GRE Exam : A Complete Guide

Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is the standard entrance exam students take to qualify for an undergraduate or postgraduate course, specifically in English-speaking nations. The test is considered one of the most prominent assessment exams worldwide. The test comprises three sections- verbal reasoning, analytical writing, and quantitative reasoning. The 3 hours and 45-minute long exam is accepted by more than 1500 universities across the globe. GRE is a standardized exam for students who want to pursue postgraduate courses. GRE tests can be taken in both online or offline modes. You can also appear for GRE online from the comfort of your home because of the pandemic. In this article, we will describe in detail every little fact related to GRE to help you score high marks without any difficulty.

GRE Exam Highlights

Who can take the GRE test?

Anyone with a bachelor’s degree is eligible to take the GRE exam in India. There’s no age limit to sit for the GRE. To ace the exam, English fluency is necessary as there are writing and reasoning sections. However, if you are not fluent in English, you are still eligible to appear in the exam.

GRE Exam eligibility

• A bachelor’s degree in any domain
• No upper age limit fixed by organizers to appear for the examination
• The candidate must have a valid passport
• Parents/guardians/candidates must possess a debit/credit card to pay for the fee
• Must take the test at least thirty to 45 days before applying. 

How to register for the GRE Exam?

GRE General Test Registration Process

Read to find how to register online for the GRE-

• Visit the official website of the GRE.
• Create your GRE test-taker profile on a website if not done yet.
• Fill in all the details carefully and then submit the form.
• Select a date and GRE test center that is nearest to you.
• Check all the details once again before paying for the fees. Payment once done, changes made after will incur a separate price.
• Save your GRE details for further use and take a printout of confirmation.

Here’s how you can register for the GRE exam by mail-

Print your GRE exam form, fill in all the details as per the records, and mail it to the following address. Please note that the mail must be received three weeks before your selected test date. Once received, the confirmation number, reporting time, and center address will be faxed or mailed to you.

Prometric

2nd floor, DLF Infinity Tower–A

Sector 25, Phase II,

DLF City, Gurugram,

Haryana – 122002

India

Register for the exam via phone–

• Call the GRE Regional Registration Centre located in Gurugram, Haryana
• Ensure to call two days before your preferred exam date
• Once done, the confirmation number, exam center address, and reporting time will be communicated to you over the call.

Registration for the exam by fax–

Print out the application form and fill in the details correctly. After filling send the form on 91-124-4147773 along with fees. Ensure to send the form at least seven days before your choice.

GRE Subject Test Registration Process

• Visit the GRE official website
• Create your test-taker profile 
• Opt for GRE subject test option and subjects that interest you
• Review and submit your application
• Select your test date and nearest test center
• Pay the fee
• Confirm the payment and submit
• Take a printout and save it

GRE exam fee structure

Both GRE Subject Test and GRE General Test have different fee structures.

GRE extra services fees

GRE exam at home

You can give the exam from the comfort of your home as well. In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, ETS came up with the option of a GRE home test facility. The GRE exam from home registration fee is INR 15,604.

GRE Important dates in India

GRE exam is offered both online and offline all over the country. Simply choose your nearest test centre and date to start your registration for the test.

GRE exam pattern and syllabus

The exam pattern and syllabus for both the subject test and general test are different. The exam can be taken online or on paper as per the candidate’s suitability.

GRE Exam Pattern

GRE General Test

Find out the GRE general exam pattern below-

Test Duration Breakup (Section-wise)

 GRE Subject Test

GRE subject is conducted offline thrice a year, unlike the general test. The subject areas include-

•         Mathematics
•         Biology
•         Physics
•         English Literature
•         Psychology
•         Chemistry

GRE Exam Syllabus

GRE General Test Syllabus

Verbal Reasoning

Verbal reasoning aims to analyze the candidate’s ability and capacity to comprehend text and synthesize vital information. Verbal reasoning comprises comprehension, articles, idioms, sentence correction, antonyms, and synonyms, etc. There are three questions in the verbal comprehension section: completion of the text, reading comprehension, and sentence equivalency.

GRE Score calculation for Quant and Verbal section

The total GRE is marked in the verbal and quant areas majorly. Two major factors that influence the GRE score calculation:-

Each verbal and quant section comprises measures. Computer-based tests are adaptive and also determine the test’s difficulty level. The first measure has simple questions, whereas the second measure is quite complex. Please note that the second section depends on how you perform in the first one.

GRE Score calculation is based on Equating

The September GRE is relatively more manageable than the August exam. ETS does not show any clear scoring process; however, it mentions answering all the questions correctly to increase high scoring points. Let’s discuss how the analytical writing section of GRE is calculated-

• Trained rater reads the essay and marks on a scale of 0-6
• The ETS made software e-rater analyzes the essay and give a score based on multiple areas
• If the e-rater and human reader’s score matches, then the final score is shared based on those two scores
• If there’s a vast difference or any discretion, then a second human reader is allotted to review the document.

Subject test score calculation

As mentioned, the GRE subject test comprises six subjects that candidates can choose according to their preference. The score here is also calculated using the equating method.

In the biology section, the accurate answers for every content are added to the subscore.

In the psychology and physics part, the subscore consists of correct answers in each content and the correct answer of the whole sheet.

How to get GRE exam results?

The GRE exam result will reflect in the ETS account within 10-15 days after the test. You’ll receive a notification once the results are out. Your official GRE exam in India score consists of the following information-

• Date of birth
• Contact info
• Gender
• Your intended graduate major
• GRE test score
• Associated rank
• Fellowship score
• Cumulative scores reported from the last five years

How long are GRE scores valid?

GRE score is valid for five years following the date of your test.

GRE Important tips

• Lock the date before so you can plan your preparation accordingly to score high marks.
• Take online assessments to assess your strengths and weaknesses. Work on your weakness to avoid losing scores.
• Solve as many mock tests as possible. It will help you understand the exam pattern and increase your speed.
• Start working on your vocabulary as GRE has a rich vocabulary that you might not understand if you don’t prepare.
• If you’ve opted for any subject, focus on it. If you opt for engineering or any other stream, focus on strengthening the topic related to your domain.