Program Highlights

• Intensive course covering all GRE areas
• 3-4 classes per week
• Flexible scheduling of classes/special weekend batches
• Complementary set of text books
• Analysis of Reading aptitude with RC spectrum
• Exclusive strategies for tackling CR questions
• Voluminous assignments helpful in Analogies, Antonyms and Sentence Completion
• Emphasis on Vocabulary building
• Specialised sessions for Data Interpretation and Quantitative Comparison
• Evaluation through mock test
• Doubt clearing sessions throughout the course

Test Structure

The GRE test has three parts - Quantitative, Verbal and Analytical Writing Assessment. The test is scored on a maximum of 340. The following is the GRE test structure:

Verbal section

The verbal section mainly has 3 Types of questions such as text completion, reading comprehension passages and sentence equivalence. Multiple-choice response sections are graded on a scale of 130-170, in 1-point increment. This section primarily tests vocabulary, and average scores in this section are substantially lower than those in the quantitative section. In a typical examination, there are 2 sections, 20 Questions in each and 30 minutes are allotted for each section.

Quantitative section

The quantitative section, the other multiple-choice section, consists of problem solving and quantitative comparison questions that test high-school level mathematics. Multiple-choice response sections are graded on a scale of 130-170, in 1-point increment. In a typical examination, there are 2 sections consisting of 20 Questions per section and 35 minutes are allotted for each of them.

Analytical writing section

The Analytical Writing measure tests your critical thinking and analytical writing skills It consists of two different essays, an "issue task" and an "argument task". The writing section is graded on a scale of 0-6, in half-point increments. The essays are written on a computer using a word processing program specifically designed by ETS. The program allows only basic computer functions and does not contain a spell-checker or other advanced features. Each essay is scored by at least two readers on a six-point holistic scale. If the two scores are within one point, the average of the scores is taken. If the two scores differ by more than a point, a third reader examines the response.

Issue task

The test taker will be able to choose between two topics upon which to write an essay. The time allowed for this essay is 30 minutes. Issue topics are selected from a pool of questions.

Argument task

The test taker will be given an "argument" and will be asked to write an essay that critiques the argument. Test takers are asked to consider the argument's logic and to make suggestions about how to improve the logic of the argument. The time allotted for this essay is 30 minutes. Arguments are selected from a pool of topics.

** An unidentified unscored section may be included and may appear in any order after the Analytical Writing section. It is not counted as part of your score. *** An identified research section that is not scored may be included, and it is always at the end of the test.

Test Location

Computer-based GRE General Test

The GRE test is administered world wide through the GRE test center recognized by the ETS. GRE Testing centers are available in almost every place in the world. The candidate aspiring to Take GRE can contact the appropriate GRE testing center register for GRE Test and take GRE Test in the appropriate GRE Test center of his choice.

These test location lists, which are updated continually, contain the computer-based testing centers currently available.

• Test center list — U.S., U.S. Territories, Puerto Rico, Canada
• Test center list and RRC list — International

Appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Register for GRE

The GRE General Test is offered as a computer-based test in the United States, Canada and many other countries. Register for a computer-based test.

Paper-based GRE General Test administrations are offered in areas of the world where computer-based testing is not available.

There is a split-test administration offered in China (including Hong Kong), Korea and Taiwan.

Important Things to Remember When Registering for the GRE General Test

• Take the test as soon as possible so your scores will be received in time to be considered with your application.
• Check the GRE online registration system for the most up-to-date test center information.
• Not all test centers are open on all dates.
• Test centers fill up quickly, so early registration is recommended to get your preferred test locations and date selection.
• When registering, be sure that the spelling of your name exactly matches the name printed on the identification documents(s) you will present at the test center. If this information does not match, you will not be permitted to test and your test fee will be forfeited. There are no exceptions. See Identification Requirements.
• You are not allowed to transfer your registration to someone else.
• Your test fee entitles you to request that scores be sent to as many as four graduate institutions or fellowship sponsors. You will be asked to designate your score recipients either when registering for the test or at the test center on test day.
• Late registration for the paper-based General Test is available if you register online. Late registration closes one week after the regular registration date. The fee for late registration is $25.
• You will be given the option to register for the free GRE Search Service on the day of your computer-based GRE General Test or when you register for the paper-based GRE General Test. You can also sign up separately at any time. The GRE Search Service matches prospective graduate students with participating graduate schools and fellowship sponsors. For more information, see GRE Search Service.
• You now have access to a new service, the ETS Personal Potential Index (ETS PPI). Introduced in July 2009, ETS PPI is a first of its kind web-based evaluation system that enables you to provide information from multiple evaluators to institutions about six personal attributes that are critical for success in graduate and professional school: knowledge and creativity, communication skills, teamwork, resilience, planning and organization, and ethics and integrity. As part of your GRE General Test fee, you will be able to send up to four ETS PPI evaluation reports. To learn more about how you can use ETS PPI to showcase your potential, visit the ETS PPI website.

Repeating the General Test

It may be to your advantage to take the GRE General Test more than once if you think that the scores you obtained do not reflect your true abilities. If your scores seem unusually low in comparison with other indicators of your preparedness for graduate studies, you may want to consider taking the test again. Those considering repeating a test should be aware that large score increases are unusual, and for some test takers scores will go down. Keep in mind that score reports will include test results obtained within the past five-year period.

You may take the General Test (computer-based and/or paper-based) only once per calendar month and no more than five times within any 12-month period. This applies even if you canceled your scores on a test taken previously.

GRE Syllabus

GRE English / Verbal Section

Unlike the quantitative section there is no defined syllabus for the verbal section. If you look into the Test Structure of GRE you will find that there are only question types, like the Analogies and Antonyms, reading comprehensions and others, so I would suggest that you strengthen your vocabulary first and then practice these types of questions to get a stronghold of the verbal section. Test your skills on online tests so that you get a hang of answering on computers, as answering on computer is a little trickier than answering on paper. There are many online sites which provides free preparation tests.

GRE Math / Quantitative Section

The quantitative section of the GRE General test measures your basic mathematical skills, your understanding of elementary mathematical concepts, and your ability to reason quantitatively and solve quantitative problems. Questions that appear in the GRE Quantitative section test your proficiency in arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. The test setters, usually, take care to ensure that what is tested is what most students are expected to learn at their high school level of education.

GRE Analytical Writing Assesment (AWA)
What is AWA and how does it work?

The AWA section of the GRE General test comprises two writing tasks.

• Present Your Perspective on an Issue (30 minutes)
• Analyze an Argument (30 minutes)

In the computer adaptive format, the 2 writing tasks are delivered on the computer, and you must present your responses on the word processor provided in the GRE test software.

The word processor used by ETS is an elementary one so that individuals familiar with a specific commercial word processing software do not have an advantage or disadvantage. The software has very basic functionalities: inserting text, deleting text, cut and paste, undoing the previous action, and scrolling. If you are used to a commercial word processor such as the Microsoft Word or similar office tools, you will find yourself in a prehistoric era while using the word processor provided by ETS. Tools such as a spelling checker and grammar checker are not available in the software.

What does the AWA Measure?

According to the official GRE site, "The analytical writing section tests your critical thinking and analytical writing skills. It assesses your ability to articulate and support complex ideas, analyze an argument, and sustain a focused and coherent discussion. It does not assess specific content knowledge."

Therefore, knowledge about a specific topic or a subject area is not a necessity to score well in this section. The essential skills that you need to do well in this section are good written communication skills and a good knowledge of how a well constructed argument should be.

Though the two written tasks look similar at first sight, what ETS evaluators expect from you in the two sections are pretty different. Here is a snapshot of what is expected of you in the two sections. Analysis of an Issue Task (30 Minutes)

You will be presented with two essay topics in the Issue Task and you will choose one. The instruction to the section will read something like "Present your perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or examples to support your views."

In this task, the GRE evaluators expect you to present your opinion on a particular topic. You are expected to take a stand about the topic.

Analysis of an Argument Task (30 Minutes)

As against the Issue Task where you are given a choice of topic, in the argument task you will not be provided any choice.

In this task, you are not supposed to take a stand and argue for or against the topic. Instead, an argument is presented to you and you are expected to analyze the argument carefully and critically evaluate the soundness of the argument.

GRE Adaptive Test

1. The GRE selects questions in groups, or stages meaning that it is critical to perform well section by section rather than question by question.
2. The difficulty of questions is governed by performance in the preceding section. Difficulty levels therefore alter in accordance with the student's answers as they progress through the later section of the test.
3. The first section is reflective of an 'average' difficulty level.
4. The student has the provision to skip, navigate and return, and change their responses within a section. However, once they finish with a section, they cannot return to it.
5. There is a 'mark and review' feature to mark questions the student may want to review later.
6. The student will be scored on the basis of the number of questions answered, the number of correct answers and the difficulty level of the sections.
7. There is an on-screen calculator for use in the Quantitative Reasoning section to reduce the emphasis on computation and to ensure that the student focuses more attention on reasoning skills.
8. There is emphasis within the test on the student's knowledge of vocabulary through reading.
9. How does the computer adaptiveness of the GRE work?

You may have heard that the test becomes more difficult based on whether you answer a question correctly. This is actually not true—at least for the new GRE (it was true on the old version of the GRE, meaning pre-August 2011).

That doesn’t mean the new GRE is not an adaptive test. However, instead of adapting from question to question, the new GRE adapts only between sections: it is “section adaptive”. Everybody starts off with a medium section, and, depending on how they do, are given either an easy, medium, or hard section.

For instance, if you do well in the first math section, your second math section will be difficult. If you do not do well on the first math section, your second math section will be easy. As to what constitutes “well”, the GRE algorithm is a little vague. But if you only miss a few questions on a section, you will get a difficult section for your second section. There is also a medium-difficulty section for those who do moderately well. By getting the easy section, you limit how high you can score. In other words, not doing well on the first verbal section precludes a perfect or near perfect verbal score. Likewise, getting to the difficult section ensures that you can’t score below a certain point. So let’s say I get the difficult verbal section (meaning I did well on the first verbal section) and miss every question. I would still get above a 130 (the lowest possible score) in verbal–though nobody, save for ETS, knows what my exact score would be.