Exam Preparation Guide for GRE

GRE stands for Graduate Recorded Exam. GRE score is primarily used for admissions into graduate academic programs across U.S.A, Europe and several other countries in the world. It is organized and administered by the Education Testing Service (ETS).

The test aims at measuring a candidate’s proficiency in analytical writing, quantitative reasoning and verbal reasoning. GRE is generally conducted as a computer-based test, usually thrice an year. In regions where computer based testing is unavailable, it is conducted as a paper-based test. A candidate is supposed to choose a time from 3 time-slots: 8AM, 12:30PM. (For dates, visit this link http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/register/centers_dates/ )

Considerations for Taking GRE

Around 7 lakh students from over 233 countries, register for the GRE exam every year. The GRE scores are considered to be quite important for admissions into M.S (Master of Science) and MBA (Master of Business Administration) programmes across various universities in the United States and several other English speaking countries.  The test is also used for admissions into several doctoral and post graduate level programmes. Eligibility Criteria The minimum eligibility for a candidate to take up the GRE exam is a bachelor’s degree in any specialization. The official GRE website does not mention any cut-off GPA (Grade Point Average) to take up the exam.

Affiliated Universities and Institutions

More than 2 thousand universities across the world accept GRE scores for admissions into graduate, post graduate and doctoral programs. To see the list, check this link http://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_aidi_fellowships.pdf

Registration and Fees

To register for the GRE a student needs to either have or create a “My GRE” Account. Here’s the link to register online: http://ets.org/gre/grereg Payment can be made through a valid Credit Card or Debit Card (American Express, Discover, JCB, MasterCard, VISA credit card). The fee for GRE is $185, which is approximately equivalent to Rs. 11000. Note:  While registering, make sure you spell your name exactly same as present in your identification documents which you’re supposed to bring at the test centre. You’re supposed to present 2 ID proofs, one primary (your passport) and one secondary (your license/voter ID card/student ID card). Also read the reschedule and cancellation policies carefully.

Financial Assistance

A candidate can either earn a scholarship by getting a significantly high score in GRE, or he/she can also opt for an educational loan from any bank. It’s suggested to opt for a loan which has fixed interest. Some institutions also have provision for student stipend which is offered in return of working as a Library / Lab assistant. Remember: If according to the bank terms you’re supposed to pay back the loan within a specific time, say 4 years, then it means that those 4 years begin from the date you start receiving money and not after you’ve completed your education.

Examination Pattern

GRE exam has six sections, which are divided as depicted here:

• The first section in the exam is always Analytical Writing section whereas the rest 5 sections might occur in any sequence. The candidate is allowed to navigate between all the sections, unlike the CAT exam which follows a sequential attempt.  One minute break is given after each section including a 10 minute break after the 3^rd section.

• The analytical section has 2 tasks: Issue task & Argument task. Both Verbal and Quantitative reasoning contain 20 questions per section.  Each section tests a candidate on following:

1. Analytical Writing section measures your analytical reasoning, organizational skills, ability to express complex ideas clearly and some other analysis oriented skills.
2. Verbal Reasoning section measures your reading comprehension, ability to draw conclusions from discourse, understanding of relationships between words and general English proficiency.
3. Quantitative Reasoning section measures your mathematical skills, ability to interpret information and general quantitative aptitude.

Note: The experimental or research section is either an extra verbal, or math section, which will not count towards your final score. The purpose of ETS behind this section is to try out new possible questions for implementing in future exams.

Syllabus

There is no specified syllabus for GRE. You can get hands on your English proficiency and basic mathematical skills like Number Systems, Algebra, Geometry and other mathematical fundamentals. The official GRE website explains “what and how to prepare for GRE exam?” . Here’s the official website link for all the sections. Analytical Writing - http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/analytical_writing/ Verbal Reasoning -- http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/verbal_reasoning/ Quantitative Reasoning - http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/quantitative_reasoning/

Useful Tips

1.      Analytical Writing

• Remember that you are free to create your response in any way which conveys it effectively.
• Try to you use minimum number of paragraphs to express your argument.
• Use examples to support your arguments.
• Use basic vocabulary.

 2.      Verbal Reasoning

• Read and examine the comprehension passages carefully before answering any question.
• Try to differentiate between the main statements and supporting ideas statements.
• Try to search for the relationship between different statements. For example, check if one statement supports the other?
• Improve your vocabulary by learning new words and getting across their meanings
• Read every statement completely and try to figure out its overall meaning.

3.      Quantitative Reasoning

• Analyze each question completely and avoid unnecessary calculations.
• Try to simplify the comparisons in your way, like drawing figures and tables.
• Use the “elimination rule” for multiple choice answers.
• Try to identify the questions which need approximations and choose the answer which is closest to your calculated approximation.
• Check if it has been mentioned to round a numeric value answer to a specific degree of accuracy.

Time Management

Remember that there is NO negative marking in GRE. So you must attempt all the questions. Time allocation in the critical Keeping in mind the overall and section wise time availability, here’s a section specific time allocation strategy for each question: In the Verbal Reasoning section: 1 minute 30 seconds for Reading Comprehension, 45 seconds for Sentence Equivalence and around 30-90 seconds on Text Completion (depending upon the number of blanks). In the Quantitative Reasoning Section: 1 minute 15 seconds for Quantitative Comparisons, 2 minutes for Discrete Quantitative and 2 minutes on Data Interpretation.

Recent Changes in Format

The older GRE was a Computer Adaptive Test (CAT), but the new revised GRE isn’t adaptive as the old GRE. To read more about this read our article “All About the Revised GRE “ . Here are some other changes introduced with the new 2012 format: Changes in Analytical Writing

• Changing the sectional time to a total of 60 minutes( previously 75 minutes).
• Dividing the total 60 minutes of section as:  30 for argument task and 30 for issue task ( previously 30 for argument and 45 for issue)

Changes in Quantitative Reasoning Increased focus on statistics, quadratic equations and coordinate geometry. New question types like

• “More than 4 options” in multiple choice type questions.
• Numeric entry questions : wherein a candidate has to enter the answer into an answer box

Changes in Verbal Reasoning

• Eliminating questions on analogies and antonyms and introducing questions on reasoning and context understanding.
• Introducing sentence equivalence and text completion questions
• Introducing passage highlighting and multiple choice questions in reading comprehension.

Results and Scores

The results for GRE exam are usually out by 10-15 days after the test date. The scores for the quantitative and verbal reasoning sections lie between 130 to 170 points in one point increments whereas for the analytic writing section, the range is 0.0 to 6.0 in half point increments. The GRE score is valid up to 5 years after the time of taking the test. However, a candidate’s GRE score is not the only thing to be considered for admission into any university. GRE score is no doubt important but a candidate’s overall undergraduate GPA, GRE admissions interview and even internships play a role in the admission process.

Resources

A GRE aspirant can either take up coaching classes at a coaching center or can also prepare for GRE through books, available in market or even online.  Some of the best books for GRE are:

• ETS’s Official Guide to the GRE Revised General Test 2nd Edition - for both Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning.
• Barron’s New GRE 19th Edition & “Word Power made easy “by Norman Lewis- for Verbal Reasoning.
• McGraw-Hill’s Conquering the New GRE Math - for Quantitative Reasoning

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