GRE Test

The Graduate Record Exam (GRE) is administered by the Educational Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey. It is just one of the standard yardsticks used to measure the prospective graduate student's chances of success in a graduate program. The other elements upon which graduate admissions are based are grade point average, past performance in undergraduate work, and pertinent outside activities. The GRE is an enhanced and upgraded version of the tests required for admission to college or university, namely, the SAT Reasoning Test and the American College Test or ACT. It measures similar skills in reasoning and critical thinking, but the standards of verbal and quantitative reasoning are set higher, as are the standards for analysis and critical thinking. The successful Graduation Record Examination taker will also have enhanced abilities in analyzing problems and presenting ideas in writing.

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The GRE is administered in other countries besides the United States and Canada. Computer-based testing is typical, except for in geographic areas where the electronic infrastructure cannot support computer-based testing. In such cases, paper-based versions are made available. In addition to the general Graduate Record Exam, an admitting university may also require a Graduate Record Exam in one of the eight specialty areas: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, English Literature, Math, Physics, and Psychology.

The GRE, excluding the GRE Subject Area Test, consists of four elements, one of which is not scored and not identified as such. The purpose of the unscored and unidentified component is to develop questions for future versions of the exam. The three common components of GRE are Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. Provision is made for a poor performance on the GRE; the student may cancel the scoring and validation of a particular test by notifying the administrators immediately. Multiple testing is allowed. However, only one test may be taken within a month and a prospective student cannot take the test more than 5 times within a year. This policy applies even if the student has cancelled one or more of the tests. Registration is conducted online or by phone. It is a good idea to register for a test early, since the GRE is administered at the various site locations on a first-come, first-served basis.