GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

The Graduate Record Examination is a test used to assess an applicant's skills in verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and critical thinking, which are critical for success at the graduate level. GRE General Test is widely accepted worldwide in over 160 countries and by thousands of graduate and business schools/universities.

Numerous modifications have been made to the GRE general and subject tests as of September 22, 2023. The test scores will be available for five years after the test date and can be used by the student to send additional reports whenever necessary for a nominal fee.

About the GRE

• GRE General Test consists of three sections- Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing.
• The Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning section has two subsections, while the section on analytical writing has just one.
• Some graduate programs may require a GRE subject score.
• There are GRE Subject Tests which measure the student's excellence in a particular subject. The subjects offered by the GRE are Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology.
• After the exam, candidates can send their free score report to up to four universities. Additional reports can be sent for a cost by using the ScoreSelect option.

Why is the GRE Needed?

Candidates planning to pursue a graduate degree (Master's or Ph.D.) might need to take the GRE. Most Business schools now accept the GRE for MBA programs instead of GMAT, and most Law programs also accept GRE scores instead of LSAT scores. For some colleges/programs, it's an optional test, but all the same, it is highly recommended for candidates looking to pursue higher education.

Taking the GRE is not mandatory for applying to some colleges. However, having the score report increases the chances of getting admission since it shows the student's dedication and acts as an extra marker through which they can assess the abilities of the student in question.

Cost of Taking GRE

The following is the cost of taking the GRE and other services:

Services	Fee (in U.S.$)
Registration	Mainland China-$231.30 All other countries-$220
Subject Test Fee	$150
Rescheduling	Mainland China-$53.90 All other countries-$50
Test Center Changes	$50
Additional Score Report	$35 per recipient
Question-Answers Review-Verbal and Quantitative Section	$50 (New York State Residents only)
Score Review for Analytical Writing Section	$60
Score Reinstatement	$50

FORMS OF PAYMENT:
Modes of online payments include:

• Credit/Debit Card (American Express, Diners Club International, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, RuPay Global, UnionPay or VISA)
• PayPal
• Alipay Plus
• Authorization Vouchers

Candidates can call the following numbers to finish the process if they are unable to make payments online:

• U.S., Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Canadian Residents, call toll-free number-1866-473-4373 or 1-609-771-7670.
• Residents of all other countries, call appropriate Regional Customer Support.

GRE Structure

The GRE General Test is divided into 3 sections, and the total testing time is 1 hour and 58 minutes with no optional breaks. The test consists of 54 questions and 1 task. The directions at the beginning of each section specify the total number of questions and the time allowed for the section. The number of questions in each section and the time allocated to answer them are mentioned below.

Section	Number of Questions	Time Allotted
Analytical Writing	One 'Analyze an Issue' task	30 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning	Section 1-12 questions	Section 1-18 minutes
	Section 2-15 questions	Section 2- 23 minutes
Verbal Reasoning	Section 1-12 questions	Section 1-21 minutes
	Section 2-15 questions	Section 2-26 minutes
Total	54 questions	~ 1 hour 58 minutes

The GRE Subject Test is offered in Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology subjects. Candidates looking to pursue a course that requires extensive knowledge in either of these fields should consider taking the corresponding subject test. These tests are computer-delivered and contain multiple-choice questions.

Subject	Number of Questions	Time Allotted	Content
Mathematics	66 questions	2 hours 50 minutes	Calculus (50%) Algebra (25%) Other (25%)
Physics	70 questions	2 hours	Classical Mechanics (20%) Electromagnetism (18%) Quantum Mechanics (13%) Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics (10%) Atomic Physics (10%) Specialized Topics (9%) Optics and Wave Phenomena (8%) Special Relativity (6%) Laboratory Methods (6%)
Psychology	144 questions	2 hours	Biological (#30) Cognitive (#29) Measurement/Methodology/Other (#25) Clinical (#23) Social (#19) Developmental (#18)

GRE Test Dates

GRE is now a computer-delivered test. GRE General Test can be scheduled online based on the location and preference of the candidate. GRE Subject Tests are administered only during 3 months in a year- September, October, and April-May.

GRE Official Score Report

GRE General Test scores are available 8 - 10 days following the test date. When the scores are available, candidates will receive an email from ETS. The official GRE General Test score report will be available in their ETS account.

GRE Subject Test scores are released on the score release dates mentioned below:

Test Date	Score Release Date
September 16 - 29, 2024	October 7, 2024
October 17 - 30, 2024	November 7, 2024
April 21 - May 4, 2025	May 12, 2025

Additionally, ETS will send an official Institution Score Report to the designated score recipients. The content of the score report is as follows:

• GRE scores
• Contact information including mailing address, email address, and phone number
• Date of birth and gender
• Intended graduate major

GRE Scoring - How is GRE Scored?

The score for the GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test includes:

Section	Score Range	Scoring Technique
Verbal Reasoning	130 - 170	1-point increment
Quantitative Reasoning	130 - 170	1-point increment
Analytical Writing	0 - 6	0.5-point increment
Subject Tests	200 - 990	10-point increments

• There is no negative marking, so the candidates should attempt all the questions.
• After the test, candidates can view their unofficial Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning section scores. Test centers cannot print unofficial test results.
• Official GRE General test score reports will be sent to the designated recipients within 8 to 10 days of the test's administration, and candidates can access them through their ETS account.
• Additionally, candidates have the option to Score Select, which allows them to choose which test results to submit to the colleges of their choice.
• GRE scores are valid for five years.
• GRE Biology, Chemistry, and Literature in English Subject tests have been discontinued, but their scores are reportable till 5 years after the test date.

Which Programs Accept GRE Scores?

Graduate schools widely accept the GRE for many majors. For professional degree courses, it is popular in Engineering, Science, Stats, Mathematics, etc. disciplines. More than 500 business schools worldwide accept the GRE General Test, including top schools like Harvard, MIT, Wharton, and INSEAD, for their MBA programs. In the last few years, the number of business schools accepting the GRE General Test for MBA admissions has quadrupled. Law Schools also accept the GRE Score report.
To view the list of accredited colleges and fellowship providers across various nations that can receive the GRE score, click here.

Retaking GRE

Many candidates retake the GRE to obtain a better score. It is advisable to take the test well in advance so there is ample time to retake it if needed.

• GRE General Test- Up to 5 test attempts in 12 consecutive months are allowed, with at least 21 days between two attempts.
• GRE Subject Test- Only 1 test attempt allowed every 14 days.

This policy encourages candidates to practice and prepare for GRE before they retake it.

Some Facts about the GRE

• Candidates who have taken the GRE multiple times can send their scores from any test date, either their current score or a score from the previous exam. There will be no mention of other scores in the score report.
• A basic calculator (non-scientific) is available for the GRE Quantitative section. This calculator will be available on the screen during the computer-based test.
• Maximum Score for the Verbal and Quantitative sections are 170 each.
• Analytical writing score will be reported on a 0-6 score scale in half-point increments.
• GRE is accepted by thousands of universities worldwide.
• Most Universities require a GRE General score for admission to M.S., M.Sc., and MTech. Many Business and Law schools now accept GRE scores for admission to the MBA program.
• For all Engineering students, GRE Quantitative is most important for best results. GRE Quantitative must be well above 165, and the GRE Verbal must be above 155.
• For Law Schools, the average GRE score is 165 in the Quantitative Section and 167 in the Verbal Section.
• MBA aspirants should get an average score of 162 in the Verbal Section and 165 in the Quantitative Section to get admission to a good Business School.
• There is no penalty for wrong answers, although excessive grammatical, vocabulary, and punctuation errors in the writing section can negatively impact the score in this section.
• One can review, move forward, edit/change answers, etc., within a section.