GRE exam

The GRE is an exam, taken by students to get admissions in the institutions that provide post-graduate courses. There are three main sections in the exam which include sub-sections, and the candidates have to complete the exam in 3 hours and 45 minutes. The questions in the exam are based on verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing assessment. The test is not organized by universities. There is a body called Educational Testing Service or ETS that conducts the exam.

Types of exam

The admission committee of the universities checks these scores, and along with other documents like a letter of recommendation and personal statements a candidate can be given admission for a particular course they have applied for. The exam can be given on any day of the year except Sundays and national holidays. This rule is for the computer-based exam. The candidates have to apply before the deadlines for the programs for which they have to submit their GRE score.

Candidates can also give the paper-based exam, which can be taken only three times a year in September, October, and April. If a candidate has to retake the test, they can do so five times only, and after 21 days from the date they have taken the test for the first time. GRE test prep can be done through different guides and mathematics books. Users can also use the help of previous solved tests available on the internet as a study guide.

If you aren’t sure which test taking method is right for you or how to get started, try contacting a GRE test prep tutor to help guide you through the process.

Sections of the exam

Here are the sections which are divided into subsections and the candidate has to answer all the questions.

Verbal Reasoning

This section is divided into three subsections, and the questions are related to reading and sentence equivalence. The subsections of verbal reasoning are as follows:

  • Reading Comprehension – In this subsection, there is a long paragraph and questions are related to the paragraph. The candidates have to go through the paragraphs and answer the questions. There are ten such passages and candidates have to answer multiple-choice questions related to the passages.
  • Text Completion – In this sub-section, the vocabulary of the candidates is examined. There are many sentences which contain one or more missing words, and some options are given. The candidates have to choose the correct word that is to be filled in the blanks. The words given are grammatically correct, but the candidate has to make the right choice from the given options.
  • Sentence Equivalence – The section is similar to the text completion. In this section, the candidates have to draw a conclusion based on the given phrases. The candidates have to choose two answers from the given options.

Quantitative Reasoning

This section includes questions based on mathematics. The candidates who are familiar with high-school mathematics can easily solve GRE math problems in this section. Here are the sub-sections of quantitative reasoning.

  • Quantitative Comparison – In this sub-section, the questions are based on comparing two values whether they are equal or not. Users have to check whether one value is less than the other or are equal. There are also questions in which comparisons cannot be calculated.
  • Multiple Choice Questions – In this sub-section, the questions are given with four options, and one or more answers can be correct.
  • Numeric Entry – In this sub-section, the candidates have to solve mathematical problems. Choices are not available in such types of questions.

Analytical Writing

There are only two questions in this section in which the candidates have to write essays. The first question is based on a brief statement, and the candidates have to write an essay to prove their argument. The second question is based on an analysis of a given argument, and the candidates have to write an explanation related to the given argument.

Wrapping Up

The test can be challenging if you go into it unprepared, but with proper GRE test prep you will do well. Remember, it may be stressful, but the test is designed so that candidates have enough time to answer all of the questions. Just study hard and you will undoubtedly pass with flying colors. Good luck!