The primary purpose of the GRE exam is to assist schools
in selecting the best-qualified candidates for admission to general
graduate programs. Schools also use GRE scores to determine eligibility
for merit-based grants and scholarships, as well as teaching and
research assistantships. GRE basically provides
a common measure for comparing candidates' qualifications for graduate
programs.
The GRE was completely redesigned in August 2011 to enable students to
better transition into graduate level work.
The GRE revised test measures verbal,
quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills.
Questions in the revised test are based on real-life scenarios to
further help students think and prepare for graduate or business school.
Also, the revised GRE offers a more flexible
test-taking experience in which students can skip questions, change
and/or edit answers.
Taking the GRE test is significant for students to
particularly plan for their career and attain future education goals.
Scores are valid for 5 years,
which means students can use their scores later if they decide to go to
graduate or business school.
There are two
versions of GRE Exam.
The student is given
the choice of taking
GRE Exam
on paper or on the computer.
| Focus Areas | Time Duration | Number of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Analytical Writing | One section with two separately timed 30 minute essays | Two Essay Tasks |
| Verbal Reasoning | Two 30 minute sections | 20 questions in each section |
| Quantitative Reasoning | Two 35 minute sections | 20 in each section |
| UnScored | This section maybe included, but it is not scored. | Varies |
| Research | This section maybe included, but it is not scored. | Varies |
| Focus Areas | Time Duration | Number of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Analytical Writing | Two 30 minute sections | One Essay |
| Verbal Reasoning | Two 35 minute sections | 25 |
| Quantitative Reasoning | Two 40 minute sections | 2 |
The GRE revised scoring for each of the three sections include:
Verbal Reasoning scores are reported on a 130–170 score scale, in 1-point increments.
Quantitative Reasoning scores are reported on a 130–170 score scale, in
1-point increments.
Analytical Writing scores are reported on a 0–6 score scale, in half-point increments.
The revised GRE offers a new ScoreSelect option in which students can decide which test scores to send to institutions they target.
The cost to take the test varies between US $130 and $210, depending on the
country in which it is taken, although ETS will reduce the fee under
certain circumstances. For Example, ETS provides financial aid to those
GRE applicants who face economic hardships. Registration:
The
GRE revised General Test is
available at about 700 locations
worldwide, in more than 160 countries.
Access the ETS website to search for a test location near you.
Students can
register for the GRE Exam online
by visiting the GRE official site or by calling the 800
number given in the Information and Registration Bulletin.
If you cancel your General Test no later than 3 full days prior to your test date, you will receive a $60 refund. Computer-based test refunds will be automatically issued approximately 10 days after the canceled test date. Paper-based test refunds are issued within 6-8 weeks after the canceled test date.
