Everything You Need To Know About The GRE Test And How To Crack It

GRE scores play a key role in global education aspirations, with Indian institutions also embracing the GRE for admissions.

Know tips to prepare for the GRE test. (Representative Image)

Source : Freepik

By Sachin Jain

According to a recent data released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the number of Indian students studying abroad is well over 13 lacs in the current year. Compared to 2019, the number of students has almost doubled in 2023, showcasing the demand for international education.

In a remarkable development, last year India surpassed the United States in the number of GRE test-takers for the first time in the 80-year history of the test. This reflects the growing aspiration among Indian students to pursue higher education abroad, as also underscores the relevance of the GRE test in getting admission to international universities.

In an increasingly globalized world, students now have access to a much broader spectrum of opportunities to pursue education abroad. Indian students, conventionally known to pick technology courses, are also opting for non-STEM courses, indicating a diversity in programmeme selection. One of the key enablers for international education is the GRE General Test, a globally accepted admission criteria for graduate and post graduate programmes in international universities.

Amongst its several advantages, GRE is accepted across a wide range of disciplines including Social Sciences, Management, Law and Humanities, thereby making it a universal test for any field of study.

GRE & Its Importance

The GRE evaluates critical skills such as verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing. More recently, the GRE was shortened to under two hours, making it the shortest major assessment for admission to graduate and professional programmes. Held throughout the year, the GRE offers flexibility in scheduling and candidates can take the test as per their convenience as the test is conducted more than 20 times in a month.

GRE scores are valid for five years, allowing students to apply to graduate, post graduate or doctoral programmes during this period. Additionally, test-takers have the option to select and send their best scores to institutions, enabling them to present their strongest performance. Accepted by top global universities across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany and several other destinations, the GRE remains a vital assessment in evaluating candidates' readiness for higher education.

Writing Assessments And AI Concerns

Recently, Harvard Business School mandated an additional writing assessment for MBA applicants, highlighting the importance of writing skills. With the rise of AI-generated content, obtaining an authentic writing sample is more important than ever. GRE retained its writing assessment even after shortening the test, providing schools with a solid measure of a candidate's writing and critical thinking skills. Hence, unlike other assessments, GRE test takers are not required to take any additional writing assessment thereby saving precious time and money.

The GRE General Test Structure

Verbal Reasoning: This section evaluates the test-taker's ability to analyze and interpret written material, evaluate arguments, and understand the meanings of words and sentences. It consists of questions related to reading comprehension, text completion, and sentence equivalence.

Quantitative Reasoning: This section measures the test-taker's ability to understand, interpret, and analyze quantitative information. It includes questions on arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis, assessing problem-solving skills using quantitative methods.

Analytical Writing: This section tests critical thinking and analytical writing skills. It comprises one task: An Issue task. The GRE Issue Task requires students to write an essay taking a position on a given statement, supporting their position with evidence and examples.

GRE Preparation Strategies

ETS offers a host of preparation resources through official GRE prep materials, including GRE Mentor Courses, expert guidance, practice tests, and quizzes. Preparing for the GRE requires a strategic approach, and below are some suggested strategies:

• Start by downloading the GRE Information Bulletin to familiarise yourself with administrative procedures like registration, scheduling, costs, and score reporting.
• Understand what is tested in each section: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing.
• Utilize free resources, including a full math review, a guide on math conventions, and two POWERPREP Online simulated practice tests.
• For further preparation and guidance, consider paid resources like POWERPREP PLUS Online, which offers three real full tests with on-the-dot questions and immediate scoring.

Below are some additional preparation strategies that can help test takers:

1. Understand the Format: Check out the layout of a section, understand the kind of questions you may encounter and sit for a mock test. It is advisable to use both official guidebooks and other resources, since the first group helps achieve scores that the second group evidence.
2. Set a Study Schedule: The preparation time needs to be properly monitored and managed, thus a good timetable is strongly recommended. There must be a proper schedule for each section and the use of review sessions is also effective. They help to focus on the weak areas, as test takers will be able to diagnose and concentrate on them.
3. Attempt Practice Tests:Regularly taking full-length practice tests helps to develop test-taking stamina and familiarity with the test's timing. For some, enrolling in a GRE prep course provides added structure and guidance, personalized feedback, and a wider set of practice materials.
4. Manage Time: Budget enough time to think, analyze, and respond to every question. When attempting the GRE General Test, you can skip questions that seem difficult and revisit them later. The testing software allows marking and reviewing questions during the allocated section time.

GRE vs. GMAT: Comparison

Test Structure:

GRE: The GRE test includes three sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing. You can choose the order of sections and change your answers as many times as you want within each section. The Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning measures are section-level adaptive,

GMAT: The GMAT consists of 3 sections: Verbal, Quantitative and Data insights. The GMAT Focus Edition is question-level adaptive, hence the test format limits your ability to change your answers in each section. Further, some schools may require the candidate to take a separate writing test since GMAT doesn’t include writing.

Test Length:

GRE: 1 hour and 58 minutes

GMAT: 2 hours and 15 minutes

Scoring:

GRE: There is no penalty for answering a question incorrectly. You won't lose points for wrong answers.

GMAT: There is penalty for unanswered questions. You can lose points for wrong answers.

Send your best scores:

GRE: Choice to send only the best score report (not an average score of overall attempts).

GMAT: The score report will include all exams you have taken in the past five years.

Financial Aid Opportunities For Students

Financial aid, including scholarships, is available for GRE test takers to help cover tuition and related expenses. For example, Arizona State University offers a Merit-Based Scholarship that can cover up to 50% of tuition, depending on the course and profile, for students with GRE scores of 315 and above. Additionally, the University of North Carolina, Charlotte provides tuition discounts ranging from 20% to 30% for students with similar GRE scores, particularly those pursuing a Master’s degree.

Acceptance Of GRE In Indian Colleges

Notably, an increasing number of Indian institutions also accept the GRE test scores as part of their admission process & below is a list of some key institutions.

• Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (ePGP)
• Indian Institute of Management Bangalore (ePGP)
• Indian Institute of Management Kozhikode
• Indian Institute of Management Lucknow IPMX - Noida Campus
• Indian Institute of Management Raipur (FPM)
• Indian Institute of Management Udaipur
• Indian Institute of Management Visakhapatnam (PGP-DGM/PGPEx)
• Indian School of Business (ISB)
• Xavier Labour Relations Institute (XLRI)

Summarily, the GRE is a vital component of the graduate school application process, assessing a broad spectrum of academic skills. With a clear understanding of the test format and applying effective preparation strategies, test-takers can enhance their performance and improve their chances of gaining admission to their desired international programme.

(The Author is the Country Manager at ETS India & South Asia)

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