I have been getting a question a lot lately. Should a prospective graduate student study for the GRE Subject test in physics? For some schools it is required, some optional, and some not-required at all!

As a professor, I say yes! It is all basic physics and you should know all of the material on the subject test anyways. It’s kind of like Pascal’s wager. If you study and it doesn’t matter, oh well. But if it does matter, well that could be a ticket to getting into a good school. But also not really because you still learn a lot of physics!

At the same, professors may forget how difficult it is being a senior physics major trying to get into graduate school and get through college. In addition, to having classes, these students have research projects (often a big ole thesis), important jobs on the college campus, important roles on clubs, and a million other things that need time, not to mention application preperation (which should all be individualized).

So here is my question to the internet? Should students study for the PGREs?