The Graduate Record Examination, or GRE, is a test of abstract thinking skills that focuses on the areas of math, vocabulary, and analytical writing. The GRE is typically an admissions requirement into most graduate schools in the United States, and is normally a computer-based exam that is administered by testing centers. It varies by school just how much importance is placed upon a GRE test when going through the admission process, but the requirement of taking the test usually leads students to place a high level of value upon doing well.
The Structure of the GRE
The GRE is broken down into three main sections that you will be tested on, consisting of an analytical writing section, a verbal reasoning section, and a quantitative reasoning section. Each section has a score of its own, that when combined, gives you an overall score for the test as a whole.
Analytical Writing Section:
This section is broken down into two different essays, consisting of an "issue task" (where the test taker chooses between two topics to write an essay), and an "argument task" (where the test taker is given an argument, and must choose one side of the argument and defend why that position is stronger).
Verbal Reasoning Section:
In this section, the test-taker is tested on the ability to analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it, as well as analyze relationships among component parts of sentences, and recognize relationships between words and concepts. This is typically a multiple-choice section of the test and consists of 30 questions.
Quantitative Reasoning Section:
This section is also a multiple-choice component, and test-takers are required to show their understanding of basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis, and prove that are able to reason quantitatively, and solve problems in a quantitative setting.
Time on the Test
The test is typically split up by separate time allotments as follows:
- Analytical Writing -- Issue Task (45 Minutes) and Argument Task (45 minutes)
- Verbal Reasoning Section -- 30 minutes
- Quantitative Reasoning Section -- 45 minutes
The Grading
On the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections, the test-taker is scored on a range from 200 to 800 points for each section, with 10 point increments used in the determination of the final score. That leaves the maximum score available through this combination as 1600 total points. The analytical section is given to two test reviewers who grade it on a score from 0 to 6 and then average their two scores to get the final score for the test-taker. Difficulty of the question comes in to play when the grading is done by the reviewers, and when they are finished they present the test-taker with a final score based first on the analytical section and then a combination score of the other sections.
GRE Resources
There are always edits and updates to the GRE test, and a great resource to check out is The National GRE Site which provides free information on everything that has to do with the GRE. There you can find practice tests, potential topics for the GRE essays, as well as a great FAQ section about the GRE if you have any further questions. There are also Test Prep Classes Available through Kaplan if you are interested.
It's best to go into the GRE test prepared with the knowledge of what will be covered on the test; so always take advantage of the tools at your disposal. By familiarizing yourself with the potential topics and sections, you will be setting yourself up to succeed.
