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Contents:
 Tips on taking the GRE
What's in the Verbal Section?
What's in the Quantitative/Math Section?
What's in the Writing Assessment?
What is the Subject Test?
How can I get a GRE Fee Waiver?
What is the GRE?
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a multiple-choice admissions
test intended for applicants to graduate schools. The three sections that
count toward your score are (not necessarily in this order):
- one 30-minute, 30-question "verbal ability" (vocabulary
and reading) section
- one 45-minute, 28-question "quantitative ability"
(math) section
- one seventy-five minute 2-question analytical writing section
The verbal section of the GRE contains four types of questions,
which pop up in no particular order:
- antonyms
- sentence completions
- analogies
- reading comprehension
The quantitative section contains two types of questions, which
pop up in no particular order:
- four-choice quantitative comparisons
- five-choice problem solving questions
The analytical section contains two questions, an issue task and
an argument task:
- For the Issue task, two essay topics will be presented and you will
choose one.
- The Argument task does not present a choice of topics; instead one
topic will be presented.
Tips
on Taking the GRE
1. Don't rush
Instinct might suggest that if there's a penalty for blanks and a possibility
for lost points due to incorrect answers, tester should work as quickly
as possible, in order to leave enough time to see and work the final few
questions. But the impulse to rush through the early questions is dangerous,
as these questions are worth considerably more points than the later ones.
To maximize your score, work slowly and carefully at the beginning of
the section. A high degree of accuracy in the first third to half of each
section is the single most important factor in earning the highest possible
scores on the GRE.
2. Guess aggressively
Once you've worked carefully through the first third to half of the section,
it is important to avoid getting bogged down in time-consuming questions.
If you encounter a question that seems extremely difficult or time-consuming,
eliminate answers that you know are wrong, and make an educated guess
(you're about to learn more about this). This will allow you to get to
subsequent questions, which may be more easily worked, with enough time
to work them.
3. Respond to every question
During the last five minutes of the section, when the time display starts
flashing, start guessing your favorite letter for whatever questions you
have left in the section, since you don't want to leave any questions
unanswered in any section.
Process Of Elimination and Guessing
If you guessed blindly on a five-choice GRE problem, you would have one
chance in five of picking ETS's answer. Eliminate an incorrect choice
and your chances improve to one in four. Eliminate three, and you have
a fifty-fifty chance of earning points by guessing. Get the picture? You
must answer each question to get to the next one, so you'll have to guess
sometimes. Why not improve your odds?
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WHAT'S
IN THE VERBAL SECTION
Every GRE contains a scored verbal section, which lasts thirty minutes
and contains thirty questions, in no particular order, broken down as
follows:
- six to eight analogies
- five to seven sentence completions
- eight to ten antonyms
- two to four reading comprehension passages, with a total of six to
ten questions
Most of the time, the verbal section will start with a few antonyms.
Analogies and antonyms are classified by ETS as "vocabulary"
problems, and sentence completions and reading comprehension are classified
as "reading" problems. You might not see reading comp until
question eight or twelve. Generally, the higher you're scoring, the more
"vocabulary" questions you'll see. Vocabulary is a big part
of all these question types, but so is strategy.
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WHAT'S
IN THE MATH SECTION
Every GRE contains a scored "quantitative ability," or math,
section. This section will last forty-five minutes and contain twenty-eight
questions in two different question formats, which pop up in no particular
order:
- 13 to 15 four choice quantitative comparison questions
- 12 to 16 five choice problem solving questions, including 4 to 6 chart
questions (with 2 to 3 charts)
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WHAT'S
IN THE WRITING ASSESSMENT
Analytical Writing Section
For the Issue task, you will be able to choose 1 of 2 essay topics selected
by the computer from the pool of topics.
The Argument task does not offer a choice of topics; the computer will
present you with a single topic selected from the topic pool.
The testing software uses an elementary word processor developed by ETS
so that individuals familiar with a specific commercial word processing
software do not have an advantage or disadvantage. The software contains
the following functionalities: inserting text, deleting text, cut and
paste, undoing the previous action, and scrolling. Tools such as a spelling
checker and grammar checker are not available in the software, in large
part to maintain fairness with those examinees who handwrite essays on
paper.
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What
is the Subject Test?
The GRE Subject Tests are designed to help graduate school admission committees
and fellowship sponsors assess the qualifications of applicants in specific
fields of study. The tests also provide students with an assessment of
their own qualifications.
Scores on the tests are intended to indicate students' knowledge of the
subject matter emphasized in many undergraduate programs as preparation
for graduate study. Since past achievement is usually a good indicator
of future performance, the scores are helpful in predicting students'
success in graduate study. Because the tests are standardized, the test
scores permit comparison of students from different institutions with
different undergraduate programs. For some Subject Tests, subscores are
provided in addition to the total score; these subscores indicate the
strengths and weaknesses of individual student's preparation, and they
may help students plan their future studies.
Subject Tests are currently available in 8 disciplines.
- Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Computer Science
- Literature in English
- Mathematics
- Physics
- Psychology
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GRE
Fee Waivers
The GRE Program makes available a limited number of GRE fee waivers for
college seniors and unenrolled college graduates who meet eligibility
requirements. Fee waivers may be used for one General Test and/or one
Subject Test.
To be eligible, you must be:
- a U.S. citizen or resident alien; and
- a college senior receiving financial aid through an undergraduate
college in the U.S., a U.S. territory, or Puerto Rico, or a returning
unenrolled college graduate who has applied for financial aid; and either
- a dependent college senior whose Institutional Student Information
Report (ISIR) shows a parental contribution of not more than $1,200
for the senior year, or a self-supporting college senior whose ISIR
shows a contribution of not more than $1,600 for the senior year, or
an unenrolled college graduate whose ISIR indicates self-supporting
status and a contribution of not more than $1,600.*
* This information is decided by a previously accepted FAFSA. If you
have not filled out a FAFSA on line (www.FAFSA.ed.gov) then do so FIRST.
To apply for a GRE fee waiver:
- Contact your financial aid office to see if you qualify, see #3 above.
- Once your eligibility is established, the financial aid office will
issue you a fee waiver and a copy of your ISIR.
- You must register by mail using either the computer-based or paper-based
registration materials.
- If you are registering for more than one test, all registration materials
must be received together with the fee waiver and ISIR or your registration
form will be returned to you unprocessed.
- Letter requests, photocopies, and faxes of fee waivers will not be
accepted.
- Fee waivers are not retroactive and they cannot be replaced if lost
or stolen.
- Once confirmed, GRE will mail back a confirmation number.
- Call the 1-800 number to register for the exam, making sure to give
the confirmation number to waive the fee.
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