Why are you making the GRE optional?
Over the last several years, it has become clear that the GRE can act as a barrier to entry for many students applying to graduate schools. In order to ensure that we are able to recruit the very best students from all backgrounds we have decided to remove the GRE as a requirement, but to leave it as an option for students who are applying to other programs that still require test scores to apply.
Will not having a GRE score make me a less competitive applicant?
No. The Berkeley-UCSF Graduate Program in Bioengineering is fully committed to holistic review of applicants. Each application is read and discussed by a group of faculty and current students to ensure that readers have a range of backgrounds, experiences, and expertise. Every component of the application is reviewed closely and used to understand the applicant more deeply than a single score. Applicants who do not submit a GRE score will be reviewed in the same manner and held to the same standards as all other students.
Will not having the GRE help/hurt my chances for admission?
Scores are welcomed, but not required. Applicants will not be penalized for not submitting scores.
Can I still submit GRE scores?
Of course! However, it will not be a sole determining factor for admission.
How far back can my scores go?
Five years and sooner are all valid scores
Can GRE’s from a previous year’s admission be used this year?
Yes, however, they must still be valid (within 5 years) and applicants must re-order exam scores from ETS. Unfortunately, GRE scores cannot be transferred between application years at the department nor university level.
I have GRE scores but I don’t know if I should submit them.
No application will be penalized for declining to include GRE results. The goal of this policy is to remove barriers to application for those for whom the GRE would be a financial burden and a deterrent, but the program does not require applicants to justify the absence of GRE scores, and they can be omitted for any reason and without explanation. The admissions process includes a holistic review that considers (among other things) academic transcripts, research and work experience, and personal circumstances. Standardized test scores (like the GRE) can be a complementary piece of information in this review, and may be of assistance to reviewers if you choose to include them, but they are a small piece of the overall picture.