The acronym GRE, signifying Graduate Record Examinations, specifically denotes the GRE General Test managed by ETS (Educational Testing Service), a non-profit entity. This examination aims to evaluate the Quantitative and Verbal proficiencies of students and is mandatory for admission to various graduate programs. In the United States, the test adopts a computer-based format and follows a "section-level adaptive" system, a departure from the "question-adaptive" approach utilized before 2011.
Adaptive tests possess distinct characteristics from traditional paper-and-pencil testing. However, the calibration of the test ensures that test-takers should attain roughly equivalent scores in the computer-based format as they would in the paper-and-pencil version.
GRE Overview
The GRE comprises three scaled scores derived from five sections. The basis for the AW (Analytical Writing) score includes two essays, while the Verbal and Quantitative scores hinge on two sections each for Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning. The sequence typically involves the AW section followed by one Verbal and one Quantitative section, with a ten-minute break before the subsequent Verbal and Quantitative sections. There may also be an unscored research section, contributing to the variability of test compositions.
Analytical Writing Section
Introduced to replace the Analytical section, the AW section assesses writing skills relevant to graduate studies. The AW score is determined by two essays – "Analyze an Issue" and "Analyze an Argument." These essays, scored from 0 to 6, gauge argument strength and written English quality. The essays undergo initial grading by an "e-rater" and a human grader. If there is a significant discrepancy between the e-rater and human grades, a second human grader is involved, and their score contributes to the overall AW average.
The "Analyze an Issue" task involves responding to a prompt within 30 minutes, while the "Analyze an Argument" task requires deconstructing a provided argument in the same timeframe. AW scores, though less precise than Verbal and Quantitative scores, play a role in graduate program admissions. ETS offers a service for test-takers to submit sample essays for grading by a GRE grader.
Verbal Section
The Verbal section includes two 30-minute segments, each containing 20 questions. Three question types – Reading Comprehension, Text Completion, and Sentence Equivalence – are employed. While test-takers are allotted an average of one and a half minutes per question, the varied nature of question types necessitates different approaches. Reading Comprehension questions assess global understanding and specific details, comprising approximately 10 questions. Text Completion involves completing sentences logically, with around six questions. Sentence Equivalence requires choosing two answers that produce similar sentences and comprises about four questions.
Quantitative Section
The Quantitative section consists of two 35-minute parts, each comprising 20 questions. Both Problem Solving and Quantitative Comparison are the primary question types, covering arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and word problems. Approximately one-third of the questions fall under Quantitative Comparison, where test-takers compare quantities in two columns. Problem Solving involves selecting correct answers or providing solutions based on calculations. The section emphasizes reasoning and problem-solving skills over advanced mathematical knowledge. Adequate preparation involves reviewing content and practicing to understand the logic behind constructing problems.
Section-Based Test Adaptivity
Both Verbal and Quantitative sections employ computer-adaptive testing at the section level. The initial section presented falls within the middle of the difficulty scale. Subsequent sections vary in difficulty based on test-taker performance in the preceding section. This adaptivity ensures each test is unique, and a test-taker's performance on one section determines the difficulty level of the next section on that topic.
While taking the test, it is advised not to attempt to analyze the adaptive process, focusing instead on each question, doing one's best, and moving forward. Guessing is acceptable, as there is no penalty for incorrect answers within a section.
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