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The GRE, or Graduate Record Examination, is a graduate-level entrance examination used by several graduate and business school programmes. Graduate and business schools evaluate all applicants using the GRE. Along with being academically intense and academically challenging, the GRE is a test of a student’s stamina and ability to strategise and plan ahead; all in all, it is designed to measure overall academic readiness for graduate school. The test takes 3 hours and 45 minutes from start to finish. 

There are basically two GRE exams, GRE General and GRE Subject.

GRE General, as the name suggests, is used to measure general intelligence as it measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills. This exam focuses on general skills needed for academic success.

GRE subjects assess subject-specific knowledge in fields such as Biology, Chemistry, literature, and Mathematics. It is recommended or required for specialised programs.

In this guide, we are going to focus on GRE General.

Overview of the GRE Exam

Head About GRE Exam
Exam Name Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
GRE Exam Format 
  • Analytical Writing: 1 Essay (30 minutes)
  • Quantitative Reasoning: 2 Sections, 27 Questions, 47 Minutes.
  • Verbal Reasoning: 2 Sections, 27 Questions, 41 Minutes
GRE Exam Fees
  • GRE General Test: Rs. 22,550
  • GRE Subject Test: Rs. 14,500
GRE Score Validity 5 years
GRE Score Range
  • Verbal Reasoning: 130 –170
  • Quantitative Reasoning: 130–170
  • Analytical Writing: 0–6
Accepted For MS and MBA abroad

The Graduate Reform Examination General Test has questions that closely reflect the skills you need to succeed in highly competitive, demanding graduate school programs, including business and law. The GRE lets you skip questions within a section, you can go back and change answers, and have the flexibility to choose which questions within a section you want to answer first.

The GRE General Test is a standardised test meant to assess general intellectual preparedness for graduate school and is administered by the Educational Testing Service or ETS. Some graduate schools require applicants to take the GRE General Test as well as the GRE Subject Test, which evaluates technical knowledge in a specific area such as physics, psychology, or mathematics.

The exam is split into three sections:
1. Verbal reasoning
2. Quantitative reasoning
3. Analytical writing skills

GRE DURATION AND TIME MANAGEMENT

You should plan to sit for the exam for around four hours on GRE Test Day, including test-taking time and short breaks. This time does not include the time you check in at the testing centre. It is critical to be on time and prepared. You should arrive at the testing centre at least 30 minutes before your scheduled test time, according to ETS.

WHAT SCORE SHOULD YOU AIM FOR?

Before you start to prepare for the GRE, it is important to keep a goal in mind. The exam is made of three components: Verbal, Quantitative (math), and Analytical Writing. 

Verbal Reasoning:
Under the verbal reasoning section, you are expected to 

  • Evaluate discourse and make inferences from it; reasoning based on little information; determine the author’s viewpoint and/or presumptions; comprehend meaning on several levels, including literal, figurative, and authorial intent.
  • Must have ability to select important points that you are able to distinguish your major points from minor points. You are able to condense the text in a comprehensible manner.
  • You are able to comprehend the structure of a text and the connections between concepts and words.

Quantitative Reasoning
This section assesses your skills in the following areas:

  • Interpret, understand and analyse the quantitative information provided to you.
  • It measures your problem-solving ability using mathematical models
  • You are well-versed in basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, and data analysis.

Analytical Writing
This section judges you;

  • On your ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
  • On your ability to support your claims with relevant examples.
  • On your ability to maintain and construct a coherent argument or keep on with a discussion logically.
  • On your ability to control the elements of standard written English.

What Score Should You Aim For?

SectionScore Scale
Verbal Reasoning130 – 170, in 1- point increments
Quantitative Reasoning130 – 170, in 1-point increments
Analytical Writing0–6, in half-point increments

The verbal component is scored from 130 to 170 in 1-mark increments. The same goes for the quantitative reasoning section. On the other hand, the analytical writing portion is scored from 0 to 6 in half-point increments. This grading system is already difficult to understand.

But when we go from absolute scores to percentiles, things become more complicated. Each GRE result includes a scaled score (ranging from 130 to 170) and a percentile rank. Your percentile rank is more important than the scaled score. How your GRE scores compare to those of other test takers is indicated by your percentile rank. A scaled Verbal score of 150 on the GRE, for example, is approximately in the 47th percentile, meaning that you outperformed 47% of other test-takers and underperformed the remaining 53%.

The Analytical Essay is graded a little differently, where each of the six grades corresponds to a specific percentile. These changes from year to year and the exact percentile can be viewed on the official GRE website.

A good GRE score would be in the top ten percentile. This means a percentile of 90 plus. On average, this would require a score of 163-170 on the verbal assessment, 165-170 on the quantitative assessment and 5.0-6.0 on the essay. However, it is more important to achieve the scores needed for your personal goals. This can be figured out by checking if the university you want to apply to has a cut-off mark for acceptance or a scholarship.

Your verbal score might not matter to some programmes, but your math score might, and vice versa. You will know exactly where to focus your preparation efforts if a programme doesn’t care about your math or essay scores. The GRE may be something you decide to retake.

However, it would be helpful to understand the significance of that opening score. You can take test one with a little more ease if you know that a school will accept your highest GRE score because you can retake it if necessary.

It is essential to note that the GRE score will not be the only thing that matters. You need to consider other factors like extracurriculars, GPA, statement of purpose, your undergraduate course work, etc.

WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE THE GRE Exam?

If you’re wondering what the appropriate time is to take the GRE, here’s everything you need to know. The GRE is offered several times throughout the year. This is what the official GRE website says, “You can take the GRE General Test once every 21 days, up to five times within any continuous rolling 12-month period (365 days). This applies even if you cancelled your scores on a test taken previously.”

This makes it easy for you to complete the test according to your study schedule.

However, it is recommended that you leave yourself some breathing room before the deadline for your application.

If you need to complete the application by the end of December, for example, booking the GRE date in October is a good idea. This will provide you with some time to retake the exam if you’re not happy with your results.

The GRE test is not required by all universities. Students should, however, verify with their prospective universities to determine their eligibility for admission. The GRE is accepted by colleges all across the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Canada.

Book Your Free Session with top Overseas Education Experts!

WHY SHOULD YOU TRY ONLINE TUTORING WITH ROSTRUM?

Where to start preparing for the GRE is one of the most frequent worries of GRE candidates. While some students opt for self-study, coaching sessions, or traditional private instruction, online prep courses are increasingly popular. Here are some reasons why you must consider GRE Preparation Online. See, online GRE preparation is growing in popularity among test takers worldwide.

Here are some advantages of GRE online coaching versus classroom instruction to assist you in making an informed decision.

Versatile and adaptable

Since the majority of those taking the GRE test are either working or studying time is the most significant barrier when it comes to studying. Attending a time-consuming GRE classroom course is out of the question for you. If you choose these lessons, you will have to spend just two or three hours of your everyday routine attending GRE classes. You also won’t be able to make up any lessons if you miss a few. On the other hand, GRE online coaching allows you to choose your schedule and intensity from the comfort of your own home.

Evaluation

It might be tough for the tutor to find out your skills and limitations in a group of 30 students. Because the tutor must concentrate on the entire class, you will never be their priority. Technology restructures the process for you with online GRE prep. Algorithms and adaptive technologies are used in online courses to adjust to your performance and assist you with your weak areas. As a result, you’ll receive a course that adjusts to your abilities.

Updated teaching methods

The content at most coaching institutes is not updated every year. For many years, their lectures and sample papers remained the same. Content quality may not remain constant in online prep courses. Rostrum’s content is constantly updated, incorporates the most up-to-date data, and gives you the latest information.

Track progress

After taking a practice exam, our best GRE online coaching provides you with instant results as well as an analysis. This allows you to track your progress and your mentor to assess your strengths and shortcomings.

What makes Rostrum’s instructors unique?

Perfect Foundation

We help you construct a solid conceptual foundation by equipping you with resources and tutoring systematically. We also undertake classroom exercises and employ a multitude of techniques to aid you in formulating a unique test-taking strategy.

Subject Test Guidance

GRE Subject Tests give your application an advantage over the others. Rostrum offers you coaching for all 6 GRE Subject Tests, no matter where you belong, as we provide tutoring services all over the world, including India and UAE. We assist you in choosing the right subjects which will help you showcase your strengths. We also provide additional support to improve your understanding of a subject.

Analytical Writing Skills

If you are taking the GRE, you need to develop the necessary language, writing, critical thinking, and analytical skills to take both sections of the analytical writing course. We understand that you can’t develop them overnight. Our tutors help you improve your analytical and writing skills using comprehensive methods and also by taking GRE mock tests.

GRE practice test series

Ever wished you could obtain a complete drill-down analysis, from a histogram displaying your marks, time taken, and attempts vs the top scorers to a line graph showing marks vs percentile? Not only that, but we also take a lot of GRE mock tests and practice the previous year’s GRE question paper to help you improve your abilities with each try so you can give it your all on the big day. To start the journey with us, click on the button below.

GRE PREP TIPS FROM ROSTRUM’S EXPERTS

Rostrum Offers the Best Coaching for GRE Preparation; here are the tips. Be sure to evaluate your performance following practice GRE tests. What types of inquiries do you frequently omit? Which questions are the hardest for you, and which do you usually ace? Having a GRE tutor available can help you. Learning the material is only one aspect of exam preparation; other aspects include increasing your speed and test-taking techniques. To be fully prepared, schedule a meeting with a coach to discuss how you performed on practice exams and create a personalized strategy for achieving your target GRE score.

To begin your preparation, you first need to find your baseline, which will allow you to know how much effort you need to put into achieving your aims. The score you would get on the GRE today is your baseline score. Take a full-length GRE practice test in the same testing environment as the real test before creating a study schedule. The outcomes will direct your preparation by highlighting the topic areas to which you should pay more attention.

Next, you need to make a plan to close the gap between your target and your current score. You need a wise preparation strategy that will hold you accountable and produce the outcomes you need, regardless of whether you select a prep course, online programme, or test preparation book. You can locate the ideal atmosphere for you with a little bit of investigation. Online courses may be the best as they provide the right balance between rigour and the freedom of having a professor answer your queries while being flexible in terms of scheduling.

When taking practice exams and drills, concentrate on your approach to each question. You can practice ideas and test-taking techniques using paper and pencil examinations, but you need to make sure to include online practice in your study plan to assist you in getting ready for the experience of a computer-based test.

Always assess your performance after taking practice GRE exams. What kinds of questions do you often leave out? Which questions do you find most difficult, and which do you frequently ace? You can benefit from having a GRE tutor at your disposal. Test preparation is more than just learning the content; it also entails improving your speed and test-taking strategies. To be completely ready, meet with a coach to go over your performance on practice tests and develop a customized plan for reaching your desired GRE score.

Since the GRE Verbal section still places high value on vocabulary, reading reputable sources like academic journals or some of the more esoteric newspapers and periodicals can help you become familiar with a range of vocabulary. Add additional terms to your collection as you come across them on practice exams or practice tasks.

You have access to a calculator on the GRE as part of the on-screen presentation, and it may be quite helpful if utilised properly! However, the calculator may also be dangerous. Determine when using a calculator improves accuracy and when mastering the fundamentals of a difficult arithmetic issue is preferable.

HOW CAN YOU REGISTER FOR THE GRE Exam?

Please keep your passport and debit/credit card accessible before registering for the GRE. Make sure the information you enter on the ETS portal matches what’s on your passport.

To register for the GRE, follow these steps:

Create an ETS account on the official ETS website.

  • Go to your ETS account and log in.
  • Choose the GRE you want to take and the testing location.
  • After you’ve confirmed the testing centre, choose a test time and date for the exam before proceeding to payment.
  • Go over your application again.
  • Finish the registration procedure by paying the registration cost online using a debit or credit card.
  • After your payment is finalized, you will get an email confirming your GRE registration to the email address you provided.

YOU HAVE REGISTERED!!

Over 600,000 applicants take the test every year. Be best placed with us! We espouse a 90% entrance rate of students taking the test with our prep from all over the world, including India and UAE.

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Arav Aggarwal Babson

Working with Ratish was an absolute game changer in my college application process. From the moment I met him, I could tell that he truly cared about helping me achieve my dreams and goals. He was incredibly knowledgeable about the college admissions process and was able to provide me with invaluable guidance and support every step of the way along with me gaining many useful skills for my future career. Thanks to his expertise and guidance, I was able to gain admission to my dream college due to his constant support and follow ups throughout my application and college selection journey.

UDHAY CHOPRA LSE, UCL, KING’S, ST. ANDREWS, CLAREMONT MCKENNA COLLEGE, DUKE

The team at Rostrum was extremely helpful through this admissions cycle. Martin, Ratish, and Sanjog were very thorough in editing my essays, both supplemental and the Common Application essay as well as preparing me for the US interviews and in the profile building process. Gwyn was very supportive in helping me develop my super-curricular activities, writing the SOP, and polishing my interview skills, and helped me navigate the entire process seamlessly, resulting in offers from my top choices in both the US and the UK.

Amruta JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY

US universities require 4 years of UG, but the expertise of Rostrum helped shortlisted universities where I could apply with 3 year degree undergrad degree. From timely follow ups, to working on applications of 10 universities, my counsellor helped me craft more than 10 university specific essays. The great attention to minute detail was something which truly made the process exciting. Dea and Ratish were available round the clock to address to queries ( some extremely stupid ones too). When I look back 10 years down the lane, Rostrum’s mentorship will be my life’s happiest roller coaster memory.

Bhumi Jain Indiana University, Bloomington

One thing which really eased my work was working with Rostrum. I didn’t have to worry about my applications, writing essays, college research, and making a list of profile building activities. That really eased my work and I could focus on my academics and other extracurricular activities.

Anisha UCL

My UK mentor Khalid really helped me constantly refine my personal statement, and I also got a few inputs from Gwyn. All of these really helped me showcase my diverse extracurricular activities because I had a bunch of them that tied in with my major as well as show my passion for the field, which I think really made me stand out as someone who’s very genuinely interested in studying biomedical sciences. Rostrum knows what universities are looking for and in that sense they helped me decide what to show in my application.

DIMASH ASKAROV DUBAI ENGLISH SPEAKING SCHOOL TO IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON & UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON - Rostrum Education
DIMASH ASKAROV IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON

Rostrum has really helped with preparing me for the interview process through technical mock interviews with Gwyn. I was able to develop my confidence and speaking abilities in order to convey my points more clearly. I’m grateful for their support throughout the whole application journey.

YUKTI ARORA COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY - Rostrum Education
Yukti Arora Columbia University

The whole team at Rostrum helped me prepare the best application possible. Shivangi and Ratish especially were so encouraging and guided me throughout the whole process. The whole team was always there whenever I had a question. I’m really grateful for all the support and effort!

AVANTIKA KHANNA UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE - Rostrum Education
AVANTIKA KHANNA University of Cambridge

From day one, Rostrum guided me through my application to Cambridge and helped me gain more insight into what makes a 'standout' Oxbridge application. Working with Rostrum was such an amazing experience and helped me get into my dream school!

RIYAAN MISRA UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE- Rostrum Education
RIYAAN MISHRA University of Cambridge

College selection and the process can be a daunting task. Rostrum made this very comprehensive and comfortable. Setting goals, breaking down requisite action and thereafter it’s follow up, all seamlessly coordinated by Sanjog. His ability to be direct, connect and stay calm encouraged our son, Riyaan.

ANANYA SOLANKI PRINCETON UNIVERSITY - Rostrum Education
ANANYA SOLANKI PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

My counsellor at Rostrum guided me through each step of the application process from making a college list, setting deadlines for myself, writing my essays to finally sending the applications out. The entire team at Rostrum has been so supportive over the past few months and has responded promptly each time I had a question or a doubt.

DISHA MITTAL TUFTS UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH

My experience with Rostrum has been a wonderful journey. I would like to thank the entire Rostrum team for the support they have given. Special thanks to Shivangi and Ratish for their constant guidance and assistance throughout the application procedure. It wouldn’t have been possible without them. From short listing colleges to editing SOPs several times, they have been there for me. Big thanks to the entire team for catering to all my needs, for making me believe in my self and my potentials. I’m soo grateful to have joined Rostrum, they have truly helped me to achieve my dreams.

Ameyath Claremont McKenna College

Rostrum Education has been extremely helpful, patient and considerate throughout my application process. I owe my gratitude to my mentor Maknoon as he was always ready to address any query I had, no matter how small. Gwyn Day was an essential part of my UK applications as he helped me choose universities, courses and also in perfecting my SOP, I am thankful to him and the entire team at Rostrum Education for everything.

Ekam London School of Economics and Political Science, City University, University of Waterloo

Rostrum has been a huge help over the past year, Ratish and the team has helped and supported in each and every step of the journey. With their guidance and expertise they tailor fit you for the universities. never expected i’d get into such great universities. all thanks to them!

FAQs on GRE Preparation Online

Yes, it is possible to score 320 on the GRE by preparing for 2 months; if you follow a dedicated plan that inculcates the fundamentals and advanced questions and practice mock tests, you can score 320.

There’s no single “best” online GRE coaching platform, as the right choice depends on your learning style, goals, and schedule. However, Rostrum goes beyond standard coaching by providing personalised mentorship, tailored study plans, and one-on-one guidance.