The
GRE (Graduate Record Examination) General Exam is a required
test for most American graduate schools (except business schools,
which require the GMAT, and law schools, which require the LSAT).
The GRE consists of three multiple-choice sections, Quantitative,
Analytical and Verbal, and a new essay section called the Writing
Assessment, which is taken separately.
Quantitative
Section
(Math Questions)
28 questions
45 minutes
Verbal
Section (Sentence
Completion, Antonym, Reading Comprehension)
30 questions
30 minutes
Analytical
Reasoning (Logic
Games and Logical Reasoning)
60 minutes
35 questions
Essay Questions
(Writing Assessment):
The GRE Writing Assessment was
introduced in October 1999. The Writing Assessment is optional
and taken on a separate day from the main GRE test. The Writing
Assessment is optional and individual schools have different
policies about requiring the Writing Assessment.
In the Writing Assessment section,
you have to answer two essay questions. One essay asks you to
present your opinion on an issue in 45 minutes, and the second
asks you to analyze the reasoning of an argument in 30 minutes.
The 800score.com GRE Prep Course includes a prep guide
on the essay section.
What
Skills Does the GRE Test?
The GRE primarily tests 4 skill
sets:
- Endurance and ability to
focus
- Basic knowledge of word usage,
math, inductive and deductive reasoning
- Test-taking skills: ability
to guess, work at an appropriate pace, and make decisions under
pressure
- Problem-solving abilities
The
800score.com method is to focus on these skills that
are necessary for both success on the GRE and in graduate school.
As for endurance,
the first skill, you'll have to stare at a screen intensely and
focus for over three hours. Keep this in mind when
taking practice tests. Get used to working for hours on end.
The physical and mental exhaustion is part of the test's challenge.
That's why we offer 5 GRE CAT practice tests. You should take
as many practice CAT's as possible to learn the test and
to get used to the grueling experience.
The second skill set,
a basic knowledge of reading comprehension, math, inductive and
deductive reasoning, is covered in the later chapters of this
online prep guide. No calculators are allowed on test day,
so you need to practice doing basic math calculations by
hand.
General test-taking
skills are covered in this chapter and throughout the online
guide. Timing is a major part of test-taking, particularly for
the GRE CAT. Our GRE Pacer system will teach you
the pacing interactively.
To improve your problem-solving
abilities, the fourth skill set, we have extensive information
on reasoning techniques and specific strategies. When you get
a question wrong, make sure to review the conceptual error you
made by reviewing our explanations for the question. You do not
want to repeat the error again.
How
to Prepare
The GRE is a difficult and unusual test. Budget
at least 50 hours to prepare for the GRE.
w 1b. GRE scoring and graduate schools
