What is GRE

Graduate Record Examination or GRE is a prestigious entrance exam to qualify for an undergraduate or postgraduate course, offered at various foreign universities. The Educational Testing Services (ETS), a New Jersey-based organization, administers the test. The test is a multiple-choice, computer-based comprising verbal reasoning, analytical writing, and quantitative reasoning. The 3 hours and 45-minute exam is accepted by more than 1500 universities worldwide. GRE tests can be taken in both online and offline modes.

The GRE exam tests the aspirant’s command on basic arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis as well as college-level vocabulary. It also measures your ability to analyze and evaluate written material, think critically, and solve problems.

GRE Exam Eligibility

The eligibility criteria for GRE is as follows:

• A bachelor’s degree in any domain
• No upper age limit fixed by organizers to appear for the examination
• The candidate must have a valid passport
• Parents/guardians/candidates must possess a debit/credit card to pay for the fee
• Must take the test at least thirty to 45 days before applying.
• Registration could be done via- website or mail or phone.
  
  

GRE Test Formats

The GRE exam has two test formats –

1. 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 explicit courses a GRE Subject Test is conducted to test the candidate’s expertise in specific fields. 

What are the Skills Tested in GRE?

• Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) – it measures the aspirant’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. The syllabus for GRE Analytical Writing includes two separately timed analytical writing tasks of thirty minutes each:
• Analyze an Issue
• Analyze an Argument

• Quantitative Reasoning- This section aims to measure the aspirant’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.

• Verbal Reasoning The verbal reasoning section aims to measure the aspirant’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.

WHAT IS A GOOD GRE SCORE?

The Verbal and Quant sections of the GRE are each scored from 130 to 170. The mean score for Verbal Reasoning is 151, and the mean score for Quantitative Reasoning is 153. The Analytical Writing Assessment is scored from 0 to 6 in half-point increments, and the mean score is 4.0. A well structured and focused study plan will help you crack the GRE test with good scores.