Preparing for the physics GRE

Report, 2008

The Physics GRE is a standardized multiple-choice test used worldwide as one of the admission criteria to graduate studies. For the last two years we have given a preparatory course to the students wanting to take this test. The main aim of this project was to assess the effectiveness of such a preparatory course. We recorded the results of four trial exams, taken under realistic circumstances, and used them to track the students’ performance as the course progressed. Although the number of students tested was small, the preliminary results were quite encouraging and showed a clear improvement in the students’ performance. We complemented this investigation with an online evaluation form asking the students to assess the course, their undergraduate education as a whole, and to express their opinions about the usefulness of such a standardized test. The feedback received about the course was also very encouraging. However, the students expressed some doubts regarding the effectiveness of the Physics GRE in assessing their preparation or in predicting their future performance.