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You've probably heard this acronym multiple times, especially from students who've got their sights set on joining a college overseas. That's because the GRE is a common admission requirement for Master's and PhD programs in colleges worldwide. A good GRE score will help students secure admission in a recognised college and bag merit-based scholarships.
GRE stands for Graduate Record Examination. It is a multiple-choice, computer-based exam organised by the test makers ETS (Educational Testing Service). The test was first conducted in 1949 and has helped many students pursue a variety of programs.
GRE General Test is for students wanting to pursue a Master's, specialised Master's, doctorate, MBA, or JD (Juris Doctor for pursuing Law).
*GRE Subject Test tests your knowledge in specific subjects Chemistry, Biology, Math, Physics, English Literature, and Psychology.
The GRE General Test has an advanced, adaptive design. Candidates can move forwards or backwards within a section; you can skip questions and go back later and answer them using the 'Mark' and 'Review' features. You can also change and edit answers within a section. An on-screen calculator makes it convenient for you to perform calculations.
Several universities and graduate schools around the world accept GRE scores. Universities in popular study abroad destinations like the US, Canada, Singapore, UK include GRE scores in their admission criteria.
There are no specific eligibility criteria for the test. This means that almost anyone who wishes to pursue graduate programs abroad can take the test. There are no restrictions on age or qualifications either.
When appearing for the exam, the student must produce an original passport as proof of identity. You can register for the exam and book a test date without your passport number but must produce it at the exam centre.
Registration fee for GRE General Test | USD 262 in India |
Registration fee for GRE Subject Test | USD 168 worldwide |
Additional costs | - Exam preparation costs - Rescheduling fee - Requests for score reports - Score reviews |
Accepted mode of payment | For the GRE Exam, you can pay using globally issued Visa, MasterCard, and American Express credit cards. In India, you can also use locally issued Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, and Rupay cards, as well as UPI and Bharat QR payments. Digital wallets like Google Pay, Paytm, and PhonePe are also accepted. |
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You can register for GRE online or via phone.
When registering over the phone, make the call at least two business days before your preferred test date. This will ensure that you get the date and time slot you desire. If you wish to cancel or reschedule a test, you must do so no later than 4 days before the examination, or you would lose your registration fee. The fee to reschedule your test is USD 50.
The GRE General test is designed to evaluate critical thinking. The GRE syllabus is divided into three main sections: Analytical Writing, Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning. Refer to this table to know more about the GRE exam pattern
Section | Skillset | No. of tasks / sections | Allotted time |
Analytic Writing Assessment | Tests your ability to articulate complex ideas, sustain a discussion | 1 section | 30 minutes |
Verbal Reasoning | Checks your English competence through your ability to arrive at conclusions, understand perspectives, summarise texts and understand their structure | 2 sections, 27 questions | 41 minutes |
Quantitative Reasoning | Tests your ability to understand quantitative information, interpret and analyse it and apply Mathematical skills and concepts to solve problems | 2 sections, 27 questions | 47 minutes |
The GRE Subject Test evaluates your knowledge in Mathematics, Literature (English), Physics and Psychology, Biology, and Chemistry.
Time-management is crucial to complete the exam. Repeatedly taking practice tests can help you manage your time better.
You should identify the GRE scoring pattern as it will help you understand how scores are calculated:
Section | Score range |
Analytic Writing Assessment | 0-6 with half-point increments |
Verbal Reasoning | 130-170 with 1-point increments |
Quantitative Reasoning | 130-170 with 1-point increments |
GRE total score is calculated on a 260-340 scale. For the GRE Subject Test, the score range is between 200-990.
While GRE scores are essential, they aren't the only factor considered during the college application process. It helps to supplement a GRE score with an excellent academic record to improve the chances of bagging a scholarship or getting into the college of choice. For extra credits, students could also take up a job or internship for work experience. Helping out at an NGO or doing voluntary work also adds value to the student's application.
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This is a highly competitive exam. Since admission depends on these scores, prepare hard. Here are some tips to help you do better:
It's good to set a target score; make a list of the universities you want to apply to. Now find out the average GRE scores of the latest incoming class. The target score should either match this average or be above it.
While the GRE is an immensely competitive exam, a student can score well if they practise hard. Good scores improve your chances of getting admission to the college of your choice. So, it helps break some sweat during the GRE preparation.
A student can take the test up to 5 times in a rolling period of 365 days. There must be a break of 21 days between two exams.
When deciding a time to take the test, it helps to consider the application deadlines of colleges. Then, working backwards, it is easy to plan for retests, unexpected delays, and even the time it will take for the scores to arrive.
This depends from person to person. Experts say that it takes 2-3 months of intensive studying to get familiar with the GRE syllabus. If a student is looking at a more relaxed but steady pace, it's best to start preparing at least 6 months in advance. There are several books available to help you prep for the exam. You can also visit the ETS website to get free and paid study material, including practice tests.
Yes, they can be. GRE General Test scores are usually given about 10-15 days after taking the test. It is possible to check scores on the students' ETS accounts. The GRE Subject Test scores can take up to 5 weeks to reach you.
GRE registration fee entitles a student to have scores directly sent to up to four graduate institutions or fellowship sponsors. The 'SelectScore' option lets the student decide which scores they want to send to the desired institutions. If a student wants to send score reports to more than 4 institutions, the charges are USD 33 per recipient.
The GRE general exam is conducted throughout the year. The exam dates of GRE subject tests are available only 3 times in a year, mostly in the months of April, September and October. What is the best time to take GRE Exam?The ideal time to take the GRE exam is when you have plenty of time to prepare for it. Consider some of the lighter months in your academic schedule since your GRE score and your GPA will play an important role for your college selection.
The validity of both GRE general and subject scores is of five years.
A good GRE score will depend on which university or program you have opted for. On an average a score of 320 or higher is considered good for getting admission in top institutions. For MBA applicants a score between 315-320 is considered good for admission.
The difficulty level of GRE or GMAT exam depends on the applicant’s capabilities. Both exams have different approaches to assess a candidate and both don’t have negative marking. One aspect where GRE applicants have an advantage is that they can skip a question and come back to it in each section.
Yes, the at-home GRE test is similar to the one taken in a test center. While signing up for the test, make sure that you meet all the requirements as the at-home GRE test offers more flexibility in terms of schedules.
The full form of GRE is Graduate Record Examination. This test serves as one of the requirements for admission for many graduate schools in the US and other countries.
The GRE General Test focuses on assessing verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing skills. In contrast, the GRE Subject test focuses on specific subjects like Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, or Psychology. The GRE subject test is often required for applying to specialized programs.
While there's no official minimum age for taking the GRE, most candidates are typically in their late teens or older, often around 18 or above, as they are usually preparing for graduate school. However, younger individuals can take the test if they feel ready and meet the requirements.