Graduate Record Examination, GRE® test

The GRE Test

One Test for Graduate and Business School. Getting an advanced degree can create many opportunities. The GRE® revised General Test — the most widely accepted graduate admissions test worldwide — can bring you one step closer to achieving your career goals.

In August 2011, the GRE revised General Test replaced the GRE® General Test. The revised test more closely reflects the kind of thinking you'll do in graduate or business school and demonstrates that you are ready for graduate-level work.
  • Verbal Reasoning — Measures your ability to analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it, analyze relationships among component parts of sentences and recognize relationships among words and concepts.

  • Quantitative Reasoning — Measures problem-solving ability, focusing on basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis.

  • Analytical Writing — Measures critical thinking and analytical writing skills, specifically your ability to articulate and support complex ideas clearly and effectively.
Who Takes It?
Each year, about 675,000 prospective graduate and business school applicants from 230 countries/regions take the test. Applicants come from varying educational and cultural backgrounds and the GRE revised General Test provides a common measure for comparing candidates' qualifications.

GRE scores are used by admissions or fellowship panels to supplement your undergraduate records, recommendation letters and other qualifications for graduate-level study.

When and Where Do People Take It?
The GRE revised General Test is available at about 700 test centers in more than 160 countries. In most regions of the world, the computer-based test is available on a continuous basis throughout the year. In Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea, the computer-based test is available one to two times per month. In areas of the world where computer-based testing is not available, the test is administered in a paper-based format up to three times a year in October, November and February.

Who Accepts It?
The GRE revised General Test is accepted at thousands of graduate and business schools as well as departments and divisions within these schools. View this list (PDF).

What is new about the GRE® revised General Test?
With the introduction of the GRE revised General Test on August 1, 2011, ETS has enhanced the test in many significant ways to give you a better test experience and better demonstrate your skills and readiness for graduate-level work:
  • A new test-taker friendly design for the computer-based test lets you edit or change your answers and skip questions, all within a section, and use an on-screen calculator.

  • New types of questions in the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections, many featuring real-life scenarios that reflect the kind of thinking you'll do in today's demanding graduate and business school programs.

  • Special savings of 50% when you take the GRE revised General Test between August 1 and September 30, 2011.

  • Important score reporting information you need to know: If you take the GRE revised General Test between August and November 2011, there are special score reporting timelines. See the detailed score reporting schedule. Score reporting for the computer-based test will return to the regular reporting period of 10 to 15 days in December 2011. Scores for the paper-based test will be sent within six weeks after you take the test.
Does the GRE revised General Test measure knowledge in any specific disciplines?
The GRE revised General Test measures a student's verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills — disciplines that are not specific to any individual field of study, but essential for all and important for success in graduate or business school.

Why was the test revised?
ETS has revised the test to better reflect the kind of thinking you'll do in graduate or business school and improve your test-taking experience. New types of questions now more closely align with the skills you need to succeed in today's demanding graduate and business school programs.

How can I take advantage of the 50% discount?
You can save 50% on the GRE revised General Test when you take it between August 1 and September 30, 2011.** Register for the GRE revised General Test as soon as you can, since seats will fill up quickly during this special discount period. Your GRE scores will be sent by mid-November. See the detailed score reporting schedule.

Which graduate and business school institutions accept GRE scores?
See the complete list of institutions (PDF) using GRE scores and their official ETS code number.

Which MBA programs accept GRE scores?
A rapidly growing list of MBA programs, including many top-ranked global MBA programs, accept GRE scores. View the most current list of business schools accepting GRE scores for MBA admissions.

Does ETS offer any services to help match graduate students with the schools that are right for them?
Yes. You can register for the free GRE® Search Service, a database of prospective graduate students that is searched by thousands of graduate and business school recruiters, including those at the most prestigious institutions. If you match the recruitment profile of a participating institution, you may be sent information on its programs, admissions requirements, scholarships and fellowships.

What is the ETS® Personal Potential Index?
The ETS® Personal Potential Index (ETS® PPI), a web-based evaluation system, provides information on the personal attributes that have been identified through research as critical for success in graduate and business school. Applicants who register for the GRE revised General Test can send four free ETS PPI evaluation reports to graduate and professional schools at no extra charge. Learn more at www.ets.org/ppi.

GRE® Contact Information
For additional information you can contact GRE test-taker services directly at:
Email: gre-info@ets.org
Website: www.ets.org/gre/email
Phone: 1-609-771-7670 or 1-866-473-4373 (toll free for test takers in the US, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and Canada)

For more: About the GRE® revised General Test
Frequently Asked Questions: GRE® FAQs
For all regions: see Test Centers and Dates; which format is available in your area and Fees for Tests and Related Services

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