GRE

GRE. The Graduate Record Examinations is a standardized test administered by the Educational Testing Service and is a common requirement for admission to many graduate schools, primarily in the United States and Canada. It is designed to assess readiness for graduate-level academic work by measuring verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills. The exam is accepted by thousands of institutions worldwide, including business schools like the Harvard Business School and engineering programs at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Overview

The test was first developed in 1936 by a consortium including the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and four prestigious universities: Harvard University, Yale University, Princeton University, and Columbia University. For decades, it was overseen by the Graduate Record Examination Board before administration was fully assumed by the Educational Testing Service. A major revision in 2011, often called the GRE Revised General Test, introduced a new scale and a more flexible, section-level adaptive format. While traditionally used for programs in the arts and sciences, its use expanded significantly with the creation of the GRE General Test for business programs, providing an alternative to the Graduate Management Admission Test.

Structure and Format

The current computer-delivered test contains three primary sections. The Verbal Reasoning section evaluates comprehension of written material and relationships among words and concepts, featuring text completion and reading comprehension questions based on passages from subjects like literature or the natural sciences. The Quantitative Reasoning section tests basic mathematical concepts from arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, as well as data analysis, requiring interpretation of data presented in graphs or tables. The Analytical Writing section consists of two separately timed tasks: "Analyze an Issue" and "Analyze an Argument," demanding critical thinking and articulate written responses. The test may also include an unidentified unscored research section or a identified unscored section.

Scoring

Scores are reported separately for each measure. Both the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections use a scale of 130 to 170, in one-point increments, while the Analytical Writing section is scored on a scale of 0 to 6, in half-point increments. The scoring process for the writing section involves a single human reader and the e-rater automated scoring engine developed by Educational Testing Service. Percentile ranks are provided alongside scaled scores to compare a test-taker's performance with that of the global population over a recent three-year period. Score reports are sent to designated institutions, such as Stanford University or the University of Toronto, and are valid for five years.

Preparation and Resources

Preparation strategies vary widely, with many candidates utilizing materials from commercial test preparation companies like Kaplan, Inc. and The Princeton Review. Official preparation materials, including the PowerPrep software, are provided directly by the Educational Testing Service. Common study resources include review books focused on vocabulary, such as those listing words frequently encountered on the exam, and practice problems for quantitative sections. Many universities, including the University of California, Berkeley, may offer preparatory workshops through their career counseling or graduate divisions.

Use in Admissions

Admissions committees at institutions like the California Institute of Technology and the London School of Economics use scores as one component of a holistic review, alongside undergraduate transcripts, letters of recommendation, and statements of purpose. Some programs, particularly in fields like clinical psychology or mechanical engineering, may also require a GRE Subject Test in a specific discipline. In recent years, many departments, influenced by initiatives for equity and in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, have adopted test-optional or test-blind policies, a trend notably discussed within the Council of Graduate Schools. Nevertheless, a strong performance remains a significant factor for applicants to competitive fellowships from organizations like the National Science Foundation.