The GRE® General Test

measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills that are not related to any specific field of study.

Verbal Reasoning — The skills measured include the test taker's ability to

• analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it
• analyze relationships among component parts of sentences
• recognize relationships between words and concepts

Quantitative Reasoning — The skills measured include the test taker's ability to

• understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis
• reason quantitatively
• solve problems in a quantitative setting

Analytical Writing — The skills measured include the test taker's ability to

• articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
• examine claims and accompanying evidence
• support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
• sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
• control the elements of standard written English

Who Takes It and Why?

Prospective graduate applicants take the General Test. GRE® test scores are used by admissions or fellowship panels to supplement undergraduate records and other qualifications for graduate study. The scores provide common measures for comparing the qualifications of applicants and aid in evaluating grades and recommendations.

Where Do People Take It?

The General Test is offered year-round at computer-based test centers in the U.S., Canada, and many other countries. It is offered at paper-based test centers in areas of the world where computer-based testing is not available.

Who Accepts It?

Any accredited graduate, business or professional school, or any department or division within a school, may require or recommend that its applicants take the General Test, a Subject Test, or both. If approved by the GRE® Board, an institution seeking accreditation can also receive test takers' scores.

FAQS on GRE

Who can take GRE^®?

Anyone who wants to pursue a master's course in a US university in any stream other than management, law or medicine.

Does one have to be a graduate for taking the GRE^®?

Not necessarily. However, to do a master's course, one has to be a graduate in any stream.

What is the syllabus?

The course consists of Maths, English and Essay Writing with the following pattern:
45 min: Maths section - 25 questions
30 min: verbal section - 30
45 minutes: Analysis of an Issue - 1 topic from the declared list of topics
30 minutes: Analyse an Argument - 1 topic from the declared list of topics
These sections do not appear in any fixed order. In addition, there is an unidentified verbal or a quantitative section that does not count toward the final score. The total exam is nearly three hours long.

What is the scoring system?

The total marks are 1600, out of which 1300 and above is considered good. Different questions carry different marks, depending on its difficulty level. English and maths carry 800 marks each. Essays carry six marks.

How often can I take the exam?

GRE^® can be taken 5 times in a calendar year.


Which score will the college consider?

Universities consider the best score.

When is the exam held?

The exam is held in different cities across India at Sylvan Prometric Centres on all working days. There are two time slots in the day.

How can one register?

You can register by phone or submit the form physically at their centre. When registering through the phone, keep your passport and international credit card number ready, along with the expiry date.

What is the cost of the exam?

The charges are $160 payable to ETS-GRE^® in US dollars.

What happens if one postpones the exam date?

If you postpone the exam at least seven days before your scheduled date, you would have to pay an additional $48 to reschedule else the entire fees is forfeited.

How soon do I get my score?

You will see your score the moment you finish the exam, but official scores takes 21 days to reach the student.

What happens if I cancel the exam?

After taking the exam you are given the choice of cancelling your score without seeing it. If you do so, the score is lost forever but it gets reported on all subsequent score charts that you had cancelled an exam.

How do I pass on my score to the college?

The universities only accept official scores sent directly by ETS. Scores to four colleges can be sent free of cost. while taking the exam. Subsequently, for each score report sent to a college, you would have to pay ETS a token amount.

How important is the GRE^® score in helping secure scholarships for graduate studies?

The GRE^® score, your past academic record and your application materials play a vital part towards securing scholarships.

What is percentile?

If you get 85 percentile it would mean 85 % of the students taking the exam in the past five years are below you and 15% are equal to or above you.

What is the GRE^® subject test?

The GRE^® subject tests are specialized tests, to be taken only if your university asks for it. Check with them. In India, Subject GRE^® is offered only once a year, in November.

GRE prep for Indians

When to start

This is the question that plagues most students during their pre-final year.

Many believe the GRE requires close to six months of intensive preparation. This, I think, is a fallacy.

The GRE is not a particularly difficult examination. Really!

As an engineer/ engineering student, the Quantitative Reasoning section of the GRE shouldn't be too difficult, especially after spending four years in the company of engineering mathematics.

But if you are like most engineers and have had a healthy disdain for English through school, Verbal Ability is unlikely to be a cakewalk.

Taking everything into consideration, cracking the GRE does not require more than a couple of months of hard work.

Pre-final year students have the advantage of having a summer break before the final year. This summer break can be put to good use, especially if you manage to cloister yourself in a room, away from distractions.

The best time, in my opinion, to book a date for writing the GRE is in the month of June or early July. After that, academic pressures may put a damper on your preparation for the exam.

If you postpone taking the exam to September, you could suddenly find yourself pressed for time. This is mainly because the official GRE scores do not arrive until three weeks after you take the examination.

More important, writing the GRE is merely a small part in the entire application process.

Booking a date

i. The easiest way to book a date to write the GRE is to call Prometric India on (011) 2651 1649.

Writing the examination will put you back by $140 (Rs 6,115 approximately).

ii. You need an international credit card to book your seat.

iii. Monday is a good day to choose to write the GRE because Saturday and Sunday are likely to be holidays, and so you miss fewer classes (or days of work).

Study material

The GRE guides on the planet are probably outnumbered only by the number of institutions claiming to give you a passport to the Indian Institutes of Management.

Choosing the right mix is not very easy and involves trial and error.

A few books and CDs that I, and a few of my acquaintances, found helpful are:

i. Barron's How to Prepare for the GRE: Graduate Record Examination, 14th edition.

This is a book every GRE aspirant is undoubtedly aware of.

It is most famous for its 50 word lists, containing arcane words the testers at ETS love to ask.

Read the book. You will totally believe that the people at ETS do not speak normal English like the rest of us.

ii. GRE Big Book, published by the Educational Testing Service.

The Big Book is little known. But it is one I found extremely useful.

It contains 27 question papers culled from the paper and pencil avatar of the GRE over several years, and is published by the same people who set the tests, ETS.

Unfortunately, it is out of print and is very difficult to find.

With a little perseverance, you can get hold of a photocopy of the same. If you are decent at Quantitative Reasoning, you can safely skip those sections here.

This book is a must-have!

iii. Kaplan Higher Score on the GRE CD

This CD contains a diagnostic test, three full-length Computer Adaptive Tests and six sectional tests, in addition to a few nifty tools.

The Verbal Ability Section is much tougher than what one is likely to find elsewhere (and in the actual exam as well). The Quantitative Reasoning section is tougher as well.

So do not be surprised if you witness a terrible dip in your performance when you try this out.

iv. The Princeton Review CD

The Princeton Review CD has quite a few Computer Adaptive Tests which are a lot easier than the actual GRE, in my opinion.

Attempt to score a minimum of 1,450 or so in these tests. For a sample test online, click here.

v. The PowerPrep CD

When you book your date to write the GRE, you will receive this CD from ETS.

This CD does not have as much information as one might expect (shocking, especially when one looks at how much ETS charges the test taker!).

I strongly recommend preserving one of the two diagnostic tests on the CD for the day before the GRE. This is because repeated experiments with several people I know seem to indicate that what you score in the actual GRE will hover around your score in the PowerPrep test.

There are lots of other test prep CDs and books you can avail of. (Cambridge and Peterson's crop to mind), but it is best to stick to these.

If you have the time, inclination and money for the others, do give them a shot.

Note: Many wonder whether it is worth attending coaching classes to prepare for the GRE. To answer the question: No.

The coaching institutes charge the earth, and do not give you an edge over anyone else who has worked hard sitting at home.

Also: the practice tests that most of them promise you are merely CATs from some of the CDs I have mentioned above. Take it from one who has actually squandered a lot of money on these classes!

Prefixes

Prefix	Meaning	Example
a, an	without, not	asexual, amoral, anarchy, anhydrous, Anabaptist, anachronism
ab, abs, a	apart, away from	abnormal, abduct, abductor (muscle), abscission .See ad in Prefixes,
ad	toward	adhere, adductor (muscle) . See ab in Prefixes section), adumbrate
agere	act	agent, agency, agenda
amphi, ambi	round, both sides	amphitheater, amphibian, ambidextrous, ambivalent
ante	before	antedate, anteroom, antecedent, anterior
anthro	man	anthropology, anthropomorphic
anti	against	antipathy, antitank, anticlimax
aqua	water	aquarium, aqueous
archaios	ancient	archeology, archetype, archaic, archeozoic
archos	leader, first, chief	monarchy, oligarchy, anarchy, archetype, architect
audio	hear	audiophile, audiometer, auditory
auto	self	automatic, automaton, auto-immune
bi	two	bi-partisan, bisexual, biennial, binary, bicuspid, bivalve
bene	well, favorable	benefit, benevolent, benefactor, beneficent
bible	book	bibliography, Bible, bibliophile
bio	life	biology, biography, bio-active
caco	Bad	cacophony
cide	kill	homicide, parricide, germicidal, ecocide
circum	around	circumference, circumlocution, circumnavigate
constitutus	stand	constitution, statute
corpus	body	corpse, corporeal punishment, corpus callosum
cracy	rule	democracy, theocrat, technocracy
credo	belief	credit, (see also roots section)
demos	people	democracy, demographic
di	two, double	dimorphism, dicotyledon, diatomic
dia	across, through	diagonal, dialectic, dialogue, diagnosis
dis	not, apart	disperse, disinherit, disenfranchise, distend
dominus	lord	dominant, dominion
dynasthai	be able	dynamic, dynamo, dynasty, dynamite
ego	I, self	ego, egomaniac, egocentric,
epi	upon, over	epidermis, epidemic, epigram, epitaph, epithet, epiphyte, epistasis, epinephrine, epiphysis
ex	out	exotic, exterior, extraneous, extemporaneous, exophalmic, exogenous, exothermic, exoskeleton
federis (see also Roots section)	league, pact	federation, confederate
frater	brother	fraternize, fraternity, fraternal, fratricide
geo	earth	geology, geography, geocentric, geomancy
graph (see also Roots section)	write, record	graphic, graphite, graphology,
hetero	mixed, unlike	heterogeneous, heterosexual, heterodox, heterodont, hetero atom, heterocyclic, heterozygous,
homo	same, alike	homogeneous, homogenized, homozygous, homolytic fission, Homo sapiens, homonid, homeostasis
idem	the same	identity, idiopathic, I, individual
ideo	idea	ideology, ideation, ideal
idios	one's own	idiom, idiosyncrasy, idiopathic
in	in	incarcerate, incorporate, inculcate, induction, inductance, indigenous, indicator, inspiration
in, im	not	incredible, ignoble, inglorious, inhospitable, infinite, infinitesimal, immoral
inter	between	interact, interstellar, interpret, interstitial
legis (lex)	law	legal, legislature
lexis	word	lexicon, lexicography
liber	free, book	liberty, library, liberal
locus	place	locality, local, circumlocution
macro	large	macroeconomics, macroscopic, macrophage
mania (see Roots section also)	obsession	maniac, Beatlemania
meter (see Roots section also)	measure	metronome, speedometer, odometer
micro	small	microscope, micron, micrometer, microorganism
mittere, mitto (see Roots section also)	send	mission, transmit, remit
mono	one, single	monocle, monopoly, monogamy, monovalent, monomania, monarchy
mortis	death	mortician, mortuary, moribund, morbid
nomen	name	noble, ignominy, nomenclature, nominal
olig	few	oligarchy, oligopoly
pater	father	paternal, paternity, patricide
ped (see Roots section also)	foot	pedestrian, pedal, pedicure, podiatrist
peri	around	peripatetic, periscope, perineum, peritoneum
phage (see Roots section also)	eat	phagocyte, phagocytosis
philo	love	philosophy, philanthropy
phobos (see Roots section)
phon (see Roots section)
polein	sell	monopoly
polis (see Roots section also)	city	political, metropolitan
poly (see Roots section also)	many	polygamy, polyphonic, hoi polloi
porto	carry	porter, export
post	after	post script (p.s.), ex post facto, post hoc, post-mortem
pre	before	premier, preview, premium, prescient
pro	before, in favor of	project, projectile,
psyche	mind, soul	psychology
publicus	people	public, republic, pub, publican
riparia	river	riparian
scope	examine	microscope, oscilloscope
scribo (see Roots section also)	write	transcribe, scribe, script
solus	alone	solo, solitary
subter	under, secret	subterfuge, subtle, subaltern, subterranean
sin (sys before b, p, or m)	together, with	synchronize, symphony, sympathy, syncretic, syncope
tele	distance	telegraph, telephone, teleology
trans	across	transport, transcend, transmogrify
utilis	useful	utility, utilitarian
vide, visibil, vis	see	video, vision, visible

GRE SCORE RANGE CALCULATOR

GRE - Time and Strategy

GRE Exam is all about strategy and timing. I have meet and spoke to so many students who took GRE and I was able to find a pattern, that will allow to estimate how much you can score in actual GRE Test. Wouldn’t it be nice to know the score range even before you take GRE test?

When Can I know GRE Score Range

You can find out how much you can score in GRE only 3 to 5 days before your actual GRE Test date. But, having an idea will help you to decide on which 4 universities to forward gre scores. That will save more than $100 during graduate school application GRE score forwarding.

GRE Score Calculator

• I have suggested to take ETS Powerprep exam only 1 week to 5 days before actual GRE exam. That’s the only source where the tests are scored using the same patten asgre exam is evaluated.
• You can take powerprep practice tesst many times. Only few questions will be repeated.
• With 2 gre practice test in ETS Powerprep, you can take more than 5 to 8 times. Make a note of scores you get in powerprep.
• Don’t take powerprep exam as yet another practice test. Make evey attempt to take it seriously and put your 100% effort to score more.
• For instance, you can score 400 in gre verbal section first test and score 500 in second gre practice test. So, if you take 8 powerprep gre practice test, then make a note of the score and save it in ascending order.

Test 1 - GRE Verbal 400

Test 2 - Verbal 410

Test 3 - Verbal 400

Test 8 - Verbal 450

Interpret GRE Score Table

• If all the scores for example are within the range of 400 to 450, then its very much lokely your GRE Score in actual test will not go more than 500.
• Lowest score you can expect is 350 to 380.
• Which implies, you can score anywhere from 380 to 430 in actual GRE exam. This applies to both GRE Verbal and Quantitative sections in actual exam.

How True is the above Said GRE Scores?

I have seen so many students who take powerprep and when they say the scores to me, I can very well say, how much they can expect to score in actual GRE CAT. Here are some examples of my formula to estimate your GRE scores

• Jones - Friend of mine from work, took GRE Exam yesterday. His score range in powerprep was 400 to 600 in Verbal, but majority of scores around 480. GRE quantitative, he was scoring around 740 to 780. In actual GRE Exam, he scored 490 in Verbal and 750 in quantitative section.
• Raghuram - Yes, that’s me. I was getting around 400 to 450 in Verbal, 750 to 780 in Maths and ended up getting within the above range.
• More Examples : I’m collecting details from more students who recently took GRE.

I scored more than Practice Test Range

Is that possible? To score more than that maximum score in Verbal and Quanititaive section. Yes, if you scoring 750 in Math section, you can score 800, but if you are getting 700 to 750 in GRE Practice test, it will be tough sk to score 800 out of 800. But, for Verbal I really doubt, you can increase the score overnight from 450 to 650+.

Suffixes

Suffix		Meaning		Examples		Function or Characteristic Usage Notes in this column refer to common functions of these suffixes. However, these are generalizations only, and you will find exceptions to many of them.
able, ible		able, can do		capable, agreeable, visible		verb ® adjective
ade		result of action		blockade, lemonade		verb or noun ® noun
age		act of, state of, collection of		salvage, storage, forage		added to root words (often French) to form a noun
al		relating to		sensual, gradual, manual, natural		verb or noun ® adjective
algia		pain		neuralgia		noun
an, ian		native of, pertaining to		American, Martian, antediluvian		noun ® adjective
ance, ancy		action, process, state		assistance, allowance, defiance		verb ® noun
ant		performing, agent		assistant, servant		verb ® noun
ary, ery, ory		relating to, quality, place where		dictionary, bravery, dormitory, aviary, ordinary		noun or adjective adjective ® noun adjective or noun ® noun
ate		cause, make		liquidate, segregate		noun or adjective ® verb
cian		having a specific skill		magician, optician, physician		noun
cule, ling		very small		molecule, miniscule,		noun or adjective
cy		action, function		advocacy, hesitancy, prophecy, normalcy		noun
dom		quality, realm, office		freedom, kingdom, wisdom, thralldom		noun
ee		one who receives the action		employee, nominee, refugee		noun
en		made of, make		silken, frozen, oaken, wooden, lighten		adjective or verb (ex: widen)
ence, ency		action, state of, quality		difference, conference, urgency		noun
er, or		on who, that which		baker, carpenter, brewer		noun
escent		in the process of		adolescent, obsolescent, convalescent		adjective or noun
ese		a native of		Javanese, Vietnamese		noun or adjective
esis, osis		action, process, condition		genesis, hypnosis, neurosis, osmosis		noun
ess		female		poetess, goddess		noun
et, ette		small one, group		midget, octet, baronet,		noun
fic		making, causing		scientific, specific		adjective
ful		full of		frightful, beautiful, helpful		adjective
fy		make		fortify, simplify		verb
hood		order, quality		neighborhood, motherhood		noun
ic		nature of, like		metallic, heroic, poetic		adjective
ice		condition, state, quality		justice, malice		noun
id, ide		something connected to or belonging to		fluid, fluoride, torrid, canid		noun or adjective
ine		having the nature or characteristic of		feminine, masculine, medicine		adjective or noun
ion, sion, tion		act of, state of, result of		contagion, infection, aversion		noun
ish		origin, nature, resembling		Spanish, foolish,		noun ® adjective (however, often the adjective is used as a noun. ex: "The Spanish" meaning the people of Spain)
ism		system, manner, condition		alcoholism, feminism, heroism, communism		noun
ist		one who, that which		pianist, elitist		noun verb ® noun
ite		nature of, quality of		dynamite, graphite, sulfite, neophyte		noun or adjective verb or adjective ® adjective or noun
ity, ty		state of, quality		captivity, clarity		noun
ive		causing		conclusive, festive, restive, abusive		adjective or nouns derived from adjectives
ize		to make (like)		emphasize, anthropomorphize		verb
less		without		worthless, mindless, guileless		adjective
ly		like		clearly, fearlessly		adverb
ment		act of, result		contentment, amendment		noun verb ® noun
ness		state of		carelessness, uselessness		adjective ® noun
oid		like (often suggests flawed or partial resemblance)		asteroid, tabloid, anthropoid, rhomboid, ovoid		noun or adjective ® noun or adjective that is similar to or has the qualities of the original word
(o)logy		study, science, theory		biology		noun

HOW TO IMPROVE UR GRE SCORE?

Follow the steps listed below for preparing for GRE Exam. I’m sure it will increase your score.

1) There are lots of free online GRE practice Tests available. Take one of the test without any distractions and see how you score in Verbal and Quantitative.

2) For the questions you have answered wrong, make sure you find out why you selected the wrong answer and find how to solve it right. If you happen to learn a new formula or words, make a note of it. you could use a separate notebook, one for Verbal and one for Maths.

3) Also, spend at least 1 hour per day for GRE Vocabulary from Barron’s GRE book. It has 50 Word Lists. Try to remember atleast 1 word list per week. So, every week you can read 50 to 100 new words.

4) Week 1 read the first word list, Week 2 revise the first word list and then start learning the Second Word List. So, that you will not forget the words.

5) Best way to remember new words is to form a sentence for each word. ( Other technique I used is Flash Cards )

6) Next, take an GRE Practice Test again and see how much you score, and for mistakes you make, again evaluate what went wrong. In this way, you will learn new maths formulas and at same time your score will increase month by month.

7) No need to worry that you are scoring less in GRE tests now, every student initially has the same problem. Spending atleast 1-2 hours per day for first 3 months from now will get you going. In 4-5 months time you will see huge difference in the score.

So, the key to improve your GRE Scores and skills is to practice daily and if you select a wrong answer in your practice test, make sure you find the right answer and how to find the right answer.

9) Majority of the students make the mistake of not finding out the right answers for the questions they go it wrong in GRE Practice test. This is the most proven way to improve your scores in GRE. In your GRE exams (practice) and lets say you score 1000 and 2 months later in your GRE Practice test if you score around 1000 again, then I can say, 2 months of time spent studying GRE is of no use, unless the score improves.