The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is an assessment used as part of the selection process for higher education in the United States. It is owned and administered by Educational Testing Service and was established in 1936.
The assessment evaluates your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing and critical thinking skills. It is a computer-based test that incorporates topics such as algebra, geometry, arithmetic and vocabulary.
The GRE consist of six sections and as you answer each question, the test will adapt to your level of ability. The level of difficulty at the start of each of these tests will be average and depending on whether you answer the question correctly or not, the next question will be easier or more difficult. This process continues until the end of each section. We have provided some more information about each of the sections below:
GRE Analytical writing section
This exercise involve one of two different essays: an “issue task” or an “argument task’. You will be given 30 minutes to write an essay about a selection topic selected from a pool of questions. You will be faced with an argument and asked to write an essay that critiques the argument ensuring you provide logic and justification for your argument. Personal opinions should not be included within your essay. You can access these on the ETS website.
GRE Verbal reasoning section x 2
These cover reading comprehension, critical reasoning and vocabulary usage. Each section consists of 20 questions and allocates 30 minutes to complete them.
GRE Quantitative reasoning section x 2
These two sections are split into mathematical knowledge and reasoning skills.THey cover quantitative comparisons, problem solving and data interpretation. Each section consists of 20 questions and allocates 35 minutes to complete them.
GRE experimental or research section
This section does not count towards your overall score. It can be either verbal or quantitative, and contains new questions that ETC is considering for future use. Sometimes an identified research section is given instead of the experimental section.
The overall time taken to complete this will be 3 hours 45 minutes and one-minute breaks are offered after each section. You will also be offered a 10-minute break after the third section.
