inverses, and distributivity of scalars.

23. What does it mean for a set of vectors to be linearly independent?

    No vector in the set can be written as a linear combination of the others; equivalently, the only solution to their linear combination equaling zero is all-zero coefficients.

24. What is an eigenvalue and eigenvector of a matrix A?

    A scalar λ and nonzero vector v such that Av = λv; v is stretched/scaled by λ without changing direction.

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