What is GRE?
The GRE General Test is one of the world's largest assessment programs for graduate admissions and the exam is conducted by Educational Testing Service (ETS). Commonly referred to as GRE, the full form of GRE is the Graduate Record Examinations. Over half a million individuals across 160 countries take the GRE General Test every year, in over 1,000 test centers set up by ETS. GRE scores of candidates are accepted at thousands of graduate programs around the world, for masters and doctorate degrees.
More than 1,200 business schools around the world accept the GRE scores, including top-ranked MBA programs according to The Financial Times, U.S. News & World Report, and Bloomberg Businessweek along with a handful of US law schools that accept GRE scores. In this article, we are going to talk about each and every aspect related to the GRE Exam. Candidates looking to appear for their GRE examination will learn about the following GRE Topics:
- GRE Eligibility
- How to Register for GRE
- GRE Exam Fee
- GRE Syllabus
- Exam Pattern for GRE
- GRE Scholarships
- GRE Preparation tips
- GRE Practice Papers, and
- GRE Results and Scores
Recent Updates on GRE
This section would cover any latest developments revolving around GRE for the benefit of students who are planning to appear for their GRE test.
GRE General Test to cost more for Indian Students as they are now required to pay US $213 from the previous US $205
Starting October 2020, ETS has raised the GRE® General Test Fee from US $205 to US $213. Candidates registering from India, after October 7, 2020, would be required to pay the new GRE Registration Fee of US $213. All other fees including changing of GRE Test Centre and Rescheduling of the GRE exam remain unchanged.
Coronavirus Covid-19 GRE Exam Alert: GRE® General Test at home during COVID -19
In response to the ongoing pandemic COVID-19, ETS - the conducting body of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) has decided to launch the GRE® General Test at home for locations where the computer-based format of the GRE Test was earlier available for the convenience of students wanting to study abroad. The same is yet to launch in mainland China and Iran. The GRE® General Test home edition has been started in response to GRE Test Centres being shut due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. However, candidates need to make sure that they meet the system equipment requirements set by ETS for registration.
ETS has a series of webinars available on its official website that familiarizes the candidates with this new feature. The home edition of the GRE test would be available to students until test centers resume functioning in full capacity in the various countries. The GRE scores would be communicated to the student within 10-15 days. Candidates should keep in mind that due to the ongoing pandemic there would be no hard copy of the scorecard available to the student.
There have been many security measures including Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and live proctors, that have been adopted by ETS for the smooth functioning of the test at home. Accommodation for test-takers with a disability is also available to students who require the same and on request. No other major changes have been brought in by the ETS while conducting the GRE test at home. Candidates are requested to visit the official website for a detailed understanding of the same. ETS has also temporarily waived off rescheduling fees for all the test takers owing to the current crisis.
Why take the GRE Exam?
Apart from being one of the most commonly accepted exams by universities for admission to graduate programs, students looking to pursue a master's, MBA, or Ph.D. are also required to appear for the GRE General Test. Also, students appear for the GRE exam to secure a merit-based scholarship for grad school. The GRE Test is accepted by thousands of graduate schools across the world. Apart from this, various Business and Law schools and different departments within these schools accept GRE test scores.
Types of GRE
There are two types of GRE tests, GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test.
What is GRE General Test?
Students seeking admission to MS courses in different fields in the US and various other countries appear for GRE General Test. Through this test, a candidate is evaluated on his analytical writing, quantitative ability, and verbal reasoning skills. The GRE Exam is conducted around the year, and candidates can appear for the GRE General Test at their convenience. A large number of students opt for this test as the majority of universities across the world accept GRE scores. The Paper-delivered GRE General Test is offered up to two times a year in areas of the world where computer-delivered testing is not available
What is GRE Subject Test?
The GRE Subject Test evaluates the candidates' ability on a particular subject. The subject tests are conducted in the following topics: Mathematics, Literature (English), Physics and Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry (Cell and Molecular Biology). Generally, this test is required for getting admission to specialized courses. The GRE General Test is offered year-round as a computer-delivered test in most locations around the world. Read More: All about GRE Subject Test
GRE 2021: Key Highlights
Exam Name |
GRE |
GRE full form |
Graduate Record Examination |
Official Website |
|
Most popular for |
MS courses in the USA |
Also accepted for |
MBA courses outside India |
Conducted by |
ETS (Educational Testing Service) |
Mode of Exam |
Computer and Paper – delivered test |
GRE Fee |
US $213 |
Score Range |
Verbal Reasoning score range: 130–170 Quantitative Reasoning score range: 130–170 Analytical Writing score range: 0–6 |
GRE Contact |
+91-1244517127 or 000-800-100-4072 Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. IST Email: [email protected] |
What are the Eligibility criteria for GRE Exam?
There are no specific eligibility criteria for the GRE. Anyone can register for this exam, irrespective of age or qualifications. The only factor that a candidate is required to keep in mind is the fact that he/she would be required to produce their original passport as proof of identity at the exam center, so candidates are required to have a valid passport before they register for the GRE exam.
Age Criteria
There is no age limit set for candidates wanting to appear for their GRE.
Educational Qualification
ETS has not announced any official statement regarding the qualification required to appear for GRE. However, candidates are expected to possess a graduate degree in any discipline from a recognized university
GRE Exam Fee
The application fee for the GRE General Test is $213 worldwide, which would roughly translate to Rs. 15,782 ($1= Rs 74) approximately. GRE Subject Test costs $150 worldwide, which would cost Indian students Rs. 11,114 ($1= Rs 74) approximately. Also, if the applicants want to change the center or reschedule the test, they would be required to pay an extra fee for the same.
GRE Cancellation Fee/ GRE Rescheduling Fee
Candidates who must cancel or reschedule their GRE General Test registration are required to do so no later than four days before the test date or the GRE exam fee would be forfeited. Candidates would be required to pay $50 for rescheduling their GRE test. Apart from this, candidates are charged $50 if they want to change a subject in the GRE Subject Test.
GRE Special Handling Requests
Candidates wanting to avail additional services would be required to pay an extra fee for the same. Charges for special handling requests for services are mentioned below.
Services | Fee |
---|---|
Late Registration Fee |
$25 |
Standby testing |
$25 |
Changing the test center |
$50 |
Rescheduling fee for the rest of the world |
$50 |
GRE Subject Change Fee |
$50 |
How to Register for GRE?
GRE Slot Booking: There are multiple ways to register for GRE. Popular ways through which aspirants can register for GRE are online and over the phone. Apart from this, aspirants can also register through mail or even by fax. For booking a slot for the GRE test candidates would require a debit or credit card to pay the registration fee of US$213 and a valid passport.
Ways to register for GRE
- Online
- Phone
- Fax
How to register for GRE online?
Candidates are required to follow the below-mentioned steps to register for GRE via the online method.
- Candidates need to create an ETS account.
- Select the type of GRE exam they want to take – the GRE General or GRE Subject Test.
- Select the date when they want to appear for the GRE Exam and find the nearest test center.
- Give their academic details.
- Proceed ahead and pay the registration fee of $213.
How to register for GRE over the Phone?
Candidates can call the Regional Registration Center (RRC), which is 'Prometric' located in Gurgaon, Haryana. The phone number is 91-124-4147700. The call must be made at least two business days before your preferred test date. A confirmation number, reporting time and the test center address will be provided to you when you make the call for registration. You can make the payments online through JCB, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or Visa credit or debit card. As mentioned, other methods of registering for your GRE Exam include via mail and through Fax.
For more information on the same, candidates can visit our page for steps to GRE Registration.
Things to remember before registering for the GRE 2021:
- The information you provide on the ETS application should always match your passport. The name you provide should always be the same as it is on your passport. The testing authority can prohibit the aspirant from entering the test center in case of any discrepancies.
- Check out which test-taking format is available in your location and if you are comfortable with that format or not.
- Also, carefully read the policies of the exam before registration.
GRE Test Dates 2021
Like other international standardized exams, there are no fixed official GRE dates and you can choose any date according to your convenience and availability. The exam date that you choose should be at least two months before your first application deadline. So if the deadline for your application is November, you should choose a test date for September. If you feel the need to retake the GRE exam, you can take it in October again. So you need to make a judicious decision about when you need to start preparing for GRE. Click here for the latest GRE Dates.
GRE Exam Centers
In India, GRE is conducted in almost 22 cities. These are Ahmedabad; Allahabad; Bengaluru; Chennai; Cochin; Coimbatore; Dehradun; Gandhinagar; Gurgaon; Gwalior; Hyderabad; Indore; Kolkata; Mumbai; Nashik; New Delhi; Nizamabad; Patna; Pune; Trivandrum; Vadodara; and Vijayawada. The majority of them offer computer-based and some of them offer a paper-based test. For the complete list of GRE Test Centres, Click Here.
As informed earlier, in response to the ongoing pandemic COVID-19, ETS - the conducting body of the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) has decided to launch the GRE® General Test at home for locations where the computer-based format of the GRE Test was earlier available for the convenience of students wanting to study abroad.
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GRE Exam Pattern
GRE exam pattern is made up of three sections, namely, Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. The Analytical Writing section will always be the first, whereas, the Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and unscored sections may appear in any order. Along with the time duration difference, the pattern also differs for paper-based and online exams. Candidates looking to appear for the paper-based format of the GRE Exam can visit the official website for the same.
The GRE General Test consists of three sections
• Analytical Writing
• Verbal Reasoning
• Quantitative Reasoning
GRE paper pattern for the GRE Computer-based Exam vs GRE Paper-based Exam
Candidates looking to appear for the GRE General Test can find the detailed GRE Exam Pattern mentioned below for the GRE Computer Based Test as well as the GRE Paper-Based Test.
GRE Syllabus
The GRE syllabus is different for both GRE tests, GRE General Test, and GRE Subject Test. General Test is the standard exam that tests students' verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills. Students who wish to pursue specialized subjects, need to take the Subject Test that might be required by the college/university they are seeking admission to, as Subject Test focuses on judging the candidate's expertise in specific fields. For a detailed list of subjects covered under the GRE Syllabus, Click Here
Conducted by ETS (Education Testing Service) - The Graduate Record Examination or more commonly referred to as GRE is one of the largest assessment programs for admission to graduate courses worldwide. Students planning to pursue admission to graduate programs abroad are required to undertake the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
Eligibility Criteria for GRE
There is no prescribed age limit or qualification required for candidates to appear for GRE 2021, however, since GRE is an assessment test for admission to graduate courses, candidates are expected to have successfully completed their undergraduate program. Candidates should note that not all programs and universities require candidates to have a GRE score for admission to graduate programs. Whether a candidate requires to appear for his GRE is entirely at the discretion of the university and the course he is pursuing.
Types of GRE
There are basically two types of GRE:
-
GRE General Test
The GRE General Test takes into account verbal reasoning, quantitative ability, and analytical writing skills. Most universities accept the general test score and usually a majority of students opt for this test. It takes place all around the year and candidates can choose their date of taking the exam at their convenience.
-
GRE Subject Test
The GRE Subject Test measures the candidate's achievement in a particular subject area. These tests are conducted for the following subjects, Biochemistry (Cell and Molecular Biology), Biology, Chemistry, Literature (English), Maths, Physics, and Psychology. The exam is conducted on a fixed date for everyone like an entrance exam. This test is required for specialized courses.
Related to GRE 2021
GRE Important Dates | GRE Syllabus |
Best Books and Resources for GRE | Taking the GRE Practice Test |
Register for GRE
There are multiple ways that candidates can register for their GRE test in India:
- Online Registration
Via this method, GRE registration is done online and candidates are required to make an account for the same.
-
Mail Registration
Aspirants looking to appear for GRE are required to print and complete the Application Form, and send it to the correspondence address along with the appropriate fee.
-
Phone Registration
Students are required to contact the Regional Registration Center (RRC), which is located in Gurgaon, Haryana.
-
Fax Registration
Candidates are required to print and complete the GRE Application Form, and send it to the fax number with the appropriate fee.
GRE General Test Dates: Like all other international standardized tests, candidates have the liberty of appearing for GRE round the year. The GRE exam is offered year-round at Prometric test centers in India. At GRE test centres outside of the Prometric network, there might be limited test dates available, so you will have to check the date availability before registering.
As mentioned, GRE is available in both computer and paper delivered mode. However, the GRE Paper Delivered Test is only available for locations that do not have internet access. In India, the GRE test is only available in the computer-delivered format.
Candidates would be glad to know that while the GRE Paper-Based test only occurs on certain days of the year, the GRE Computer Based format of the test happens every month. The GRE Computer Delivered Test happens every month in India on all days excluding weekends and public/general designated holidays. Candidates are advised to book their GRE Exam Slot well in advance to book their desired choice of the test centre and available date.
Candidates are required to create an ETS account and follow the steps mentioned to successfully register for the test. Hence all candidates wanting to know the available GRE Test Dates are informed, that they can register for their GRE Test, the moment they feel prepared as GRE tests are held on all days of the month excluding weekends and designated holidays.
The Graduate Record Examination or GRE is a required standardized exam by those students who wish to seek admission to graduate courses like MS, MSc, MBA, etc. at universities abroad.
Steps to Register for GRE
Candidates wanting to register themselves for the GRE exam would be required to follow the below-mentioned steps.
Step 1: Candidates are required to create a new account or log in to an already existing account on the official website.
Step 2: Candidates would be then required to carefully flesh out their profile. They would be required to mention additional information that could come in handy during the time of their admission or sending of scores.
Step 3: Candidates would be then required to select their GRE Test Centre/Exam Date that is most convenient to them as test-takers. Here is a screenshot of the available days that candidates can choose to appear for the GRE test in the months of October and November 2019.
Step 4: Once the candidate has opted for his choice of Test Date and Exam Centre he would be redirected to the exam payment gateway page. Candidates would be required to pay the GRE test fee as mentioned. They should be careful to check the details of the examination here. Once the payment is made, changes made henceforth would incur a price.
Step 5: Once the payment is made. Candidates can take a printout of the acknowledgment receipt. They would also have access to the same on the dashboard of their accounts.
Writing the GRE exam can be stressful given the duration and length of the question paper. Hence, all the coaching institutes teach their students a few prep tips to save time such as quick calculations, finger-tip formulas, and time management. The most significant learning here is time management that only comes through the rigorous practice of sample papers and mock tests. Even though one is aware of the GRE Syllabus and knows all the answers, failure to management time can lead to an incomplete exam. This is where the importance of being familiar with the GRE Exam pattern is of utmost importance.
The GRE question paper is divided into three main sections, namely, Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. The total time given to complete the exam is three hours and thirty minutes (3 hours 30 minutes=210 mins) and for computer-based, it is three hours and forty minutes (3 hours 40 minutes= 220 mins).
GRE Paper-based Exam Pattern
The paper-based exam includes two sub-sections of each of the main categories- Analytical Writing, Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning. Analytical Writing part contains two tasks with a duration of one hour (60 mins). Verbal and Quantitative reasoning each contains two sections and 50 questions with a maximum time limit of 60 and 70 minutes, consequently. The variable sections of Unscored and Research are not included in the paper-based exam.
GRE Computer-based Exam Pattern
For the computer-based pattern, each of these sections is further divided into two-sub-sections with forty questions in total (Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning). Analytical Writing has only one section that contains two tasks with a time duration of one hour. Apart from these main sections, there are two other variable sections included in the computer-based pattern exam. This section is followed by a ten-minute break after the Quantitative Reasoning part is complete. However, these two variable sections- Unscored and Research section- are not included in the final GRE Scores.
While the GRE Pattern may change from time to time generally, the crux of the format remains the same. Currently, the following is the exam pattern which aspirants can look forward to:
GRE Sections |
Paper-based |
Computer-based | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. of Sections |
Duration |
No. of Sections |
Duration |
|
2 sections- 2 tasks |
60 minutes |
1 section- two tasks |
60 minutes |
|
2 sections- 50 questions |
70 minutes |
2 section- 40 questions |
60 minutes |
|
2 sections- 50 questions |
80 minutes |
2 section- 40 questions |
70 minutes |
|
Unscored |
NA |
NA |
Varies |
Varies |
Research |
NA |
NA |
Varies |
Varies |
Note: GRE paper-based exam is held twice a year (November and February) while the computer-based exam can be taken anytime in a year. However, for the computer-based exam, a student can only appear up to five times in a year and not more than that.
It is important to pay attention to the format of the paper as well as they keep an eye on the time dedicated to each section. As there are certain variable sections added as well in the exams, you can expect the exam to go on a bit longer than expected. It is best not get anxious or restless while writing the exam as it will only make you more stressed. A calm and alert mind is the best way to approach this exam.
The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a computer adaptive test with a total duration of 3 hours and 30 minutes. The GMAT Exam Pattern is decided by the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), which is the official exam administrating body. The GMAT Exam Pattern comprises of both objective and subjective questions.
Overall the GMAT test has 90 questions which are divided into four sections namely Analytical Writing Assessment, Integrated Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Verbal Reasoning. Further, candidates are given a specific time to complete every section of the exam.
GMAT 2021 Exam Pattern
Section |
No. of questions/ Time limit |
Question Type |
Score Range |
---|---|---|---|
1 Topic (30 minutes) |
Analysis of an Argument |
0-6 (0.5-point increments) |
|
12 questions (30 minutes) |
Multi-Source Reasoning, Graphics Interpretation, Two-Part Analysis, Table Analysis |
1-8 (1-point increments) |
|
31 questions (62 minutes) |
Data Sufficiency, Problem Solving |
6-51 (1-point increments) |
|
36 questions (65 minutes) |
Reading Comprehension, Critical Reasoning, Sentence Correction |
6-51 (1-point increments) |
|
Total Exam Duration |
3 hours 7 minutes |
A candidate has the option to take two '8-minute breaks' during the exam.
Candidates wanting to pursue graduate studies abroad are required to qualify for their Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Candidates are required to check with their university admission guidelines and accordingly start preparing for the test to achieve their desirable GRE scores. Candidates can check out the latest GRE Syllabus and the GRE Exam Pattern below.
Two test formats
GRE exam has two test formats - GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test. The GRE syllabus is different for each.
- GRE General Test: General Test is the standard exam that tests students' verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills.
- GRE Subject Test: For more specific courses a Subject Test might be required by the college, as the GRE Subject Test focuses on judging the candidate's expertise in specific fields.
What are the Skills Tested in GRE?
- Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA)
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Verbal Reasoning
GRE Syllabus for General Test
Here is the GRE exam syllabus covering the writing syllabus, verbal reasoning syllabus, and Quantitative (Math) syllabus:
Analytical Writing
The analytical writing section aims to measure the test taker's ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively, support ideas with relevant reasons and examples, examine claims and accompanying evidence, sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion and control the elements of standard written English.
Verbal Reasoning
The verbal reasoning section aims to measure the test taker's ability to analyze and draw conclusions from the discourse, reason from incomplete data, identify the author's assumptions and/or perspective, select important points, distinguish major from minor or relevant points, summarize text, understand the structure of a text, understand the meanings of words, sentences and entire texts and understand relationships among words and concepts.
List of topics covered under the verbal section
- Basic Sentence structure: Nouns, Pronouns, Adjectives
- Verb Tense
- Idioms & Idiomatic Expressions
- Pronoun Agreement
- Subject-Verb Agreement
- Modifiers
- Parallelism
Quantitative Reasoning
The quantitative reasoning section aims to measure the test taker's ability to understand quantitative information, interpret and analyze quantitative information, solve problems using mathematical models, and apply basic mathematical skills and elementary mathematical concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, probability, and statistics.
List of topics covered in Quantitative Reasoning
Ratio and proportion |
Profit and loss |
Simple and compound interest |
Speed, distance and time |
Permutation & combination |
Linear equations |
Quadratic equations |
Sets Theory |
Statistics |
Powers and roots |
Probability |
Pipes, cisterns, work, time |
Lines and angles |
Triangles |
Polygon |
Quadrilateral |
Circles |
Coordinate geometry |
Order of operations |
Volume and surface area |
Percentage |
Number properties |
Preparing for GMAT isn't that impossible of a task as it is made out to be. All you need is a focus and clarity of action. You can choose to study on your own or you can join a coaching center. Both these methods work perfectly fine, it all depends on your priorities.
To choose the best method on how to prepare for the GMAT you first need to look at your criteria and decide accordingly. To be able to study on your own effectively, you need good GMAT books and resources, along with study material, motivation, and self-discipline. If time is a constraint and one needs professional guidance to ensure a competitive edge in GMAT exam preparation, then join a coaching center for GMAT is the better option.
GMAT Study Material
If you take the route of self-study to prepare for GMAT, there are a lot of books and resources along with study materials and GMAT study plans available to help you. GMAC has its own official study guide and free software. Refer to the following GMAT guides and books to help create a study plan -
- The Official Guide for GMAT Review, 2021 – This exam guide includes more than 900 questions from past GMAT exams, a diagnostic section to help you assess where to focus your efforts, and invaluable test-taking tips and strategies to help you get the score you want.
- Free GMATPrep Software – this software includes ninety free questions – 30 Quantitative, 45 Verbal, and 15 Integrated Reasoning – with answers and explanations, tools to create your own practice question set, two full-length practice tests with answers, etc.
- Manhattan GMAT Strategy Guides - This set includes: GMAT Roadmap; Fractions, Decimals, & Percents; Algebra; Word Problems; Geometry; Number Properties; Critical Reasoning; Reading Comprehension; Sentence Correction; Integrated Reasoning & Essay.
- Kaplan GMAT 800: Advanced Prep for Advanced Students - Tips for test-taking, proven strategies for getting a perfect score of 800, and focused guidelines for tackling each question type all combine for the ideal preparation tool for the most ambitious student.
GRE Preparation: Candidates looking to perform well in their GRE test would be required to follow a solid GRE Preparation plan to achieve their desired goal. This article has been solely dedicated to that. Read on to unlock the study plan to score well in your next GRE exam.
Similar to other exam prep, you can choose to study on your own or join a coaching center to prepare for the GRE exam. The decision lies entirely to you, as you need to see whether you have enough time and resources for both. Newer methods of studying are gaining popularity, like online GRE prep classes. It includes both self-studying and coaching class methods. You join a virtual classroom and you learn in the comfort of your home. To choose the best method on how to prepare for GRE you first need to look at your criteria and decide accordingly.
How to Study for the GRE in One Month
If you are focused and confident about your GRE prep, a 30-day study plan will work out great for you, as long as you have the required time. You will need to dedicate at least 2-3 hours a day on average; that too, only if your basic math concepts are clear. If they are not, you'll need more hours per day. Also, if you are good at certain sections, you can skip the sections you know you don't need to review. So essentially this guide can be customized to your strong and weak areas. For more details, CLICK HERE
10 Tips and Tricks for the GRE
When you're preparing for the GRE, it can feel like you're awash in a sea of advice. Some of it is good, some of it's bad, and some of it's just plain unhelpful. So, let's narrow it down. What can you do now to ensure you get the best score before your exam? Read: The ten tricks and tips that will actually help
Effective GRE Preparation Strategies
Section-wise Preparation Tips for GRE: The first section on the GRE is always the Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section. This section comprises two analytical writing tasks -- an analysis of an issue task and an analysis of an argument task. These two tasks are timed separately and you get 30 minutes to complete each task. This section is followed by two Verbal Reasoning sections, two Quantitative Reasoning sections, and an unidentified unscored section which may be either a Verbal Reasoning section or a Quantitative Reasoning section.
These five sections may appear in any order after the Analytical Writing section. You may also get an identified Research section in place of the unidentified unscored section, and, in that case, the Research section will always appear at the end of the test. For more details, CLICK HERE
Whether you are planning to pursue a master's course in law, business or any other graduate course, you need to take the GRE test, which is accepted by thousands of schools across the globe. The GRE Exam has two formats, the GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test. The GRE Test evaluates the candidates on their verbal, analytical and mathematical skills. Whereas, the Subject Test focuses on judging the candidates' abilities in specific areas. The GRE General Test is taken by students from various educational backgrounds and it provides schools with common selection criteria for comparing candidates' qualifications.
Sample Papers (Subject Test Material)
Those who are taking the Subject Test should also prepare accordingly and formulate test-taking strategies to get the desired result. The aspirants preparing for the exam always have the dilemma of how to start preparing. They can practice full-length test and answer key available on the official website of the GRE and develop their test strategy accordingly. The subject includes:
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Literature in English
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology
Students can access all the subject practice test books here and start preparing for the tests.
Preparation for the General Test
From free study material to low-cost books and sample tests, ETS offers a variety of options for students. The aspirants can sign up on the official website of the GRE and access to test preparation tools directly prepared by the experts of GRE. Further, the aspirants can get the free and paid official GRE General Test Preparation Materials here.
Apart from this, the aspirants can also understand the format of the test by following the links mentioned below:
Tutorials (Free)
Since the GRE exam is taken by students of varying backgrounds, an average GRE score differs for every subject. An engineering student will need higher marks in the Quantitative section and arts and humanities students will need higher marks in the Verbal section. Before starting with a preparation strategy, you need to identify what is a good GRE score for your program. Here is a table which will give you a rough idea about good scores which are subject averages.
Computer-based Test – Across all sections, all questions contribute equally to the total score. At the end of the test, a raw test score is computed. The raw test score is the number of questions you answered correctly. Through a process called equating, which takes into account the difficulty of the questions, the raw scores for both the sections are converted into scaled scores on the 130–170 scale. Both the Verbal and the Quantitative portions of the exam are section adaptive, meaning that a student's performance on the first section of a type determines how difficult the second section of that type will be. The better a student performs in the first section, the more difficult the second section will be. Answering difficult questions correctly increases the chances of a higher exam score.
GRE Result and Statistics
Average GRE score differs for every subject. An engineering student will need higher marks in the Quantitative section and arts and humanities students will need higher marks in the Verbal section. Before starting with a preparation strategy, you need to identify what is a good GRE score for your program. Here is a table which will give you a rough idea about good scores which are subject averages.
Subject | Quant Score | Verbal Score |
---|---|---|
Business | 152 | 149.5 |
Education | 147.3 | 150.8 |
Engineering | 158.9 | 148.7 |
Humanities and Arts | 149.2 | 156.5 |
Natural Sciences | 153.1 | 150.8 |
Social Sciences | 150.1 | 152.9 |
Other Fields | 148.9 | 149.7 |
Total | 145.8 | 150.8 |
GRE Results and Scores FAQs
Still, have doubts? Check out our GRE frequently asked questions to understand the nuances of the exam better.
Q. How many GRE practice tests should I take?
A. The more the better. Candidates are highly advised to solve as many GRE practice papers as possible. Students can visit the official GRE website for paid and unpaid GRE sample papers and also refer to our website for guidance.
Q. How long do GRE tests take?
A. The total testing time for the GRE General Test is around three hours and 45 minutes, plus short breaks.
Q. Do you get GRE scores immediately?
A. Your official GRE test scores will be available in your account on the GRE website 10-15 days after your test date.
Q. What is a good score for the GRE?
A. There is no good or bad score. Your preferred university would have a set GRE score as part of their admission criteria and you are required to achieve that or higher to be considered for admission to the university. Higher GRE scores would also qualify you for financial grants if the university has any.
Q. How does the GRE score report look like?
A. Candidates wanting to check out a sample GRE score report can check out our GRE Overview page for the same.
Q. How GRE scores are calculated?
A. At the end of the test, a raw test score is computed. The raw test score is the number of questions you answered correctly. Through a process called equating, which takes into account the difficulty of the questions, the raw scores for both the sections are converted into scaled scores on the 130–170 scale.
Q. Is one month enough for GRE?
A. Candidates are advised to prepare for the GRE exam before booking their GRE test slot. Hence, candidates who have appeared for their GRE before or who are well prepared for the GRE can use the one month for revision and appear for the GRE. Others would definitely need a more substantial amount of time to be well versed with the exam.
Q. Has GRE become tougher over the years?
A. The test has evolved over the years to stay relevant to the demands of the university and student. However, rest assured the main focus of the GRE test has remained the same – to provide quality education to deserving candidates.
Q. What GRE score do I need for Stanford?
A. Candidates can check out GRE score requirements for the Stanford University, here.
Q. What GRE score do you need for Harvard?
A. Candidates can check out GRE score requirements for the Harvard University, here.
Q. How long should I study for GRE?
A. This is entirely at the discretion of the candidate. While students who have appeared for the GRE test before and are on their second attempt would take lesser time preparation time than first-time test takers. Putting a number would be technically not right.