Key Takeaways
- Standardized test for graduate school readiness.
- Assesses verbal, quantitative, and writing skills.
- Computer-adaptive format with multiple timed sections.
What is Graduate Record Examination (GRE)?
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a standardized, computer-based test administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) that evaluates your readiness for graduate-level academic work. It is widely used by graduate schools and business programs to compare applicants from diverse educational backgrounds on a consistent scale.
The GRE assesses skills critical for success in advanced studies, including verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing, making it a key component in many admissions processes.
Key Characteristics
The GRE features several distinct components designed to measure different academic skills:
- Computer-adaptive: The difficulty of questions adjusts based on your performance on earlier sections, ensuring an accurate assessment of your ability.
- Test sections: Includes Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and an unscored experimental or research section.
- Duration: Approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes, allowing time for thorough evaluation.
- Scoring: Provides separate scores for Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning.
- Global reach: Accepted by thousands of graduate and professional schools worldwide.
How It Works
During the GRE, you navigate through timed sections, completing tasks such as writing essays, answering verbal comprehension questions, and solving quantitative problems. The computer-adaptive format tailors question difficulty dynamically based on your responses to better gauge your skill level.
This testing method requires strategic time management and a strong grasp of foundational concepts, including data analytics and critical reasoning, which are often essential for success in graduate-level programs.
Examples and Use Cases
The GRE is particularly relevant for applicants targeting advanced degrees in various fields and industries:
- Business schools: Many MBA programs consider GRE scores alongside experience in companies like Delta or American Airlines for admissions.
- STEM fields: Engineering and computer science graduate programs heavily weigh GRE scores to assess quantitative and analytical skills.
- Law and social sciences: Programs in these areas use GRE results to evaluate verbal reasoning and analytical writing abilities.
- Career advancement: Some professionals use the GRE to demonstrate aptitude for roles requiring strong quantitative and verbal skills, complementing knowledge in areas like game theory.
Important Considerations
Preparing for the GRE requires balancing study across verbal, quantitative, and writing sections, with emphasis on skills like critical thinking and problem-solving. Understanding your own academic strengths can help tailor your preparation effectively.
Since the GRE score is a key factor in admission decisions, it is wise to familiarize yourself with testing logistics and consider resources such as best business credit cards for managing exam-related expenses or funding your graduate education.
Final Words
The GRE remains a key metric for graduate admissions, assessing critical verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing skills. To maximize your application potential, review your target programs’ score expectations and schedule your test accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
The GRE is a standardized, computer-based test administered by ETS that measures readiness for graduate-level academic work. It is widely used by graduate, business, and law schools primarily in the US and Canada to evaluate applicants' qualifications.
The GRE assesses three main skills: Verbal Reasoning, which evaluates reading comprehension and vocabulary; Quantitative Reasoning, which tests math and problem-solving abilities; and Analytical Writing, which measures the ability to express complex ideas clearly and construct well-reasoned arguments.
The GRE General Test includes six sections completed in about 3 hours and 45 minutes: one Analytical Writing section, two Verbal Reasoning sections, two Quantitative Reasoning sections, and one experimental or research section that does not count toward the final score.
Graduate schools, business schools, and law schools use GRE scores to compare applicants from diverse backgrounds on a level playing field. Scores help these programs identify candidates with the academic skills and potential to succeed in their graduate or professional studies.
Yes, the GRE uses computer-adaptive testing, meaning the difficulty of questions adjusts based on your performance in earlier sections. You can also navigate freely between questions within each section and mark them for review.
The GRE includes questions on reading comprehension, critical thinking, vocabulary, algebra, geometry, arithmetic, data analysis, and argument evaluation, covering skills needed for graduate-level academic work.
Test-takers receive three separate scores for Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. While exact scoring details are not provided, each section is scored independently to reflect your abilities in those areas.
