Information about the Graduate Record Examination

Admissions requirements vary from university to university but most online Master's degree programs in geographic information systems require prospective students to submit scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). The GRE general test has sections that test your critical thinking, writing, verbal and mathematical (or quantitative) skills. This test is designed to measure skills gained over a long period of time and is not specific to any one subject. Some programs may require you to take a GRE subject matter test. There are eight subject matter tests: Biochemistry, biology, chemistry, computer science, English literature, mathematics, physics and psychology. When scheduling your GRE, be sure to leave plenty of time for your results to be submitted before the application deadline. Some online Master's degree programs in geographic information systems waive the GRE requirement for students who have been out of school for five years or more. Check with an admissions officer to see if this applies to you.