To ace the GRE general test, you need to understand the GRE general test structure. This will help you know how best to approach the test, and get the desired result or score.
The GRE general test structure comprises the analytical writing section, the verbal and quantitative reasoning section, and unidentified/unscored sections.
The analytical writing section comes before the other sections and makes up a large percent of the GRE test. While the verbal and quantitative sections can come in between or before or after the unidentified/unscored sections.
According to www.ets.org/, there are over a thousand GRE centers in over 16o countries of the world, with millions of people registering for the test annually. The test became even more popular since many graduate schools in the US AND Canada adopted it as their entrance test.
While a lot of people are interested in writing this test, very few understand the GRE general test structure. Therefore, we’d be looking at GRE general test structure and other things you need to know about GRE.
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What is GRE
According to Investopedia, the graduate record examination (GRE) is a standardized exam used to measure one’s aptitude for abstract thinking in the areas of analytical writing, mathematics, and vocabulary. The GRE is commonly used by many graduate schools in the U.S. and Canada to determine an applicant’s eligibility for the program.
GRE tests can be taken from any one of the 16o countries that are eligible for it, in any of the centers, or from the comfort of your home. The test is usually computer-based but there can be exceptions where necessary.
See Also: How hard is the GMAT exam?
GRE General Test Structure
According to www.ets.org/, the organizer of the GRE® General Test, GRE is a computer-based exam with question patterns that closely represent the types of thinking you’ll undertake — and the skills you’ll need to succeed — in today’s competitive graduate programs, such as business and law.
The test-taker-friendly design allows you to skip questions within a section, return and change answers, and choose which questions within a section to answer first. Take a peek at the GRE General Test’s structure.
The GRE General Test assesses your verbal reasoning, numeric reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing abilities. It also looks at abilities that have been developed through time and are not specific to any field of study but are essential for all.
The GRE® General Test takes approximately three hours and 45 minutes to complete. There are six sections in total, with a 10-minute break after the third.
| Measure | Number of Questions | Allotted Time |
|---|---|---|
| Analytical Writing (One section with two separately timed tasks) | One “Analyze an Issue” task and one “Analyze an Argument” task | 30 minutes per task |
| Verbal Reasoning (Two sections) | 20 questions per section | 30 minutes per section |
| Quantitative Reasoning (Two sections) | 20 questions per section | 35 minutes per section |
| Unscored¹ | Varies | Varies |
| Research² | Varies | Varies |
Analytical Writing Section
The Analytical Writing section measures your ability to:
- articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
- support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
- examine claims and accompanying evidence
- sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
- control the elements of standard written English
You must produce focused responses based on the tasks presented in the Analytical Writing section in order to accurately demonstrate your ability to immediately respond to a challenge.
Learn How To Reschedule or Cancel Your GRE General Test Exam by clicking on the link.
Verbal Reasoning
The Verbal Reasoning section measures your ability to:
- analyze and draw conclusions from discourse; reason from incomplete data; identify author’s assumptions and/or perspective; understand multiple levels of meaning, such as literal, figurative and author’s intent
- select important points; distinguish major from minor or irrelevant points; summarize text, understand the structure of a text.
- understand the meaning of individual words, sentences and entire texts; understand relationships among words and among concepts
GRE Quantitative Reasoning
According to ets.org/gre Some of the Quantitative Reasoning questions are situated in real-life situations, while others are strictly mathematical. Many of the questions are “word problems,” which must be mathematically translated and modeled.
And all these questions in the quant section are supposed to measure your basic mathematical skills and test you. It would also test…
- your understanding of elementary mathematical concepts,
- your ability to reason quantitatively and
- to model and solve problems with quantitative methods.
If you have a clear understanding of the concepts listed above, you’re already on your way to passing your GRE test. However, to ensure that you’ve fully understood what it takes, we will elaborately look at strategies you must employ.
Click here to read more about GRE Quantitative Reasoning.
Unscored and Research Section | What you should know
After the Analytical Writing test, there may be an unidentifiable unscored component that does not contribute toward your score. It can appear in any sequence. Questions in the unscored section are being tested for future use. It can also be used to guarantee that results on new editions of the test are comparable to scores on previous editions.
Additionally, a specified research component that does not contribute toward your score may be inserted in the place of the unscored portion. The research component of the test will always appear towards the end. The questions in this section are included for the purpose of the ETS study.
The section on Analytical Writing will always come first. Because the Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and unidentified/unscored portions can come in any sequence, you should approach each one as if it counted toward your overall score.
How GRE Is Scored
The following are the various sectional scales for GRE tests. The quantitative score is 130-170, scored in one-point increments. While the analytical section writing section is scored 0-6 in half-point increments.
Consequently, the GRE mean score is:
- Verbal Reasoning: 150.4
- Quantitative Reasoning: 153.4
- Analytical Writing: 3.58
With the GRE quantitative reasoning as the highest-scoring section, getting a perfect score would increase your chances of acing the test. Ergo, giving this section the time it needs would be in your best interest.
How GRE Scores Are Used In Admission Processes
Graduate and business schools commonly use the GRE General Test to screen applicants. Applicants to some colleges may be required to take GRE Subject Tests, which assess expertise in specific subjects of study. Physics, psychology, biology, English literature, and chemistry are examples of these subjects.
GRE Subject Test themes of focus are not necessarily static; exams for topics like computer science and biochemistry have been introduced or withdrawn, while past test scores are still reportable.
Read What is a Good GMAT Score? to find out if your score is good enough.
Conclusion
Understanding the structure of the GRE general test is the first step towards passing the test. We’d like to think that this article has done justice to this topic, and would be of immense in your pursuit for higher education.
Good luck.