GRE (Graduate Record Examination)
score is required for admission to Graduate Studies, Fellowship
Programs and Research Programs at US universities and some other
English speaking countries. GRE is
administered by ETS.
The test measures skills in the areas of verbal reasoning,
mathematics, analytical writing and critical thinking.
There are two types of GRE Tests:
1. The General Test
2. The Subject Test
GRE General Test
The GRE Computer Based General
test is computer adaptive, i.e. the next question
presented to you is based on your performance in the previous
question. The hard questions are worth more points than the easier
ones, but the only way to get to the hard questions is answer the
first few questions right. It is very important to spend more time
on the first few questions and answer them correctly so that you
have a chance to answer the more difficult questions that are worth
more points.
The GRE General test is also available
in paper based format in some countrieswhere computer-based testing
is not available.
GRE General Test Pattern
The Computer based GRE General Test is
of approximately 3.5 hours long and comprised of three
sections:
Verbal Section
This section contains 30 multiple choice questions to be
answered in 30 minutes.
The section tests your vocabulary (in the form of Antonyms
questions), your ability to understand a sentence's intended
meaning (in the form of Sentence Completion questions), and ability
to analyze the relationships between two words in a pair
(Analogies) and to draw reasonable inferences from the material in
a reading passage (in the form of Reading Comprehension
Passages).
The verbal section includes approximately:
6 Sentence Completion questions;
9 questions on Antonyms;
7 Analogies questions;
8 questions on Reading Comprehension
Quantitative Section
You will be allotted 45 minutes to answer 28 multiple choice
questions that test your mathematical skill. The questions are
taken from the topics which you have already studied in high
school, like percentages, fractions & decimals, algebra,
geometry, ratio & proportion, area & volume,
probability,etc.
It's not tough to crack this section, especially for
students with science or math background. You can easily score a
perfect 800 with little concentration….whew!!!
The quantitative section contains the following types of
questions:
- Quantitative Comparison
- Problem Solving: Discrete Quantitative
- Problem Solving: Data Interpretation
Analytical Writing Section
This section contains two subsections (Present Your Perspective
on an Issue and Analysis of an argument), each requiring you to
write a short essay.
Present Your Perspective on an Issue
You will be presented with two topics and will have 45
minutes to write your perspective on one of the topics
presented
Analysis of an Argument
You will have 30 minutes to plan and write a critique of an
argument presented in the form of a short passage. You are asked to
gauge the logical soundness of the argument rather than to agree or
disagree with the view it presents. You are not given a choice in
topic for this question.
Experimental Section
In addition to the above sections, there will be one
experimental section which will be either verbal, quantitative or
analytical section. The experimental section score does not count
towards your actual score and contains questions that ETS considers for future test editions. However,
since there is no way of identifying an experimental section, the
test taker has no option but to complete it as if it's an actual
test.
Research Section
The test may also have an additional research section that
appears at the end of the test. This section will be clearly marked
unlike the experimental section. This section will not count
towards the score and is completing this section of the test is
optional.
GRE Subject Test
GRE subject tests are paper based
tests used by admissions or fellowship panels to gauge the
abilities of students pertaining to particular subjects. This test
is not required by all graduate programs. There are very few
universities that require GRE subject
test score for admission to graduate programs, however, it may be
required if you're applying to a program outside of your
undergraduate major. The Subject Tests are offered in the following
eight subjects:
- Biochemistry,cell and molecular biology
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer science
- Literature in English
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology
Testing time is 2 hours and 50 minutes.
The Subject Tests are only paper based and can be taken on set
dates thrice a year in October, November and April. The Computer
Based General test can be taken year-round.
Post Comments