Graduate Record Examinations, or GRE for short, is a standardized exam designed to assess students in Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and Analytical Writing. It has become an extremely popular test among students as its questions are relatively easy to score and it can be used for numerous graduate school applications. Unfortunately however, its computer adaptive questions become more challenging with every correct answer made; additionally the costs involved with taking and prepping for the GRE may be prohibitively expensive for some; research indicates potential cultural and racial bias within its testing system as well.
Due to these drawbacks, some universities have started waiving GRE requirements for admissions into master’s courses. It should be noted, however, that these waivers apply on an individual basis; students should make sure that other application requirements such as letters of recommendation and SOPs are fulfilled for competitive applications.
Multiple factors have led to this shift in admissions policy, such as the low correlation between GRE scores and graduate student success and some students taking it; especially women and members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups who tend to score lower than white male counterparts on tests; in addition, preparing for this exam can be time consuming and costly, creating additional burdens on low-income students.
Some schools opt to recommend GRE scores rather than require them, giving applicants with lesser undergraduate GPAs the chance to apply – although applicants to these programs should remain mindful that they may be at a disadvantage in comparison with applicants with superior undergraduate GPAs.
While top universities in USA may not require GRE scores as part of the admissions process, other parameters play an integral role. Your application letter, graduation score, relevant experience to the course you applied for and IELTS/TOEFL score all play an integral part in increasing your odds of getting scholarships or acceptance into universities.
Some of the premier universities in USA, like University of Florida and Boston University, provide Master’s programs without GRE for international students. The University of Florida offers Masters of Biomedical Sciences and Computer Science; while Boston offers a range of Masters programs. You can visit each institution’s websites to see their course lists. Additionally, there are also online universities offering MS courses without GRE so you can find a program that best meets your needs. These universities are an ideal option for international students hoping to continue their education in the US; in fact, some offer flexible schedules which make studying from home much simpler.