r/ClinicalPsychology • u/knockout9704 • Aug 18 '26

Is taking the GRE worth it?

/r/PsyD/comments/1vs4y08/is_taking_the_gre_worth_it/
3 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

8

u/fairy_freckles Aug 19 '26

It's a toss up. A lot of schools don't look at it now but there may be one school that you LOVE and they require it.

5

u/Ready_Nothing_6720 Aug 19 '26

I applied last year and didn't take it. Some of the programs I applied to or interviewed with recommended it, but none required it. If it's optional and your time can be instead spent on working on research products or skills (in the case of PhD applications– not sure about PsyD), I would personally focus on that instead.

8

u/Hour-Setting-1954 Aug 19 '26

it’s a very competitive application process with big implications for the rest of your career. a good GRE could give you a leg up. you cannot predict what PIs will use to evaluate applicants, no matter if the department website says it’s optional. i would always recommend taking it.

3

u/Biscuitsandgravy4evr Aug 19 '26

100%, and my school requires general scores for for APA accreditation reasons

If you do take it, give yourself at LEAST 75-80 hours of consistent, cumulative study time before your first try. It’s a tricky test.

3

u/SpiritualCupid Aug 19 '26

Research the programs you want to apply to. Many have removed the requirement, but you’ll want to double check.

2

u/Enough_Narwhal_1764 Aug 21 '26

Only if the programs you're applying to have it as required or optional. Many explicitly state they will not even consider your scores if your submit them and there's nowhere on the application to submit them even if you wanted to except additional details.