Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

Overview

The GRE – Graduate Record Examination is administered by Educational Testing Services (ETS), US. The GRE test is generally written by graduates in Humanities, Sciences, Engineering, and Technology. The Score in GRE is widely accepted in the universities and institutions of United States, Europe, Canada, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America for admission into departments of higher studies and research. The test evaluates what a candidate has learnt as part of college / undergraduate studies and the knowledge of a candidate in a course / study area.

The GRE test is available in two different modes-

1. GRE General Test - This test measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills of candidates.
2. GRE Subject Tests - This test is available in a variety of subjects, namely; maths, computers, biology etc; the test measures knowledge of candidates’ in specific subject areas that a candidate has studied at college level.

The Universities across US, Europe, Canada, Asia Pacific, Middle East, Africa and Latin America largely uses Score in GRE for accepting applications for admission into graduate studies and research programs. The GRE test score (both GRE General and GRE Subject Tests) is considered by number of Universities and Institutes for the award of scholarships, fellowships and need based scholarships. However, many universities, institutes and scholarship organizations conducts their own written tests, / interviews, and /essay tests etc for offer of final admission in a course and award of financial assistance / scholarships / fellowships. The score in GRE General Test is also used by business schools.

Anyone can write GRE General or GRE Subject Tests. The GRE test is not available in the study areas of medicine and law. There are specific tests to law and medical graduates like MCAT and LSAT. However, medical and law students can also take GRE General or GRE Subject Tests as they wish. The GRE Subject Tests include multiple disciplines and students can write test in more than one study area.

The GRE test reaches in different parts of the world through ETS Global BV Offices.

But neither ETS nor ETS Global BV Offices do take responsibility of any type regarding scholarships, admission to a course or college etc. The candidates strictly need to apply on their own for admission into a course in a university / college /institution and for scholarship.

On the behalf of ETS, the ETS Global BV Offices provides Consultancy Services and custom assessment to educational institutions, government organizations and businesses in different parts of the world in the matter related with testing and education.

Eligibility

The graduate applicants write GRE General Test or GRE Subject Tests or Both. The scores of candidates are used by the admission authorities or fellowship / scholarship committees to supplement under Graduate academic record, extracurricular activities, and other qualifications for admission into graduate studies and award of financial assistances.

The GRE Scores ensures the graduate admission committees as if a graduate applicant would be able to complete higher studies in a particular course or not. The GRE test can be taken at any stage of study; however, it is advisable that applicants do appear for GRE General Test or GRE Subject Tests during the completion year of college studies.

Test Areas

The prospective graduate applicants can write GRE General Test or GRE Subject Tests. The test description is mentioned below.

GRE General Test - The GRE General Test examine candidates’ skills in the following areas-

Verbal Reasoning – This section examines the test taker’s ability to -

Analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it,

• Analyze relationships among component parts of sentences
• Recognize relationships between words and concepts.

Quantitative Reasoning - This section examines the test taker’s ability to -

• Understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis
• Reason quantitatively
• Solve problems in a quantitative setting.

Analytical Writing - This section examines the test taker’s ability to -

• Articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
• Examine claims and accompanying evidence
• Support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
• Sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
• Control the elements of standard written English.

Computer-Based General Test Content and Structure

The computer-based General Test has 3 sections.

In addition, one unidentified pretest section may be included, and this section can appear in any point in the test after the analytical writing section. Questions in the pretest section are being tested for possible use in future tests and answers will not be considered for scores.

An identified research section that is not scored can also be included, and this section would always appear in the final section of the test. Questions in the research section are included for the purpose of ETS research, and answers will not be considered for the scores.

Total testing time is three hours and it doesn’t include the research section. The guidelines at the beginning of each section specify the total number of questions in the section and the time allowed for that section.

The analytical writing section is always first. For the Issue task, two topics will be presented and the test taker will have to choose one. The Argument task doesn’t give you the liberty to choose by providing options, only one topic will be presented.

The verbal and quantitative sections may appear in any order, including an unidentified verbal or quantitative pretest section. The test takers are always advised to consider each section as if it counts towards the total score.

Typical Computer-Based GRE General Test

* For the Issue task, two essay topics are presented and you choose one. The Argument task does not present a choice of topics; instead one topic is presented.
** An unidentified verbal or quantitative pretest section may be included and may appear in any order after the analytical writing section. It is not counted as part of your score.
*** An identified research section that is not scored may be included, and it is always at the end of the test.

Modified Versions of Verbal and Quantitative Questions

The GRE General test may include questions that are modified versions of published questions or of questions already present on an earlier section of the test. Some modifications are significant; others are less apparent.

Thus, even if a question appears to be of a kind to a question in the earlier section, it may in fact be a different question and may also have a different correct answer. The test takers are recommended for paying careful attention to the phrasing of each question as it appears in the test.

The GRE Program is currently examining the feasibility of reusing questions that have been published in GRE practice materials. As a part of this assessment, the test takers may find questions from these materials on a test.

GRE Subject Tests - The following testing areas are available under this category:

• Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Literature in English
• Computer Science
• Mathematics
• Physics
• Psychology

Test Score

GRE General Test Score: Three scores are reported on the General Test:

• a verbal reasoning score reported on a 200-800 score scale, in 10-point increments
• an analytical writing score reported on a 0-6 score scale, in half-point increments
• a quantitative reasoning score reported on a 200-800 score scale, in 10-point increments

Any section in which you answer no questions at all will be reported as a No Score (NS).

GRE Subject Test Score: One total score is reported on a 200-990 score scale, in 10-point increments, the score range for any Subject Test is usually smaller.

Subscores are reported for the Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology; Biology; and Psychology Tests on a 20-99 score scale, in 1-point increments, although the range for any particular Subject Test subscore is usually smaller.

Validity of the Score
The GRE Scores are valid for a period of five years, but candidates are recommended to produce fresh test score not older than two years with admission council of university or institution.