GRE
The GRE, short for Graduate Record Examinations, is a category of exams provided by the Educational Testing Services.
There is the general GRE, and three subject-specific GREs in mathematics, physics, and psychology. Most graduate programs require only the general GRE.
The length of the general GRE was shortened by about 50% beginning in September 2023.
The ScoreSelect option allows test-takers to pick-and-choose which scores they would like to send to which institutions.[1]
Test format
Beginning September 22, 2023, the overall test time has five scored sections, and lasts for only 1 hour and 58 minutes, for five sections.[2]
The 30-minute analytical writing section is always first. It consists of one "analyze an issue" question. Its purpose is to test the ability of a student to focus on an issue, analyze it effectively and clearly, and demonstrate an ability to write an essay in English about it.
Then there will be two verbal reasoning and two quantitative reasoning sections, in an order that varies. There may also be an unscored section for experimental purposes.
Verbal reasoning
Verbal Reasoning has two sections:
- Section 1 has 12 questions for 18 minutes
- Section 2 has 15 questions for 23 minutes
The types of questions include:
- sentence (or text) completion
- sentence equivalence
- reading comprehension
Knowledge of vocabulary and roots of words is tested heavily by the verbal reasoning questions, particularly the sentence completion and the sentence equivalence portions. The reading comprehension is a test of one's ability to appreciate metaphors and figurative language.
Old-style questions that focused only on vocabulary by testing antonyms and analogies have been eliminated from the exam.
Sentence (or text) completion
These types of questions consist of 1-5 sentences containing 1-3 blank spaces, and choices to fill in the word for each black space.
Sentence equivalence
There are about 8 of these questions to be answered in 1 minute each. Each of the two verbal sections has about four of these questions.
These questions require choosing 2 correct answers from 6 choices. Hence the "equivalence" between two answers. There is no partial credit.
Tips for sentence equivalence
- as you first read the sentence, think of what word you would put in the blank
- eliminate obviously wrong words quickly in order to narrow the choices
- look for pairs that are synonyms among the choices, but beware of traps whereby they do not really fit the sentence
Quantitative reasoning
Quantitative Reasoning has two sections:
- Section 1 has 12 questions for 21 minutes
- Section 2 has 15 questions for 26 minutes
An on-screen calculator is provided and math skills through only basic algebra and geometry are required. No trigonometry, calculus, or other advance high school or college math is tested.
There are four major topics covered:
Basic arithmetic topics:
- integer types and properties:
- even versus odd numbers, prime numbers, factorization, divisibility and remainders
- square and cube roots, and exponents
- sequence, number line, decimals, absolute value, percent, estimation, ratio and rate
Algebra topics:
- solving simultaneous equations, linear and quadratic, and inequalities
- solving word problems by setting up equations
- simplifying and factoring algebraic expressions
- using exponents
- using mathematical relations and functions
- solving coordinate geometry, which includes graphs of functions, intercepts and line slopes
Geometry topics:
- triangles, particularly right triangles, isosceles, 30°-60°-90°, and equilateral triangles
- measuring angles in degrees
- the Pythagorean theorem
- circles
- parallel and perpendicular lines
- polygons, especially quadrilaterals
- shapes that are similar or congruent
- 3-dimensional figures
- perimeter, area and volume
Data analysis topics:
- statistics: mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation and interquartile range (percentiles and quartiles)
- tables and graphs of data, including line, bar and circle graphs, boxplots, frequency distributions and scatterplots
- probability, including independent and compound events, and conditional probability
- random variables and probability distributions, especially normal distributions
- combinations, permutations and counting methods
- Venn diagrams
Score ranges
The score range is 130-170 for the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning sections, with 170 being the highest on each test and 340 being the highest combined score. The essay portion, called the analytical writing, is scored in increments of 0.5 between 0 and 6.
Improving GRE scores through test preparation
According to a GRE test preparation instructor, most students go up 5-8 points with study, but some students go up as much as 15 points with study.[3]
See also
External links
- Official practice tests
- Kaplan overview of the quantitative section
- Kaplan score predictor for the quantitative section
- schools that accept the GRE
- tips for improving a low score
- Princeton Review practice questions