New York Medical College drops GRE requirement for some programs

New York Medical College will no longer require Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores from students applying to doctoral programs in its Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences.

The Valhalla college announced Oct. 15 that prospective students can still submit GRE scores if they wish, but the scores would be viewed only as “part of the holistic application.” Students who forgo the GRE must instead provide three letters of reference that emphasize their research potential.

NYMC joins a growing list of colleges pushing back against standardized testing. Last year, Purchase College announced it would no longer require SAT or ACT scores from students applying to its undergraduate programs.

NYMC officials said in the announcement that multiple studies suggest the GRE is not a reliable predictor of student success. Costs associated with test prep and the test itself can also be burdensome, the school said, to low- and medium-income students.

“A diverse student body is essential to the mission of New York Medical College,” said Marina Kaufman Holz, dean of NYMC’s Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences. “Removing this barrier of entry will open the graduate program to a wider pool of applicants and will allow us to recruit many more motivated students.”

The colllege’s Graduate School of Basic Medical Sciences offers a range of master’s and doctoral programs in fields such as biochemistry and molecular biology, cell biology, microbiology and immunology.

New York Medical College noted the change applies only to doctorate programs in its School of Basic Medical Sciences. Applicants to other programs must continue to provide the standardized test scores specified by the individual program.