GRE OVERVIEW
PREPARATION RESOURCES
1. KAPLAN GRE BOOK (1-800-kap-test)
 Detailed instruction for Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative
Reasoning, and Analytical Writing
 Methods and Strategies for every Question Type
 Full length Practice Test with Practice Questions & Answer
Explanations
 DVD with instruction and grad school admission guidance
2. KAPLAN ONLINE CENTER (http://www.kaptest.com/GRE)
 5 full-length Practice Tests
 500 question Quiz Bank
 10 20-question Quantitative Practice Sets
GETTING STARTED
• Register your GRE book: http://www.kaptest.com/booksonline
(* Note: Access expires 1 year following registration)
• Take a GRE Practice Test to identify areas of Strength & Weakness
• Create a Study Plan
• Learn and Practice
* Kaplan Online Center
* Kaplan GRE Book
UNDERSTANDING THE GRE
• Computer Based Exam
• Required by most Graduate Schools
• Used for acceptance and admission to Graduate Level Programs
http://www.kaptest.com/GRE
PURPOSE OF GRE
• GRE Score used as an indicator of readiness for graduate study
• Each section of GRE assesses general skills necessary for
graduate school
• Ability to read Complex Material
• Ability to comprehend high-level Vocabulary Words
• Ability to give a Written Response regarding an issue
• Ability to apply General Math Concepts to a variety of
problems
• Graduate Admissions Officers use GRE scores as a means of
selection by comparing many applicants
THE SECRET CODE
• GRE is a Standardized Test & therefore must be:
• Reliable – taker receives approximately same score more than once
• Test Same Concepts – same concepts tested on each test
• Create Bell Curve – some do very well, some do poorly, majority in middle
• GRE Standardized Test = Predicatable Test
• Must test Same Concepts = repeated appearance of certain Vocabulary
Words & repeated variations of same exact Math Questions in each test
• Must create a Bell Curve = creating Hard Questions that most will get wrong
• Hard Questions = Traps
• Wrong choices more appealing than correct choices to majority of test
takers)
• Secret Code
• Recognize and avoid predictable “Traps”
AQUIRE SKILLS
• GRE measures Acquired Skills, not Innate Skills
• Good GRE Performance = acquiring skills through preparation
SAME PROBLEMS-BUT DIFFERENT
• Same Problems on every GRE Test
• Same principles are tested repeatedly- only words and numbers change
• GRE is a Normed Test
• Consistency of concepts tested and scores obtained
GRE ORGANIZATION
• GRE Length: 4 hours, including breaks
• Scoring Scale:
• Verbal and Quantitative: 130-170 (1 point increments)
• Analytical Writing: 0-6
• Format: Multi-Stage Test (MST)
• Computer-based format that allows forward & backward navigation within each test
section
• Number of Sections: 6 (including an experimental or research section)
• Breaks: 10 minutes after 3rd section & 1 minute between all other sections
• Analytical Writing: 1 section with 2 30-minute tasks (analyze 1 issue & 1 argument)
• Verbal Reasoning: 2 30-minute sections with 20 questions each
• Quantitative Reasoning: 2 35-minute sections with 20 questions each (onscreen calculator)
GRE SUBJECT TESTS
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Check Admissions Requirements for Necessity
Offered three times a year: October, November, & April
Designed to Test Fundamental Knowledge in Specific Subject Areas
Format
• Paper-Based Format
• Multiple Choice
• Scoring
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1 point per question answered correctly
-1/4 point per question answered incorrectly
Unanswered questions not counted
Raw score converted to scaled score between 200-990 that varies between tests
• SubTests
• Sometimes included in Subject Tests
• Give more specific information about strengths and weaknesses
• Scores reported with overall score
MULTI-STAGE TEST MECHANICS (MST)
• Adapts one section at a time, altering difficulty level of your 2nd
Verbal Section and 2nd Quantitative Section based on your
performance in the 1st sections
• Can answer questions in any order within a section
• Can change your answers to previous questions within a section
• Onscreen Calculator provided for Quantitative Section
• Mark and Review buttons given to help you track questions to
revisit
SCORING
• Scaled Score
• Verbal Reasoning & Quantitative Reasoning: 130 – 170 (1 point increments)
• Analytical Writing: 0-6 (1/2 point increments)
• Percentile Rank
• Rates your performance in relation to other GRE test takers
• Percentile scores tell grad schools the worth of your scores
• Universities pay close attention to GRE percentile ranking*
(*Note: Certain score is not only admissions criteria & does not mean automatic acceptance)
CANCELLATION & MULTIPLE SCORES
• GRE gives Second Chance
• Score Cancellation
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Scores will be disregarded
You will not be able to see your scores
Score does not count & no refund
Cancel scores only if illness or personal circumstance caused poor performance
• ScoreSelect Option
(http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/scoreselect)
• Can view scores on test day
• Can choose to report most recent scores or scores from all GRE tests taken in past 5 years
• Cannot mix scores from different tests
• GRE Score Distribution
• Scores sent to grad schools 10-15 days after exam
• Most Grad Schools look at highest score for each section if multiple scores are
submitted (check for policies of individual graduate schools)
(Note: Schools have access to photos of you at Test Center & access to Analytical Writing essays)
TEST REGISTRATION
• Computer Based GRE General Test Offered Year-Round
• Register Online with debit/credit card at http://www.ets.org/gre
• Register by Phone 1-800-GRE-CALL or 1-800-473-2255
• Register by Mail (use voucher request form in GRE Information & Registration Bulletin)
• Obtain Copy of GRE Information & Registration Bulletin
• Educational Testing Service
• (609) 771-7670 or (866) 473-4373
• http://www.ets.org/gre
• Gives information on scheduling, pricing, repeat testing, cancellation
policies, etc.
• Admissions Vouchers & Appointment Scheduling
• Voucher takes about 3 weeks to process
• Schedule appointment after you receive voucher
• Vouchers valid for 1 year from date of issue
GRE CHECKLIST – Before the Test
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Choose a Test Date
Register Online, by Phone, or by Mail
Receive Admission Voucer (online or via mail)
Visit the Test Center
- Get directions to the building and the room where you are testing
- Familiarize yourself with the testing room and testing workstation
5. Create a Test Preparation Plan using a Calendar
- Block out the weeks you have to prepare for the test
- Based on results of the GRE Pre Test, identify your strengths &
weaknesses and establish a detailed plan of study
6. Stick to the Plan and Calendar – don’t attempt to cram
7. Reevaluate your strengths & weaknesses periodically & revise plan
GRE CHECKLIST – The Day of the Test
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Make sure you have your GRE Admission Voucher and ID
Allow yourself plenty of time to arrive at the test site
Arrive at least 30 minutes early for check-in procedures