Graduate Record Examination
General Test for graduate, business, and law school admissions
What is the Purpose of GRE?
The GRE General test is a section-wise adaptive test. The questions in the first section of both the verbal and quantitative sections will be of average difficulty level. The difficulty level of the second section will depend on how the candidate has performed in the first sections. If you have done well in the first section of the verbal or quantitative section, then the difficulty level of the questions in the second section would be higher. Therefore, the scoring will depend on the number of questions marked correctly and also the difficulty level of the questions. This would mean that it is imperative to ensure that the questions in the first section should be attempted well to ensure you get the best score.
GRE Test Format
There are three sections tested on the GRE General test:
- Verbal Reasoning
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Analytical Writing
| Testing Section | No of tasks/questions | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Analytical Writing | One Analyze an Issue Task | 30 minutes |
| Verbal Reasoning | Section 1: 12 questions Section 2: 15 questions |
Section 1: 18 minutes Section 2: 23 minutes |
| Quantitative Reasoning | Section 1: 12 questions Section 2: 15 questions |
Section 1: 21 minutes Section 2: 26 minutes |
The Analytical Writing section will always be the first section on the test. The Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections may appear in any order.
GRE Scoring Pattern
The overall score on the GRE is out of 340. The minimum score you can get is 260 and the highest score you can get is 340.
How are the scores reported?
| Section | Scored scale |
|---|---|
| Verbal Reasoning | 130-170: 1-point increments |
| Quantitative Reasoning | 130-170: 1-point increments |
| Analytical Writing Assessment | 0-6, half point increments |
If no questions are answered for a specific section, then the reported score would be NS – No score.
The official GRE General test scores will be available to view through the ETS account 8 to 10 days after the test day. The score reports to the respective universities will also be sent at the same time. GRE General test scores are valid for a period of 5 years.
Frequently Asked Questions
If the names do not match, you will be prohibited from taking the test. You must ensure that the first name and last name used for registering for the test exactly match what is given on the ID document.
No, a digital copy of any ID document is not accepted on the test day.
Expired ID documents are not valid and cannot be used on the day of the test.
Yes, you can send your scores to four graduate institutions, and this is part of the test fee. If you need to send your scores to additional universities or send your scores after the test day, you have to order Additional Score Reports (ASR).
You can select and send specific scores to the institutions you designate. You can send all scores or choose to send specific scores.
