Are you going to pursue graduate studies in chemistry? Chances are, you will be required to submit GRE Subject Test in Chemistry scores with your graduate applications, and the scores will factor into admissions decisions. So, it’s important that you do well on the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry when you take it. This may seem like an impossibility upon first glancing over the many different types of chemistry tested on the GRE Subject Test; however, by first considering the categories of chemistry stressed on the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry, you can formulate a reasonable study plan that will allow you to review each subject in detail without stressing yourself out. And by using some recommended resources, you’ll be able to streamline your studying process even more and maximize its efficiency.

Unsurprisingly, the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry tests your knowledge of general chemistry. When brushing up on the basics, make sure that you cover oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions, chemical equations and their balancing, reactions with inorganic compounds, reaction equilibrium, equilibrium constants and reaction quotients. Acid-base chemistry is also featured in this category; make sure that you are prepared to deal with acid-base reactions, titrations, and pH, and that you know the differences between Lewis, Brønsted-Lowry, and Arrhenius acids and bases. Nuclear chemistry is also covered, including nuclear decay, electron configuration, orbitals and the filling of orbitals, and orbital hybridization. Remember studying molecular and electronic geometries in Gen Chem? They’re on this exam as well, along with VSEPR theory and Lewis diagrams. Finally, General Chemistry on the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry includes questions on bonds and forces. Be familiar with ionic, covalent, and hydrogen bonding, and intermolecular forces, and other intermolecular forces.

Given that the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry includes General Chemistry, one should not be surprised to find that it also tests elements and the periodic table. “Elements?” you might say. “Of course I know my elements.” Well, it might not hurt to review them, given that the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry might ask you questions about elements, ions, and isotopes, as well as metals, metalloids, nonmetals, and other special groups. Periodic trends are also fair game, including concepts of electron affinity, ionization energy, electronegativity, and atomic radius. Glancing over a periodic table to refamiliarize yourself with these trends can ensure you don’t struggle with questions about them on the exam.

The next big category of chemistry that the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry covers is Organic Chemistry. You may be tempted to ignore this category as long as possible if orgo didn’t go as well as planned for you the first time around, but if that’s the case, study it sooner rather than later! It’s crucial that you focus your energy on the subjects that you understand least well, not on reviewing those you know you completely understand. Orgo on the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry can be divided into a number of subcategories. The first of these is functional group reactions. Be ready to deal with the chemistry of hydrocarbons, carbonyls, alcohols, amines, sulfides, thiols, aromatics, halides, organometallics, and other functional groups. The next subcategory is stereochemistry. Can you remember the difference between an epimer and an enantiomer? Even if you can, it’s probably worth brushing up on the definitions of these terms, as well as conformers, diastereomers, and isomers. Biochemistry forms a subcategory of organic chem on the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry, as the test expects you to be familiar with lipids, nucleic acids, proteins, and carbohydrates, as well as polymerization. The rest of organic chemistry on the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry consists of being able to handle mechanisms and intermediates. While this can be a difficult category to review, try focusing on reaction mechanisms, intermediates, and reaction types as general categories. For reaction mechanisms, be familiar with those for elimination, oxidation, reduction, nucleophilic addition and substitution, and electrophilic addition and substitution. As far as intermediates go, review carbocations, free radicals, carbanions, nitrogen intermediates, and halide intermediates, as well as other intermediates. Finally, for reaction types, brush up on rearrangement reactions, acid-base reactions, radical reactions, redox reactions, substitution reactions, elimination reactions, and addition reactions.

Physical Chemistry is also covered on the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry. Topics stressed include quantum chemistry, including orbitals and bonding, molecular structure, and classic experiments. Kinetics and kinematics may also appear on the exam, along with questions about reaction rate and reaction order. Finally, thermodynamics is covered on the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry; when reviewing this subject, make sure you know how to classify reactions as either endergonic or exergonic, as well as either endothermic or exothermic. Review the laws of thermodynamics as well as concepts like heat and temperature, chemical potential, helmholtz energy, Gibbs free energy, entropy, and enthalpy. Phases of matter, including the properties of solids, liquids, and gases, as well as the gas laws and the behavior of real gases, may also be tested. Finally, colligative properties like vapor pressure, boiling point, and freezing point may be the subjects of questions.

The last type of chemistry tested on the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry is analytical chemistry. To prepare yourself for this topic, focus on reviewing lab techniques like gravimetric analysis, solubility and precipitation, mass spectroscopy, as well as indicators and complexometry, limiting reagent, and equilibrium constant. Practice analyzing data in numerous forms, and be prepared to consider calibrations and precision, error, and statistics. Spectroscopy (IR, HNMR, or CNMR) and chromatography (thin-layer or column) may also appear on the exam, as well as electrochemical, environmental, or radioactive analyses.

Does this all seem like too much? Many students feel overwhelmed, and many of them make the mistake of letting their apprehension detract from their studying. Don’t make that mistake! Come up with a study plan and use Varsity Tutors’ free GRE Subject Test in Chemistry Practice Tests to identify your personal weak areas in the numerous types of chemistry covered on the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry. Each free Practice Test comes consists of about a dozen multiple-choice questions, each of which comes with a full explanation, so if you get a question wrong, you can figure out where you erred. After taking enough practice tests, you can being to identify the specific topics you need to focus on, and at that point, you can continue to use Varsity Tutors’ resources to help you study, as Practice Test problems are also organized by concept.

Varsity Tutors’ Learning Tools also feature Full-Length GRE Subject Test in Chemistry Practice Tests, which can help you get a comprehensive overview of your current level of knowledge. Try beginning your review process with one of the free complete practice tests! The online practice tests ask you questions that cover the complete range of concepts that may be covered on the actual exam. The exam-mimicking format also gives you a chance to check your solving pace, so you can be certain you’ll have plenty of time to finish the real test. As on the results pages for the concept-specific practice tests, the results for the full-length practice tests offer scoring statistics, comprehensive explanations for each correct answer, and links to additional review on key concepts. The complete practice tests can also help you refine your review plan by showing you which concepts you still need to review. After you’ve reviewed using the Learning Tools you like best, you can evaluate your growth by returning to take another Full-Length GRE Subject Test in Chemistry Practice Test.

By making use of these fantastic free resources and refusing to let apprehension get the best of you, you can prepare yourself to approach the GRE Subject Test in Chemistry with confidence, calmness, and chemistry knowledge on test day.