Major Exams - Graduate Record Examination Back to GRE Home  
 
Graduate Record Examination

The Graduate Record Examination or GRE is a multiple-choice admission test for applicants to graduate schools. It is mandatory for students seeking Masters Degree or PhD degrees in the US.

The test is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), under the sponsorship of the Graduate Record Examinations Board. It is designed to provide graduate schools with a common yardstick to analyze the aptitude of students for higher studies. In addition to an admission criterion, schools often use GRE scores to determine eligibility for merit-based grants and fellowships, as well as teaching and research assistantships.

ETS also administers the GRE Subject Tests that gauges undergraduate achievement in specific fields of study and can help forecast a candidate’s potential for success in graduate school. Each Subject Test is intended for students who have majored in or have extensive background in that specific area.

The GRE is a computer-adaptive test, which means your performance on previous questions determines which question you'll be asked next.

 
GRE Test Versions
There are two versions of GRE test :
  • GRE General Test, and
  • GRE Subject Test.
 
GRE General Test
This test is open to all candidates, irrespective of their age or educational background. Generally taken by prospective graduate students, this test measures verbal reasoning, analytical writing, critical writing and quantitative reasoning skills of a candidate.
 
GRE Subject test
This version of GRE exam assesses candidates’ knowledge level and accomplishments in a specific field of study. Unlike the GRE General test, this test is available only thrice in a year and can be taken only as the paper-based test.

The scores of this test are often required for doctoral programs in the US, though some universities require the GRE Subject test scores for Masters-level programs too.

The eight subjects in which the GRE subject test is presently conducted are :

  • Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology,
  • Biology,
  • Chemistry,
  • Computer Science,
  • English Literature,
  • Mathematics,
  • Physics, and
  • Psychology.
GRE test format
Total time allotted for :
  • Computer-adaptive test: 3 hours
  • Paper-based test: 3 ¾ hours
Analytical writing section always appears first in the test, followed by Verbal, Quantitative and Unidentified (if applicable) sections in any order. If there is a Research section, it always appears at the end of the test.
 
Test format for computer-based test:
Section No. of Question Time Allotted
Analytical Writing Issue Task (You have to choose one of the two essay topics) 45 minutes
Analytical Writing 1 Argument Task 30 minutes
Verbal 30 30 minutes
Quantitative 28 45 minutes
Unidentified Variable Variable
Research Variable Variable
 
Test format for paper-based test:
Section No. of Question Time Allotted
Analytical Writing Issue Task (You have to choose one of the two essay topics) 45 minutes
Analytical Writing 1 Argument Task 30 minutes
Verbal (2 sections) 38 per section 30 minutes per section
Quantitative (2 sections) 30 per section 30 minutes per section
Unidentified Variable 30 minutes
 
EXAMPLES OF ANALYTICAL WRITING – ISSUE TOPICS
Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views.
  1. "Important truths begin as outrageous, or at least uncomfortable, attacks upon the accepted wisdom of the time."
  2. "Originality does not mean thinking something that was never thought before; it means putting old ideas together in new ways."
  3. "Laws should not be rigid or fixed. Instead, they should be flexible enough to take account of various circumstances, times, and places."
  4. "It is always an individual who is the impetus for innovation; the details may be worked out by a team, but true innovation results from the enterprise and unique perception of an individual."
  5. "The function of science is to reassure; the purpose of art is to upset. Therein lies the value of each."
  6. "The study of an academic discipline alters the way we perceive the world. After studying the discipline, we see the same world as before, but with different eye."
  7. "It is possible to pass laws that control or place limits on people's behavior, but legislation cannot reform human nature. Laws cannot change what is in people's hearts and minds."
  8. "What most human beings really want to attain is not knowledge, but certainty. Gaining real knowledge requires taking risks and keeping the mind open-but most people prefer to be reassured rather than to learn the complex and often unsettling truth about anything."
Eligibility
The Eligibility Criteria for Graduate Record Exams, GRE is given here. Taking GRE test is to get admission into graduate colleges / Universities of USA, Canada and other countries. The minimum educational qualification is basically undergraduate degree (offered under 10+2+4 years of minimum education basis) from any of the recognized Universities.
  • The prospective graduate applicants take the GRE General Test and GRE subject test. GRE scores are used by the admissions authorities or fellowship panels to supplement undergraduate academic, extracurricular records and other qualifications for graduate study.
  • Some GRE Subject Tests yield sub scores that can indicate the strengths and weaknesses of an individual student and may be useful for guidance and placement purposes.
  • The GRE test scores are valid for five years and most universities accept scores up to five years old but candidates are strongly recommended to keep latest scores not more than two years old.
Duration of the Test
2½ hours + Experimental section
 
How to register?
www.GRE.org
 
How many times can I register to take the exam?
GRE policy states you may take the computer-based GRE exam once per calendar month. If you test more than once per month, your new scores will not be reported and your test fee will be forfeited. All your scores will be written in the report as long as they are valid ( less than 5 years.) thus, if you take the GRE for the 10 times in 3 years ( not more than 5 times in a year and one time in a month) all your scores will be reported. If you even cancel you score, then they will indicate that this person on this date and in this place (Place of exam- code of it) took the GRE and canceled his/her exam.

It’s a varying policy, but the Universities may choose to look at the best score, the average or a combination of both depending upon the strength of the other parts of your application. So you really cannot choose to send "Any Particular" scores. The University will know all your GRE scores in the last 5yrs for which they keep the record of your examination valid.

However if you do cancel your score, of course you wont be able to see your score, but the record of that exam will not appear in the report as well.

 
Where is it held?
The ETS has appointed Testing Agencies in India and they function as franchisee for ETS. The tests are held in nine centers across the country, and include Ahemdabad, Allahabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Thiruvananthapuram.
 
Test Dates & Deadlines
GRE General Test is conducted all the year round from Monday to Friday, twice a day.

However, September to December is the busiest time of the year for the test centers. Hence, students who wish to take the test on a particular date within this period should contact the chosen test centre (preferably, two to three months in advance) for registration.

GRE Subject test is only conducted three times in a year in the months of :
  • October,
  • November, and
  • April.

You will need to contact your chosen test centre to finalize the exact date on which you will take the test

For computer-based GRE test, scores are mailed to you and the recipients you designated between 10 to 15 days.

For paper-based test GRE test, scores are mailed between 4 to 6 weeks.
 
For how long is the score card valid?
The score is generally valid for 5 years.
 
Disclaimer: These lists are indicative only.
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