The GRE General Test is a standardized test created and administered by the Educational Testing Service, commonly known as ETS, that is designed to measure overall academic readiness for graduate school. Some grad programs require that applicants take not only the general test but also a GRE Subject Test that assesses technical knowledge related to a specific discipline like physics, psychology, or mathematics.
Prospective applicants from around the world who are interested in pursuing a master's, specialized master's in business, MBA, JD, or doctoral degree take the GRE General Test.
GRE scores are used by admissions or fellowship panels to supplement your undergraduate records, recommendation letters, and other qualifications for graduate-level study. They provide schools with a common measure for comparison.
The application fee for the GRE general test is US $213 for Indian students registering for the GRE Test. The GRE fees in Indian rupees are roughly 15,912 approximately.
There are multiple ways to register for the GRE test. Popular ways through which aspirants can register for the GRE exam are online and over the phone. Apart from this, aspirants can also register through mail or even by fax. For booking a slot for the GRE test candidates would require a debit or credit card to pay the registration fee of US$213 and have a valid passport or Aadhar Card during the registration process.
Ways to register for GRE Test
· GRE Online Registration
· GRE Phone Registration
· GRE Mail Registration
· GRE Fax Registration
Candidates are required to follow the below-mentioned steps to register for GRE via the online method.
· Candidates need to create an ETS account on the
official website
· Select the type of GRE exam they want to take – the GRE General or GRE Subject Test.
· Select the date when they want to appear for the GRE Exam and find the nearest test center.
· Give their academic details.
· Proceed ahead and pay the registration fee of $213.
Candidates can call the Regional Registration Center (RRC), which is located in Gurgaon, Haryana. The phone number is 91-124-4147700. The call must be made at least two business days before your preferred test date. A confirmation number, reporting time, and the test center address will be provided to you when you make the call for registration. You can make the payments online through JCB, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, or Visa credit or debit card. As mentioned, other methods of registering for your GRE Exam include via mail and through Fax.
ETS has a series of webinars available on its official website that familiarizes the candidates with this new feature. The home edition of the GRE test, the GRE at Home test would be available to students until test centers resume functioning in full capacity in the various countries or till further notice. The GRE scores would be communicated to the student within 10-15 days. Candidates should keep in mind that due to the ongoing pandemic there would be no hard copy of the scorecard available to the student.
There have been many security measures including Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and live proctors, that have been adopted by ETS for the smooth functioning of the test at home. Accommodation for test-takers with a disability is also available to students who require the same and on request. No other major changes have been brought in by the ETS while conducting the GRE test at home. Candidates are requested to visit the official website for a detailed understanding of the same. ETS has also temporarily waived off rescheduling fees for all the test takers owing to the current crisis.
There are basically two types of GRE tests:
GRE General Test
The GRE General Test takes into account verbal reasoning, quantitative ability, and analytical writing skills. Most universities accept the general test score and usually a majority of students opt for this test. It takes place all around the year and candidates can choose their date of taking the exam at their convenience.
GRE Subject Test
The GRE Subject Test measures the candidate’s achievement in a particular subject area. These tests are conducted for the following subjects, Biochemistry (Cell and Molecular Biology), Biology, Chemistry, Literature (English), Maths, Physics, and Psychology. The exam is conducted on a fixed date for everyone like an entrance exam. This test is required for specialized courses.
Apart from being one of the most commonly accepted exams by universities for admission to graduate programs, students looking to pursue MS courses, MBA courses, professional degree programs, or opting for thesis work are required to appear for the GRE General Test or GRE exam as part of the university admission process. Apart from this, there has been a growing trend of business schools accepting GRE scores in lieu of the GMAT exam - the traditional business school entrance exam. There are also a few but growing number of U.S. law schools that accept the GRE as an alternative to the LSAT, the typical law school entrance exam.
The GRE is a standardized test for people planning on attending grad school. You can think of it as similar to an ACT or SAT for graduate admissions. It tests verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills. The GRE is the most commonly required and most commonly taken test for graduate school. If you apply to grad school, your GRE scores will likely be used as one of the pieces of information admissions officers use to determine if you’d be a good fit for their school and program.
There are no specific eligibility criteria for GRE Exam as prescribed by ETS. Anyone can register for this GRE exam, irrespective of qualifications. However, candidates applying for master's courses are required to take their GRE test. The only other factor that a candidate is required to keep in mind is the fact that he/she would be required to produce their original passport as proof of identity at the exam center, so candidates are required to have a valid passport before they register for the GRE exam.
Update: Candidates should note that starting July 1, 2021, candidates can use their Aadhar Card as part of the identity of proof during the GRE registration process.
Candidates who have appeared for their GRE test should know that their GRE scores are valid for a period of five years from the day of the exam
The Graduate Record Exam is a standardized test used to get admissions in various graduate or business graduate schools in English-speaking countries, especially the United States.
The test measures verbal, quantitative, and analytical skills. The subject tests measure knowledge of particular subjects such as Biology, English language, and literature or Mathematics. The GRE is a generalized test that is not related to any particular discipline or field. It has been designed to assess skills that students have picked up over the years.
There are no specific dates for the GRE test, students can contact the nearest test center to seek an appointment.
You can take the test once every 21 days, up to five times within any continuous rolling 12-month period (365 days). This applies even if you canceled your scores on a test taken previously.
Candidates should note that GRE scores would be available to the candidates 10 to 15 days from their GRE test date. Once their GRE General Test scores are available on their ETS account, the conducting body would send the candidate an email notification informing them of the same. Candidates who have opted for the GRE at Home test would get their score also available to them in 10 to 15 days from their GRE test date.
On GRE Test Day, you can expect to sit for the exam for approximately four hours, including test-taking time and short breaks. Note that this time does not include your check-in time at the testing center. It is important to be on time and fully prepared. ETS recommends that you arrive at the testing center at least 30 minutes before your test time.
The GRE Subject Tests have a total testing time of 2 hours and 50 minutes. There are no separately timed sections, so you may work straight through the test at your own pace. You will record your answers on a separate multiple-choice answer sheet. Mark only one answer for each question.
You are free to skip questions that you might have difficulty answering and come back to them later during the time provided. You may change the answer to any question you recorded on the answer sheet by erasing it completely and then filling in the oval corresponding to your desired answer.
You may use your test book to work out your answers, but you must mark all your answers on the separate answer sheet before time is called. No credit will be given for any answers recorded in your test book.
Your score will be determined by the number of questions you answer correctly. Questions you answer incorrectly or for which you mark no answer or more than one answer are counted as incorrect. Nothing is subtracted from a score if you answer a question incorrectly. Therefore, to maximize your score, it is better for you to guess at an answer than not to respond at all.
GRE Exam Pattern Computer Based
GRE Exam Pattern Paper Based
The GRE Subject Tests are available only in the paper-based format. The total duration of the test is 2 hours, 50 minutes. There won't be any separately timed sections within the test. Further details about each subject test:
1. Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology
There will be 170 multiple choice questions (MCQ)
The questions will be from 3 main topics: Biochemistry (36%), Cell Biology (28%), and Molecular Biology & Genetics (36
%)
2. Biology
There will be around 190 MCQs with 5 options
The questions will be from 3 main topics: cellular and molecular biology (33-34%), organismal biology (33-34%), and ecology and evolution (33-34%)
3. Chemistry
There will be 130 questions approximately
The questions will be from 4 main areas: analytical chemistry (15%), inorganic chemistry (25%), organic chemistry (30%), and physical chemistry (30%.)
4. Literature in English
This subject test would have around 230 questions on poetry, drama, biography, the essay, the short story, the novel, criticism, literary theory, and the history of the language
The scope of the literature (in English) tested would vary from the British Isles, the US, other parts of the world. There can also be questions on major works (for eg. the Bible) translated from other languages.
The type of questions asked would be: Literary Analysis (40–55%), Identification (15–20%), Cultural and Historical Contexts (20–25%), and History & Theory of Literary Criticism (10–15%)
5. Mathematics
The GRE Subject Test in Mathematics may have up to 66 MCQs
The areas tested would include calculus (50%), algebra (25%), and other topics like real analysis, sequences, and series, logic, set theory, combinatorics, geometry, complex variables, probability, statistics, etc. (25%)
6. Physics
There will be at least 100 five-choice MCQs that will test your grasp of the fundamental principles of physics taught in the 3 years of undergraduate study
Classical Mechanics — 20%, Electromagnetism — 18%, Optics And Wave Phenomena — 9%, Thermodynamics, And Statistical Mechanics — 10%, Quantum Mechanics — 12%, Atomic Physics — 10%, Special Relativity — 6%, Laboratory Methods — 6%, And Other Specialized Topics — 9%
7. Psychology
There will approximately be around 205 MCQ questions in this test with two sub-scores - experimental (40%) and social (43%) and others (17%).