Ultimate Guide to GRE: Tips, Strategies, and Resources

One of the most crucial criteria for graduate programs overseas is the GRE exam. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a test administered by Educational Testing Services (ETS). Both offline and internet modes are used to perform it.

What is the GRE and Why is it Important?

The GRE assesses your logical, quantitative, and critical thinking skills. To pass the GRE test, you must be fully informed about the GRE exam specifics. The GRE syllabus and format are intended to test your logical and analytical abilities.

Why Give GRE?

We know what GRE is but why is it important? Check out this list to see why,

1. Widely Known

The GRE is the most widely used examination for graduate study. Your GRE score will be the driving force behind improving and securing your college eligibility when you apply for graduate programs.

2. For STEM courses

For a variety of STEM courses, including those in business, engineering, life sciences, humanities and the arts, physical sciences, and so forth, the GRE scores determine eligibility.

3. Convenient 

The GRE is given several times each month. It is, therefore, more convenient to apply for it in line with your choices. If the necessity arises, you can also retake the test quickly and easily.

Many students wonder when they should take the GRE. It is advised to select a date that allows you at least 2-3 months for preparation in order to get a respectable GRE score. To avoid the added strain of the final bachelor’s exams, experts advise taking the GRE test in the early part of your last year of college. It also provides you plenty of time to retake the test if necessary.

How To Register For GRE?

There are two ways to register for the GRE exam: online and offline. You must register for an ETS account, log in to your account, and then register for the GRE online. Below is a step-by-step explanation of the GRE registration process:

1. Create an ETS account or sign in.
2. The My GRE homepage’s Register or Find Test Centers option should be used.
3. Verify your email address 
4. Choose a date to take the GRE exam and confirm your time zone.
5. Click “Register” after deciding on a time slot.
6. You are done after paying the required fees.
7. When the registration procedure is successful, you will get a confirmation email. Recheck all information, including exam selection, time and date, location, and other specifics.

GRE costs around $213 or ₹16,570.

GRE Format

Once you’ve made the decision to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE), familiarizing yourself with the GRE test format is a crucial next step. Here is the format for the exam,

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How Does The GRE Scoring Work

Both Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning on the GRE feature two portions, which the ETS refers to as “measures.” The questions in the second measure and their level of difficulty depend on how well you perform on the first of these measures. Basically, the medium-difficulty questions in your first measure for a section will influence whether the questions in the following measurements are primarily drawn from the easy, medium, or tough question banks, depending on how well you perform on those questions.

Therefore, your second Quantitative Reasoning measure will contain more difficult problems if you only get one question wrong on the first measure, as opposed to someone who only got half the questions right. It doesn’t matter which questions you misinterpreted in the first test. The amount of questions you answered incorrectly is the only factor that matters in this case; if you answered all the geometry questions incorrectly on the first measure, that does not necessarily suggest that just geometry problems will be simpler on the second measure.

Additionally, even if you perform really well on the first measure, not all of the questions in the second measure will be especially challenging. On the other hand, the questions on the second measure won’t all be simple if you didn’t perform well on the first one. Because of the adaptive testing, generally speaking, if you perform well on the first measure, the questions on the second measure will be a little more challenging for you than for someone who performed poorly.

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GRE Adaptive Scoring

Only the verbal and quantitative portions are used to determine the GRE’s overall score. The verbal and quantitative components of the GRE is scored taking into account each section’s performance level and the candidate’s time management skills. The verbal and quantitative sections of the GRE each have two of these “measures” sections. Currently, adaptive testing is only available for the GRE test that is provided electronically. Based on how well the first question performed, the adaptive testing sets the level of difficulty for the second question.

The first measure of both verbal and quantitative tests consists of questions of moderate difficulty, and the second measure shows questions that are either easy, moderate, or difficult, depending entirely on how the test-taker performed in the first exam.

• A candidate will notice the second verbal test is full of difficult questions if they made two or three mistakes in the first verbal measure.
• The entire section will be taken into account rather than the specific questions that a candidate provided incorrect answers to. For instance, not only the arithmetic portion will certainly be simpler in the second measure if the math questions are incorrect.

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Top MBA Universities and their ideal GRE Scores

Here is a list of the typical GRE scores for renowned business schools to assist you to understand the scores and their range now that you are aware of what a good GRE score is for an MBA to get into your preferred business school.

While GRE can seem daunting, remember, it is similar to any other exam you might have given in the past. With hard work, determination, and proper preparation, you are certain to get a good score and get into your desired university.