OVERVIEW
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a multiple choice,computer or paper-basedand standardized university entrance exam required for admission in graduate level programs in business, globally. The test is designed to assess candidate’s critical thinking skills, reasoning abilities and mathematical knowledge.
The GRE is owned by Educational Testing Service (ETS) and aims to provide admitting universities with a common measure of student’s preparedness for graduate studies. Exceptional GRE scores alongside appreciable academic achievements can grant you guaranteed admission in your desired colleges or universities.
Paper-based GRE is offered three times a year whereas computer-based test is available for multiple times throughout the year.
FORMAT
The test is offered in both computer based and paper based formats.
There are a total of six sections in both of these test formats, which are simply different arrangements of following three sections
- Analytical writing
- Verbal reasoning
- Quantitative reasoning
In computer based GRE the first section is analytical writing and there are two sections for verbal reasoning and two sections for quantitative reasoning and either an experimental or research sections. The first section is fixed whereas candidates can choose the sequence for the remaining five sections. Candidates are allowed to skip, return to or change their answer to a question.
In paper based test the analytical writing section is divided into two parts and there are two, two sections for verbal and quantitative reasoning. There is no experimental section in this format.
HOW IS GRE SCORED?
For the verbal and quantitative reasoning section each question is worth 1 mark and the score you achieve in these sections is then later converted to a score based on point scale of 130-170.
The analytical writing section is checked by two differentexaminers. If their scores differ by 1 point, an average score is calculated using both scores or otherwise the essays are checked by third examiner. The section is graded from a 0-6 score scale.
RESULT
Official test scores are available about 10-15 days after the test day on the student’s ETS account. The scores are sent directly to recipient institutions designated by student on the test day.
Computer-based test can be retaken every after 21 days of the test date and about 5 times for maximum in a year. Whereas the paper-based test can be taken whenever it is available.Results are valid for a period of five years.