GRE Guide For Nurses

Some graduate nursing programs require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), a standardized test schools use to gauge whether you are ready for graduate work. Requirements vary widely. Many programs waive the GRE for applicants with a strong undergraduate GPA, and many online programs drop it entirely in favor of other prerequisites. Check each program's rules before you register, since in-person and online tracks often differ.

This guide covers the structure of the exam, how it is scored, how to register, and how to prepare.

Do Programs Still Require It?

Plenty of graduate nursing programs ask for GRE scores, but you can earn an MSN online without one at many schools. Some family nurse practitioner programs waive the test for applicants with high undergraduate GPAs. Confirm what your target programs expect before spending the money or study time.

The General Test

ETS shortened the GRE General Test in September 2023. It now runs about 1 hour and 58 minutes with no scheduled break, down from nearly four hours.

The test has three sections and 55 questions total:

• Analytical Writing: one 30-minute "Analyze an Issue" essay.
• Verbal Reasoning: two sections, 27 questions combined.
• Quantitative Reasoning: two sections, 27 questions combined.

Analytical Writing always comes first, followed by the verbal and quantitative sections. There is no longer an unscored or research section. You can mark questions to revisit and change earlier answers within a section, and an on-screen calculator is available for the quantitative parts.

The GRE uses section-level adaptation: how you perform on the first section of a type determines the difficulty of the second. Do well on the first verbal section and the second one gets harder, with the scoring adjusted for that difficulty.

Subject Tests

ETS also offers GRE Subject Tests in a handful of fields, currently mathematics, physics, and psychology. These are separate paper-based exams offered on set dates a few times per year, each covering one subject in depth. Each costs about $150. Most nursing programs do not require a subject test, so confirm before registering.

Scoring

GRE Section	Score Range
Verbal Reasoning	130-170 (1-point increments)
Quantitative Reasoning	130-170 (1-point increments)
Analytical Writing	0-6 (half-point increments)

Trained readers score the essay on critical thinking, coherence, and structure, rounding to the nearest half point. Verbal and quantitative scores reflect both how many questions you answer correctly and their difficulty.

You also receive a percentile rank showing where you stand against other test-takers. A 95th percentile score means you outperformed 95% of them. Average scores run around 150 verbal, 154 quantitative, and 3.6 writing.

Kaplan's rough benchmark for a competitive score: verbal in the high 150s to 160s, quantitative in the high 150s to mid 160s, and writing of 4.5 or higher puts you in the top quarter of test-takers.

Registering

Create an ETS account, review available dates, nearby centers, and fees, then register. During registration you can name a few schools to receive your scores. You can cancel any time, but ETS does not refund cancellations made fewer than four days before the test.

When to test. Aim for about a year before you plan to start classes, which leaves room to retake the exam if you want higher scores.

Cost. The General Test costs $220 in the U.S. Subject Tests cost about $150 each. Late registration and certain testing locations add fees.

Retakes. You can take the computer-based test once every 21 days, up to five times in any rolling 12-month period.

Preparing

At-home methods. Printed study guides, flashcards (handy for formulas and hard facts), private tutoring, study apps like Magoosh, and online practice tests all work. Practice tests matter most, since they show you which methods are paying off and where to focus.

Prep courses. Kaplan, The Princeton Review, Magoosh, and others run in-person and self-paced online courses ranging from about $200 to over $1,000. They typically cover the material, supply practice exams, and walk through scoring. ETS PowerPrep offers official practice for free.

Study tips.

• Spend most of your time on your weak areas, not the topics you already know.
• The content is high-school level, so review fundamentals rather than college calculus or literature.
• Use timed practice tests to build time management, the hardest part for many test-takers.
• Learn common prefixes and suffixes to decode unfamiliar vocabulary.
• Set a regular study schedule and protect it. Cramming the night before does not work.

Free resources. ETS PowerPrep practice tests mirror the real interface, calculator, and question styles. Quizlet and the Magoosh vocabulary flashcards cover verbal and quantitative content at no cost.

Test Day

Arrive at least 30 minutes early. The administrator assigns your seat, provides scratch paper, and may inspect clothing for written materials. Bring:

• A valid photo ID. Original, government-issued, unexpired, with your full name and photo.
• Your confirmation or voucher, printed.
• Layers, since testing rooms run hot or cold.

Leave at home anything you cannot bring in: notes, books, your own scratch paper, and your own calculator. ETS supplies the same on-screen calculator to everyone.

Accommodations

ETS provides accommodations for documented disabilities, including braille devices, extended time, a magnified screen, selectable colors, and extra break time. Apply through your ETS account and get approval before your test date, with documentation of your disability included.

Scores

You get an unofficial score immediately after the computer-based test. ETS sends official scores to your chosen programs about 5 to 10 days later.

During registration you select schools to receive scores, and you can add or remove recipients until 10 p.m. the night before the exam. After the test, you can pay to send scores to more schools.

If you test more than once, the ScoreSelect option lets you send all scores, only your most recent, or only scores from specific dates, so you can put your best results forward.

Scores stay valid for five years from the test date. A test taken July 3, 2021, for example, is reportable through July 2, 2026.