Learn All About The GRE Exam With Ixora
The GRE is a popular exam, similar to the GMAT, that evaluates a candidate’s readiness for graduate, master’s, and doctoral programs in various fields, such as business management, engineering, and law. Many colleges and universities globally, particularly in the USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Ireland, and Hong Kong, accept GRE scores as part of their admission criteria, alongside GPA, letters of recommendation, and other qualifications. In this blog, we will learn all about the GRE.
There are two types of GREs: the General Test and the Subject Test. In 2024, the GRE will be available both online and offline throughout the year.
Important Facts About GRE:
Here are some key facts about the GRE:
1. Two Types of Tests: The GRE offers the General Test, which measures writing, verbal, and math skills, and Subject Tests, which focus on specific subjects like biology, chemistry, and math.
2. Widely Accepted: GRE scores are accepted by many graduate and business schools worldwide, including in the USA, UK, Canada, Japan, Ireland, and Hong Kong.
3. Flexible Formats: Although the GRE General Test is available online and on paper, the Subject Tests are usually paper-based.
4. Year-Round Availability: You can take the GRE General Test any time of the year, either at a test center or online at home.
5. Score Validity: GRE scores are valid for five years and you can use them for applications over a long period.
6. Registration and Prep: You can register for the GRE online and use various preparation materials, including practice tests and study guides from ETS, the test maker.
7. Test Length: The GRE General Test takes about 3 hours and 45 minutes, including breaks.
8. Scoring: The GRE General Test scores verbal and math sections on a scale of 130-170 and the writing section on a scale of 0-6. Subject Tests are scored between 200-990.
9. Retake Policy: You can retake the GRE General Test once every 21 days, up to five times in a year.
10. Score Reporting: With the ScoreSelect option, you can choose to send only your best scores to schools.
How to be eligible for the GRE?
There are no strict eligibility requirements for the GRE. However, you have to meet certain specific requirements for the courses and colleges you are interested in, and these are:
- Age Limit: There is no age limit set by ETS.
- Education: You need an undergraduate degree.
- Identification: You must have a valid passport with a photo and signature and a government-approved ID like an Aadhaar card.
Changes to the GRE Pattern Starting September 22, 2023
The GRE General Test has been shortened. Instead of taking 4 hours, it now takes less than 2 hours. Despite the shorter duration, the total marks remain the same.
Key changes include:
- Fewer Questions: You will answer fewer questions, so the time per question is roughly the same.
- No Extra Sections or Breaks: Any additional sections and breaks have been removed.
- Faster Results: You’ll receive your scores in 8–10 days, compared to the previous 10–15 days.
What Stays the Same in the New GRE Pattern?
The GRE General Test still focuses on the same core areas: language, math, critical thinking, and writing skills. It continues to reflect the thinking needed for challenging graduate school courses.
GRE Exam Pattern Overview
- GRE Verbal Exam Pattern-
The GRE verbal exam format assesses your ability to:
- Identify main points
- Draw the line between major, minor, and irrelevant details
- Summarize text
- Understand the structure of a passage
- Comprehend the meaning of words, sentences, and entire texts
- Recognize connections between words and concepts
- GRE Quantitative Exam Pattern
The GRE quantitative section evaluates your skills in:
- Understanding, interpreting, and analyzing quantitative data
- Solving problems using mathematical models
- Applying basic arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis concepts
- Section-Level Adaptation
Both Verbal and Quantitative sections are adaptive, meaning:
- The difficulty of the second section depends on your performance in the first section
- If you perform well in the first section, the next section will be more challenging
- Your score is adjusted based on the number of correct answers and the difficulty of the questions
- GRE Analytical Writing Exam Pattern
The analytical writing section requires you to:
- Clearly explain complex ideas
- Support your ideas with relevant reasons and examples
- Maintain a clear and focused discussion
- Use standard written English
GRE Analytical Writing is the first section of the GRE, followed by the Verbal and Quantitative sections. The “Analyze an Argument” question has been removed, leaving only the “Analyze an Issue” question.
GRE Exam Pattern and Scores
- The number of questions and test time has been reduced, but the score scale and total marks remain unchanged.
- Verbal and Quantitative sections are each scored out of 170.
- Analytical Writing is scored out of 6.
- The scoring process remains the same, so each question now contributes more to your final score.
GRE General Tests
The updated pattern after the 22nd of September 2023.
| Section Names | No. of questions | Duration |
| Analytical Writing | 1 Analyse an issue | 30 Minutes |
| Verbal Reasoning – 2 sections | 12 Questions in Section 115 Questions in Section 2 | 18 Minutes23 Minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning – 2 sections | 12 Questions in Section 115 Questions in Section 2 | 21 Minutes26 Minutes |
The test lasts for 1 hour and 58 minutes, not counting breaks. After each section, you have a 1-minute break, and after the Analytical Writing (AW) section, there’s a 10-minute break. The test starts with the AW section, followed alternately by 4 sections of Verbal Reasoning (VR) and Quantitative Reasoning (QR). For instance, if the second section is VR, the third will be QR, continuing in this pattern.
GRE Subject Tests
GRE Subject Tests are additional exams that showcase your knowledge in specific academic fields. Currently, you can choose from Math, Psychology, and Physics tests. The Math test lasts 2 hours and 50 minutes, while the Physics and Psychology tests are 2 hours each. These tests are available online for two weeks each month in September, October, and April. You can take multiple subject tests, but only one per test date, and each test costs $150.
How to achieve high scores on GRE Subject Tests?
GRE Subject Tests are scored based on the number of correct answers, converted to a scale from 200 to 990 in 10-point increments. It’s important to note that scores cannot be directly compared across different subject tests; a score of 660 on the Psychology test does not equate to a 660 on the Math test. There are no penalties for incorrect answers, so it’s advisable to answer every question. Some tests also provide subscores for specific topics within the curriculum. Similar to the general GRE, you can choose which scores to send to institutions using the ETS ScoreSelect® option. Scores can be canceled after the test, but this is rarely necessary due to ScoreSelect® flexibility. GRE Subject Test scores remain valid for 5 years from the test date.
How to prepare for the GRE?
Go over your college courses that are related to the subject. Quickly look through old textbooks and notes to refresh your memory on the material. Also, take a practice GRE Subject Test, which you can access for each test through ETS. This will help you get used to the kinds of questions you’ll encounter on the actual GRE Subject Test.
Top Universities that accept GRE
Here are some top universities that accept the GRE:
- Harvard University
- University of Pennsylvania
- Yale University
- New York University
- Northwestern University
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
- University of California, Berkeley