In English-speaking countries, the GRE is a common and well-known admission exam. What does GRE stand for? What is GRE test? If you have such questions on your mind, here is all you need to know.
Students take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) to qualify for undergraduate or postgraduate courses. GRE tests are administered by Educational Testing Services (ETS), a New Jersey-based company. A verbal reasoning element, an analytical writing element, and a quantitative reasoning element make up the test. Over 1500 universities worldwide accept the 3 hours and 45-minute exam. Graduate students can also take the GRE to pursue postgraduate studies. There are two ways to take the GRE test: online and offline. If you are wondering what is GRE and why to do it, read below.
What Is GRE?
The GRE Test, conducted by ETS, is one of the most important assessments for graduate admission to law or business schools. A candidate who wishes to attend graduate school must pass the GRE exam to determine their academic readiness. Candidates are evaluated on their analytical writing skills, quantitative ability, and verbal reasoning abilities through the GRE General Test. Candidates take the GRE Subject Test to evaluate their knowledge of a particular subject.
Why Take The Gre Test?
As part of the university admission, students looking to pursue MS courses, MBA courses, professional degree programmes or thesis work must take the GRE General Test or GRE exam. It is also one of the universities’ most widely accepted exams for graduate programmes. Aside from this, business schools increasingly accept GRE scores instead of GMAT scores – the traditional business school entrance exam. Many U.S. schools also recognise GRE as an alternative to the LSAT, the typical entrance exam for law schools.
When Should You Take The Gre Test?
According to GRE experts, candidates should take the GRE exam 60 to 90 days before their first university application deadline. In this manner, the applicants would have sufficient time to retake the GRE test if necessary.
What Is The Gre Score’s Validity?
Candidates who have taken the GRE should know their results are valid for five years following the test date. As a result, anyone who took the GRE on April 19, 2023, may report their results up to April 18, 2028.
GRE 2023: Key Highlights
| Type of GRE test | Subject Test and General test |
| Sections | Verbal reasoning, analytical writing, and quantitative reasoning |
| No. of Questions | General Test- 82Subject Test- 66 to 230 |
| Score | Verbal reasoning- 130-170Analytical reasoning- 0-6Quantitative reasoning- 130-170 |
| Duration of test | General test- 3 hours and 45 minutesSubject test- 2 hours and 50 minutes |
| Exam purpose | Admission to colleges offering MS, MBA and Law, etc |
Types Of GRE Exams
After answering what is GRE, we look at the types of GRE. There are two types of GRE tests, a) GRE General Test and b) GRE Subject Test.
| Basis | GRE General Test | GRE Subject Test |
| About the test | The GRE General Test assesses your verbal reasoning, numeric reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing abilities—significant skills that have been honed through time. It is unrelated to any particular field of study. | The GRE Subject Test assesses your expertise in a specific study area. The GRE Subject Test includes chemistry, math, physics, and psychology questions. |
| Duration of the GRE Exam | 3 hours and 45 minutes. | 2 hours and 50 minutes. |
| Cost of the GRE Exam | The cost for students registering from India is US$228. The worldwide cost of GRE General Test registration is US$220 | The worldwide cost of GRE Subject Registration is US$150. |
| When is the GRE test held? | The newly introduced GRE at Home service allows you to take the GRE General Test online from the convenience of your home or a GRE test location. The GRE exam is given several times every day, most days of the month. | Three times a year, the GRE Subject Tests are provided at paper-delivered testing facilities worldwide, in April, September, and October. |
GRE Exam Eligibility 2023
There are no particular GRE qualifying requirements as set forth by ETS. Regardless of age or educational background, anyone can sign up for this GRE exam.
- GRE testing is necessary for applicants of master’s programmes.
- The only thing a candidate must be aware of is that they will need to bring their original passport to the testing facility as identification. Therefore, they must have a current passport to register for the GRE exam.
- There is no defined age restriction.
- Graduate degrees from a recognised university are required for candidates.
GRE Exam Fees 2023
Indian students who register for the GRE must pay a $228 application fee for the General Test. The GRE examination costs Rs. 18,741.6 ($1 = Rs. 82.2) in Indian rupees. Students in India will have to pay about Rs. 12,330.07 for the $150 GRE Subject Test. Besides, there is an additional charge for candidates who wish to postpone the exam or alter the testing location. Here are the Worldwide GRE Application Fees and Related Charges for 2023
| Location | GRE Fee |
| GRE Fees in Australia | $220.00 |
| GRE Fees in China | $231.30 |
| GRE Fees in India | $228.00 |
| GRE Fees in Nigeria | $220.00 |
| GRE Fees in Turkey | $220.00 |
| GRE General Test Fees in other areas of the world | $220.00 |
| GRE Subject Test Fees in the world (all locations) | $150.00 |
2023 GRE Registration
Registration for the GRE exam in 2023 is possible in several ways. Candidates must have a valid passport or Aadhar Card on hand throughout the registration procedure in addition to a debit or credit card to pay the $228 registration cost.
Methods for GRE test registration:
- GRE Registration Online
- Registration for the GRE through phone
- GRE Mail Registration
- GRE Fax Registration
Online:
To register for the GRE using the online option, candidates must follow the instructions below:
- On the official website, applicants must register for an ETS account. https://www.ets.org/mygre
- Choose from the GRE General and GRE Subject Tests as the GRE test type.
- Choose between taking the GRE at home or one of the approved GRE Test Centres.
- Choose the day they want to take the GRE Exam, then look for the closest testing facility. If they want to take the GRE at home, omit this step.
- Mention the education details.
- Proceed and pay the $228 registration charge.
Phone:
Candidates may contact the Gurgaon, Haryana-based Regional Registration Centre (RRC) or “Prometric.” It may be reached at 91-124-4147700. The call must be placed at least two working days before your test date. You will be given a confirmation number, a reporting time, and the test centre’s address when you phone to register.
GRE Important Dates In India
- The GRE test may be retaken after a gap of 21 days, but a student may only do so five times annually throughout 12 months or 365 days.
- This also applies if a student requests that the results of their most recent attempt be cancelled. Candidates may select their preferred GRE exam dates for 2023.
GRE Exam Pattern & Format
One of the most important questions is: What is GRE’s pattern and format? There are computer-based and paper-based versions of the GRE General Test are available. On the other hand, the GRE Subject test is only available as a paper-based test.
General Test Format for GRE
The GRE General test is divided into three main categories: two portions each for verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing assessment. In addition to these parts, there are 2 more: Research and Unscored.
All of these parts assist admissions offices in getting to know candidates thoroughly. Let’s look at how:
| GRE General Test Sections | Description |
| GRE Verbal Reasoning | The VR section tests your understanding of complex English, which is one of the most competitive. |
| GRE Quantitative Reasoning | This test assesses your aptitude for mathematics, how you measure problems, and how you analyse them. |
| GRE Analytical Writing Assessment | The purpose of this section is to identify your personality traits as they relate to your communication style, both written and verbal. |
| Unscored & Research Sections | Neither of these sections are scored, as it is an experimental section. In these sections, sections are mixed among scored sections and are designed to gauge test takers’ abilities. |
GRE Syllabus 2023
Having answered what is GRE’s pattern, let us look at the syllabus.
According to the GRE Analytical Writing Syllabus, you must:
- Express complex concepts lucidly and successfully
- Concepts with pertinent justifications and examples
- Examine the assertions and supporting details
- Maintain a focused, logical conversation
- Manage the elements of standardised written English
GRE Verbal Reasoning Syllabus includes:
- Interpret discourse and draw conclusions from it; identify assumptions and/or perspectives of the author; understand figurative, literal, and authorial meanings
- Understanding the structure of a text, selecting major points, and separating minor points from irrelevant points.
- Be able to understand individual words, sentences, and entire texts; be able to make connections between ideas and terms.
GRE Quantitative Reasoning Syllabus includes:
- Using mathematical models to tackle issues
- Assessing quantitative data, interpreting it, and analysing it
- Utilising fundamental knowledge of mathematics, algebra, geometry, and data analysis.
GRE Scores 2023
Getting a perfect GRE score is next to impossible, and GRE scores serve as a screening tool in many places. The average GRE score fluctuates depending on the section. We will provide the typical GRE scores accepted at some of the best colleges worldwide.
| GRE Scoring | Verbal Reasoning | Quantitative Reasoning | Analytical Writing |
| Best GRE Score | 163-170 | 165-170 | 5.0-6.0 |
| Competitive GRE Score | 158-162 | 159-164 | 4.5 |
| Good GRE Score | 152-158 | 153-158 | 4.0 |
Once after receiving the GRE Scores, you must send your GRE results to colleges.
- If you take the computer-based test, you will receive your unofficial GRE verbal and quantitative results immediately. After 10 to 15 days, your entire GRE result, which includes your analytical writing score, will be visible in your ETS Account.
- However, if you took the GRE on paper, your official score report will be available on your ETS account five weeks following the test date. You may immediately send your results, free of charge, through your ETS account to five of your desired colleges after obtaining them. You must spend 30 USD or 2,500 INR for the universities to which you want to send your test results.
2023 GRE Preparation
Self-study may be preferable for preparing for the GRE if money is an issue and you are convinced you can study effectively without guidance. Personal tuition and classes might help you save money, but there are other things to consider. You need a few solid books and resources for the GRE, as well as motivation and self-discipline, to study on your own successfully.
On the other hand, coaching classes are preferable if time is a factor and one wants expert direction to secure a competitive advantage in GRE exam preparation.
Conclusion
Taking the GRE can increase your chances of admission into a graduate programme and enhance your eligibility for scholarships and assistantships. Additionally, some employers also consider GRE scores when evaluating job applicants. Hence, GRE has seen an increase in significance lately in various spheres of education abroad.
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I have done Bachelor’s in Culinary Arts from India and completed my graduation in the year 2022 .I am 22 years old. After graduation, I have done 1 year paid internship from USA .Now, I would like to take occupational experience and learn culinary skills and also do masters in Culinary arts.How can I find the college n best course / country where I can persue studying further