May I take GRE test online?
Certification: Test Prep GRE - Graduate Record Examination
The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is the standardised exams for students looking for admissions in graduate schools or business schools for higher education. Accepted by over thousand graduate and business schools, GRE is taken up by applicants from various cultural and educational backgrounds across the world who are seeking admission into graduate schools as well as business schools for pursuing a masters’ or doctoral degree. The GRE test scores offer the schools a common platform for assessing the qualifications of the candidates.
The testing format of GRE is primarily computer-based with availability in over 850 test centres across 160 countries globally. However, paper-based testing is also available in the parts of the world where there is no availability of computer-based testing. Conducted on a dates throughout the year in most of the countries, HongKong, Korea, Mainland China and Taiwan are the only regions where the computer-based test is conducted 1-3 times in a month. The paper-based test of GRE is conducted only thrice in a year in the month of February, October and November.
Features of Computer-based GRE Test
The computer-based GRE test comprises of six sections including one Analytical Writing section, two Verbal Reasoning sections, two Quantitative Reasoning section and an unscored section. It is important to take up all the sections with a viewpoint of contributing to the total score as though the first section of the test is always the Analytical section, the other sections including the unscored section can be in any order.
The Analytical Writing section consists two tasks with one related to analysing an issue and the other relating to analysing an argument. The time allotted for this section is one hour with 30 minutes each for the two tasks. The two sections Verbal Reasoning as well as the two sections of Quantitative Reasoning consist of 20 questions each with an allotted time of 30 minutes for each section of Verbal reasoning and 35 minutes of Quantitative Reasoning.
The advanced design of the computer- based GRE test provides great flexibility in taking up the test with various featuressuch as ability of preview and review sections as well as parts within the section, changing or editing answers, on-screen calculator, and tagging features such as ‘Review’ and ‘Mark’ questions so that candidates can skip them and return back to those questions at the end if time permits.
Features of Paper-based GRE test
The paper-based GRE test is comprises of six sections that includes two sections of Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning each. The two sections of Analytical Writing include tasks to analyse an issue and the other to analyse an argument with a time limit of 30 minutes for each section. The two sections of Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning consist of 25 questions in each section with the time limit of 35 minutes for each section of Verbal Reasoning and 4 minutes for each section in Quantitative Reasoning.
The features of the paper-based test of GRE is slightly conservative compared to the computer-based testing format with the flexibility to preview, review, changing or editing answers, and skipping questionsonly available for the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Sections. The answering of the test is done on a test book with paper-delivered equivalents for the different types questions such as numeric entry and text completions. The calculator for the Quantitative Reasoning Section is provided by the testing authorities and the candidates are not allowed to use their own calculators.
GRE Subject Tests
Apart from the general standardised test, GRE subject tests are also available for candidates who wish to showcase their knowledge in a specific subject to stand out from other applicants during the admission process of the schools. The test is delivered in paper-based testing format at authorised test centres across the globe thrice in a year in the months of April, September and October.
The GRE subject tests are available for students who have extensive background or major subject in under graduation in any of the seven subject areas including Biology, English Literature, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Psychology, and Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology. The scores of the GRE Subject Test are typically used by panels for admissions and fellowship of graduate-level programs for supplementing the recommendation letters, records of under graduation and other qualifications of the candidate.
Scoring Policy
The Verbal Reasoning section and Quantitative Reasoning sections each are scored on a scale of 130-170 in one point increments and the Analytical Writing section is scored on a 0-6 scale in half point increments. The candidates, who scores are reported on or after July, 2014, will have their photos and responses of the Analytical Writing essay records with ETS in the newly launched institutional portal. This portal is developed for the institutions to enable them to know the five-year record of the essay responses and photo of every GRE revised General test taken by the candidate as part of their score reports.
The candidates also have an option of ScoreSelect that allows them to decide on the scores of the tests that they want to send to the selected institutions. The test takers can choose to send either the test score of the recent test taken or of the all tests taken in the last five years as part of the four score reports offered free to the candidates. The candidates are required to pay a fee for any additional score reports ordered after the day of the GRE. However, the score of one test has to be reported entirely and the candidates do not have the option to report part of a test score. The ScoreSelect option is available for the test takers for both GRE General test as well as GRE Subject Tests.