Graduate Record Examination
The importance of GRE scores varies across schools and departments. Costs range from $160 to $210, with fee reductions for eligible applicants. ETS offers financial aid for those facing economic hardship. Test records older than 5 years are erased, though admission policies on older scores vary by graduate programs.
The GRE comprises four sections: one writing section and three multiple-choice sections. It tests verbal, quantitative, and experimental skills, with the experimental section not affecting the reported score. The test duration is approximately 4 hours.
Verbal Reasoning
Analytical Writing
Critical Thinking
The verbal section includes analogies, completions, and reading comprehension. Scores range from 200-800 in 10-point increments. It primarily assesses vocabulary and usually has 30 questions with a 30-minute time limit.
The quantitative section tests high-school level math with problem-solving and quantitative comparison questions. Scores range from 200-800 in 10-point increments. It has around 28 questions and a 45-minute time limit, including 14 quantitative comparison, 10 multiple-choice, and 4 data interpretation questions.
The analytical writing section has two essays: an "issue task" and an "argument task." Scores range from 0-6 in half-point increments. Essays are typed on ETS-designed software with basic functions, no spell-checker. Each essay is graded by at least two readers on a six-point scale; if scores differ by over one point, a third reader assesses it.
Test takers choose from two essay topics, with 45 minutes to write. Issue topics are drawn from a question pool.
Test takers critique an argument, focusing on logic and suggesting improvements. Time given is 30 minutes, and arguments come from a topic pool.
The experimental section may include verbal, quantitative, or analytical writing tasks with new questions for future use. It doesn't count toward the score, looks like the real test, and is mandatory. Not all GRE exams have this section, and a separate research section may appear at the end.