GRE Test

的Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is used as an evaluation for applicants applying to specific graduate schools. This evaluation is primarily used by business schools and law schools. In fact, some law schools will accept your GRE score if you do not have an LSAT score.

This article will provide you with everything you need to know about the GRE, including what’s on the GRE test and how you can register to take the test.

About the GRE

的GRE is used as an evaluation for applicants applying to specific graduate schools. This evaluation is primarily used by business schools and law schools. Some law schools accept GRE scores if you do not have LSAT scores.

Who is Required to Take this Evaluation?

Every graduate student will not have to take this assessment. Primarily it is required if you are applying to pursue:

• A Master’s in Business
• MBA
• JD
• A Doctorate Degree

的implementation of this evaluation helps educational admissions to ascertain the preparedness of the many students who apply from all over the world. Educational requirements are different in each part of the world so this assessment allows applicants to show their academic and professional experience.

的score you receive on the GRE will not be the only thing considered before you are accepted into the program you are applying to. However, it is a method of proving your readiness for the field of study you have chosen.

Exam Contents

GRE测试三个部分之间的最后一个30-35 minutes each; in total, the test takes about three hours and forty-five minutes. There are three question types: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical writing.

Verbal Reasoning

的Verbal Reasoning section of the GRE test requires you to be able to recognize the meaning behind obscure words in the context of elaborately-constructed sentences.

QUESTION TYPES

的re are three types of questions in this section.

1. Text Completion (TC):You must fill in the blank with the correct vocabulary word; however, some sentences may have multiple blanks, and some questions may ask you to fill in blanks spread out over an entire paragraph.
2. Sentence Equivalence (SE):You must choose two words that would both logically complete the sentence (no partial credit, unfortunately).
3. Reading Comprehension (RC):的se questions deal with specific reading passages, which can be fewer than 100 words or as long as 450 words. The passages cover topics from multiple fields, such as science, literary critique, and social sciences. You should at least be familiar enough with these subjects to understand the questions being asked.

Each Verbal Reasoning section contains 20 questions, half being TC and SE questions, and the other half being RC questions. The test always begins with six TC questions that are followed by the reading passages, with SE being distributed throughout.

STRATEGY FOR VERBAL REASONING QUESTIONS

One strategy for dealing with verbal reasoning questions is to refrain from immediately reading the answer choices after reading the questions; many of the wrong answers are designed to “sound” right, and looking at the answers before thinking over the question can lead to jumping to conclusions. Cover up the answers with your hand and think over the sentence carefully to decide which word would best fit the blank. Only circle an answer once you have given the matter serious independent thought.

STRATEGY FOR READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

For RC questions, reread the passage as soon as you read the question; focus on the passage that best answers the question, and then put the answer in your own words. Afterward, circle the answer that best matches what you were thinking.

的vocabulary words on the test are drawn from a bank of 5,000 words that are considered sophisticated, scholarly, or academic, such as the vocabulary found in a prestigious newspaper or an academic paper. The GRE places less emphasis on knowing the definitions of words. It’s more important that you recognize how to use the words in a sentence. You may use flashcards to learn the definitions of words, but in order to truly learn how the words are used, reading words in context and looking up their definitions creates more neural connections.

For some people, the challenge of reading comprehension may lie in the passage; others are challenged by the wording of the answer choices. When reading the passages, try to make mini-paragraph summaries in your head so that you can understand the main points. As with the other multiple-choice sections, do not immediately look at the RC section.

Remember, every GRE practice question is worth the same on the exam. If you’ve spent over a minute on a question without making progress, you may want to skip over it at first in order to answer some easier questions. Some GRE practice questions will take less time than others. SE questions tend to take the least time to answer, while Paragraph Arguments and long reading passages tend to take the most time. Also, remember the typical difficulty order of GRE questions. The triple-blank questions that will take you the most time are usually the fifth or sixth questions.

Quantitative Reasoning

Fortunately, the GRE does not deal with higher-level math such as calculus, trigonometry, and geometry proofs. Instead, it deals with high-school-level subjects such as basic properties of shapes, integer properties, exponents, and word problems dealing with rate questions and probability. The math itself isn’t that difficult; the real challenge is figuring out what the question is asking you to calculate. Showing your work is less important than picking the correct answer.

While the GRE does test your ability to deal with number properties and geometric figures (which you should definitely familiarize yourself with), the real purpose of the Quantitative Reasoning section is to test the way you solve problems. Essentially, it tests your ability to reason with numbers.

QUESTION TYPES

的math section is divided into two question types: problem-solving questions and quantitative comparisons. The section will always begin with 7-8 quantitative comparison questions, where you compare two columns (A and B) to determine which is bigger. The problem-solving section will contain multiple-choice questions, multiple-answer questions, and Numeric Entry questions (that final type of question is not multiple choice; you must type the answer into a box).

的most common math concept on the test is word problems, followed by algebra, percentages/fractions/ratios, data interpretation, and geometry. There are also questions about statistics and exponents. Less common are questions about probability, coordinate geometry, and arithmetic series.

的GRE questions are designed to be confusing. It is easy to misinterpret the questions and come to a completely wrong conclusion. Be cautious if you think a question is too easy. You can also use estimation to help you hone in on the correct answers. Of course, the best way to prepare yourself for Quantitative Reasoning is to learn mathematical strategies and then apply them to increasingly difficult problems.

FORMULAS TO KNOW

You should be familiar with the following formulas:

• Arithmetic and Number Properties
• Types of Numbers
• Order of Operations: PEMDAS
• Commutative, Associative, and Distributive Properties
• Prime Numbers
• Factorization
• Divisibility
• Absolute Values
• Fast Fractions
• Percentages
• Ratios
• Powers and Roots
• Exponents
• Roots
• Algebra
• Simplifying Expressions
• Factoring
• Solving Equations
• Geometry
• Angles
• Polygons
• Triangles
• Circles
• Squares
• Rectangles
• Trapezoids
• Quadrilaterals
• 三维形状
• Coordinate Geometry
• Lines
• 的Distance Formula
• Quadratics
• Word Problems
• Distance, Rate, and Time
• Work Rate
• Sequences
• Interest
• Statistics
• Counting
• Probability

It is worth noting that you are allowed to use the on-screen calculator for the GRE test. However, you should not always rely on a calculator when you are pressed for time; there’s a risk of entering the wrong numbers. Being able to estimate and perform mental math helps save time. Also, you will be allowed to use an unlimited amount of scratch paper.

Remember, every math question is weighed the same. It is perfectly acceptable to initially skip questions depending on your weak areas. There’s no penalty for wrong answers, so be sure to answer every question, but don’t worry about being able to solve each one.

Analytical Writing

的Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) is the essay portion of the test and is comprised of two 30-minute essays: the Issue and the Argument. In both essays, you put forth athesisstatement and defend it over the course of the essay. The Issue essay requires you to respond to and analyze a general statement relating to politics, education, or culture; basically, it asks you to take a stand on the issue. The Argument Essay simply asks you to dissect the logic behind the presented argument. The Argument question tends to be a paragraph, while the Issue question tends to be a single sentence.

To prepare for the AWA specifically, it is recommended that you practice the following ways:

1. Write: Hone your writing skills to make it easier to facilitate your writing skills upon demand.
2. Outline and brainstorm your ideas: Don’t start writing before your logic and your examples have fully formed. Spend a few minutes creating a roadmap. Once you develop this skill, it becomes an efficient way to write an essay.
3. Edit your practice essays: Become more aware of the grammatical and logical mistakes you tend to make so you can anticipate them later on.
4. Read sample essays: Read our sample student essays in order to get a feel for what is expected of you on the GRE.
5. Improve your grammar: While the ideas behind your essay are most important, it is important to follow grammatical rules in order to communicate your ideas. You should also pay attention to the writing style and adapt your writing style accordingly.

Online GRE Prep Course

If you want to be fully prepared, Mometrix offers an online GRE Prep Course. The course is designed to provide you with any and every resource you might want while studying. The GRE Course includes:

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How Computer-Adaptive Testing Works

的GRE is computer-adaptive; depending on your performance, the difficulty of your test may increase or decrease as you go on. Here’s a look at how it works:

的test starts with a section judged to be of medium difficulty, and depending on your performance, the next section may be easier or harder. If you do well in the first math section, the second math section will be harder; conversely, if you do poorly on the first section, the second section will be easy. Of course, the algorithm for doing well or poorly is a little imprecise, but suffice to say that the fewer questions you miss, the more likely you are to get more difficult sections. Remember: getting the easy section means limiting how high you can score, so you want to aim for the more difficult sections.

It is important to note that you can skip questions and come back to them later if you have time. You only have an allotted amount of time for each section, but you can use that time to work on that section however you wish. You may skip as many questions as you like, but it is recommended that you only skip harder questions so you can return to them later; that way, you won’t waste too much time on the harder questions and will ultimately be able to answer more questions. Each question scores the same amount of points, so there’s no reason to waste time on harder questions. Also note that there’s no penalty for wrong answers on the GRE; you are free to answer the questions in any order, but you should definitely try to answer every question, even if this sometimes means taking a wild guess.

Test Day

It is important that you get plenty of rest the night before the test. DO NOT plan on cramming the night before. Make sure you work on plenty of GRE practice test questions in the weeks leading up to your test. The sheer amount of knowledge needed for the GRE is built up over several months of studying. A few GRE practice test questions the day before won’t hurt, but you should be as relaxed as possible. You’ll need to bring a valid I.D. in order to take the test; it would also be a good idea to bring some snacks along the lines of nuts, dates, and bananas—natural foods with plenty of calories.

的test will take around four hours; this time includes check-in and background questions. Remember: the test is divided into two 30-minute essays and four math/verbal sections. You will have a 10-minute break after the third section and one-minute breaks between the other sections. You may take a break on your own at any time, but remember that you only have a limited amount of time.

Requirements for At-home Testing

的exam can be taken online at your home if you can meet the equipment and environment regulations.

Equipment Requirements

• A computer that meets one of these requirements:
  • A computer with Windows operating system (minimum Windows version 8)
  • A MAC that has Mac OS X® 10.5 or higher (10.13 High Sierra is recommended)
• Internal or external speakers
• Built-in camera or a webcam that can show a 360° view of the room you are testing in, including the surface of the table.

Environment Requirements

• You cannot have anyone else in the room while you test.
• You cannot be in a park, internet café, or library.
• All doors leading into the room must be closed.
• Your ears must be uncovered and visible during the test.
• You may not sit on a couch or overstuffed chair; you must sit at a standard desk or dining room chair.
• You must dress appropriately.
• You may only take notes on a desktop whiteboard using an erasable marker. At the end of the test, you are required to show the proctor that you have erased all notations that you made.
• Pens and pencils are not permitted.

Test Score Reporting and Analysis

When you take the exam, you have the option of sending your scores to up to four schools. (If you want it sent to more schools, you’ll have to pay $25 per additional school.)

良好的GRE成绩有点相对。去年year, applicants to the top 10 Engineering programs had an average quantitative score of 165 (around 90%), while those admitted to the top 10 Education programs had an average of 156.6 (64%). Scoring around 50% is about average; it probably won’t help you much, but it’s not going to particularly hurt you either. A score around the 25% mark might be a bit more detrimental to your application. Ideally, a score around 75% will help you stand out as a competitive candidate. Remember: a GRE score is only part of your application. Even a perfect score doesn’t guarantee acceptance by high-ranking schools. Check the average scores of the school you’re applying to in order to figure out what your goal for the GRE should be. Depending on your goal, you may have more or less room to skip questions. Assuming your goal is about 160 on each section, you could miss over a dozen questions in verbal and 8-9 in math.

You’ll receive a score on a range of 130-170 the day of the test. At the very end of the test, a window will pop up and ask if you want to see your scores; remember, if you click no, then not only will you not receive your score, your score will subsequently not be sent to your selected schools. Your essay scores should be available in about two weeks and should be available through your GRE account. Your score will be valid for up to five years.

你可以测试每21天,但只有五个times in a 365-day period. If you choose not to send your scores to any schools, you can ignore the results of your first GRE and try again later. (If you decide later that you do want to send that day’s score, it will cost a fee.) You may take the GRE as many times as you can afford. You may want to retake it if your score is far below the average for the program you’re aiming for, if you feel your application isn’t strong enough to send in an average score, if you feel like you’ve improved since your last attempt, or if you panicked during your test and feel you could do better next time.

Remember: the GRE is an important part of your application, but it does not guarantee your acceptance.

How to Study for the GRE

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