GRE Guide

Gradestack Learning
This guide provides comprehensive information pertaining to GRE exam. It also offers
important tips for GRE exam. This guide is prepared by GRE expert having more than 5 years
of experience in mentoring GRE students.

6/3/2014

GRE Guide 2014

Table of content

Page

1. About GRE

2. Why should you take GRE?

3. What does the GRE Measure?

4. Format of the GRE

a. Format
b. Experimental Section
c. Research
5. GRE Test Computer & Paper based

a. Pacing
b. Scoring the GRE
c. Skipping and Guessing
d. The 2 out of 5 Rule
e. Computer Screen Option
f.

Test Day

6. Get Started with your GRE Prep

11

a. 3 questions you need to ask yourself before starting your GRE Prep
b. GRE exam success tips for you
c. Importance of Q & A for your GRE exam preparation
7. Gradestack GRE Mobile App

16

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GRE Guide 2014

About GRE

The Graduate Record Examination popularly known as the GRE is a standardized test taken to
gain entrance into the top rung graduate or business schools in the United States and a virtual
ticket to a super success future. It was created and is being administered by Educational Testing
Service (ETS) in 1949. The Graduate Record Exam mainly comprises of two broad parts - the
compulsory General Test and the optional Subject Tests which sometimes may be asked by the
universities.
The GRE was significantly overhauled in August 2011, resulting in an exam that is not adaptive
on a question-by-question basis, but rather by section, so that the performance on the first
verbal and math sections determine the difficulty of the second sections presented. Overall, the
test retained the sections and many of the question types from its predecessor, but the scoring
scale was changed to a 130 to 170 scale (from a 200 to 800 scale). However, the test continued
to lay emphasis on evaluating a students academic ability, analytical thinking competence and
critical reasoning for admissions into graduate or business schools.
The GRE General Test is commonly taken as a computer-adaptive test, however paper based
test option is also available, checking your verbal, quantitative and analytical writing skills. For
admittance to Graduate school, the emphasis is placed upon good GRE scores and varies widely
from being a mere admission formality to an important selection factor. The cost to take the
GRE test is US $ 195, however ETS sometimes reduces the fee to promote financial aid to those
GRE applicants who prove economic hardship. For more information, visit:
http://www.ets.org/gre
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GRE Guide 2014

Why should you take GRE?

The Big question is why you should take GRE exam? The GRE test score is required for
admission to most of the Grad schools in the US and thus there are many reasons why you
should take the GRE.
If you are planning to pursue your Graduation in US, then the GRE scores is the requirement
for admission. Also for good job, higher salary, good education is a must and thus aspiring to
study in a good college requires good GRE scores. Statistics shows better education offers
better salaries.
If you dont do well in your studies, you can prepare well for your GRE exam. Relatively high
GRE score balances you average school performance and increase your chances to get into
good grad school.

In case, if you want to pursue higher studies in later stage of your career. You can still take
GRE as early as you can, depending on your preparation level. GRE score is valid for 5 years.
In case, you want to work for some time and save money for future studies. Also, it makes your
profile better.

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GRE Guide 2014

Taking the GRE exam when you are in school and when you are in touch with studies aids
good mindset for exam preparation in comparison to when you are working. Also, the GRE
exam has the ScoreSelect option that means, if you dont do well first time around, you can
retake the GRE again and then you can send across best scores to the Grad school. In addition
to your academic record and a good GRE scores, letters of recommendations from your
seniors or supervisors from your workplace or educational institute also plays a huge role in
balancing the selection in your favour.

What does the GRE Measure?

The GRE is an aptitude test. Like all aptitude tests, it must choose a medium in which to
measure intellectual ability. The GRE has chosen math and English.

The question isdoes it measure aptitude for graduate school? The GREs ability to predict
performance in school is as poor as the SAT's. This is to be expected since the tests are written

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GRE Guide 2014

by the same company (ETS) and are similar. The GREs verbal section, however, is significantly
harder (more big words), and, surprisingly, the GREs math section is slightly easier.

No test can measure all aspects of intelligence. Thus any admission test, no matter how well
written, is inherently inadequate. Nevertheless, some form of admission testing is necessary. It
would be unfair to base acceptance to graduate school solely on grades; they can be
misleading. For instance, would it be fair to admit a student with an A average earned in easy
classes over a student with a B average earned in difficult classes? A schools reputation is too
broad a measure to use as admission criteria: many students seek out easy classes and
generous instructors, in hopes of inflating their GPA. Furthermore, a system that would monitor
the academic standards of every class would be cost prohibitive and stifling. So until a better
system is proposed, the admission test is here to stay.

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GRE Guide 2014

Format of the GRE

The GRE is approximately four hours long. Only three-hours-and-ten-minutes of the test count
toward your score the experimental section is not scored.

Format

The math and verbal sections can appear in any order. Also, the questions within each section
can appear in any order. For example, in the math section, the first question might be a graph,
the second and third questions quantitative comparisons, and the fourth question multiple
choice.
There is a one-minute break between each section and a ten-minute break following the
writing section.

Experimental Section
The GRE is a standardized test. Each time it is offered, the test has, as close as possible, the
same level of difficulty as every previous test. Maintaining this consistency is very difficult
hence the experimental section. The experimental section measures the relative difficulty of
potential questions; if responses to a question do not perform to strict specifications, the
question is rejected.

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GRE Guide 2014

The experimental section can be a verbal section or a math section. You wont know which
section is experimental. You will know which type of section it is, though, since there will be an
extra one of that type.
This brings up an ethical issue: How many students have run into the experimental section early
in the test and have been confused and discouraged by it? Crestfallen by having done poorly
on, say, the first though experimentalsection, they lose confidence and perform below
their ability on the rest of the test. Some testing companies are becoming more enlightened in
this regard and are administering experimental sections as separate practice tests.
Unfortunately, ETS has yet to see the light.
Knowing that the experimental section can be disproportionately difficult, if you do poorly on a
particular section you can take some solace in the hope that it may have been the experimental
section. In other words, do not allow one difficult section to discourage your performance on
the rest of the test.

Research Section
You may also see a research section. This section, if it appears, will be identified and will be last.
The research section will not be scored and will not affect your score on other parts of the test.

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GRE Guide 2014

GRE Test Computer & Paper based

The computer based GRE uses the same type of questions as the paper-&-pencil test. The
only difference is the medium that is the way the questions are presented.
There are advantages and disadvantages to the CAT. Probably the biggest advantages are that
you can take the CAT just about any time and you can take it in a small room with just a few
other peopleinstead of in a large auditorium with hundreds of other stressed people. On the
other hand, it is easier to misread a computer screen than it is to misread printed material, and
it can be distracting looking back and forth from the computer screen to your scratch paper.

Pacing
Although time is limited on the GRE, working too quickly can damage your score. Many
problems hinge on subtle points, and most require careful reading of the setup. Because
undergraduate school puts such heavy reading loads on students, many will follow their
academic conditioning and read the questions quickly, looking only for the gist of what the
question is asking. Once they have found it, they mark their answer and move on. Later, many
are startled to discover that they missed questions because they either misread the problems
or overlooked subtle points. While you want to answer every question, remember to pace
yourself - you will have about one minute per question in the Verbal section, and about two
minutes per question in the Math section.
The level of difficulty of the second verbal or math section you see will depend on how well you
perform on the first verbal or math section. If you do well on the first verbal section, then the
second section will be a little harder. And if you do poorly on the first math section, then the
second section will be a little easier. Within each section, you can change answers and skip
questions and later return to them (mark and review feature). But once you leave a section,
you cannot return to it.

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GRE Guide 2014

Scoring the GRE
The three major parts of the test are scored independently. You will receive a verbal score, a
math score, and a writing score. The verbal and math scores range from 130 to 170, in 1-point
increments. The writing score is on a scale from 0 to 6, in half-point increments. In addition to
the scaled score, you will be assigned a percentile ranking, which gives the percentage of
students with scores below yours.

Skipping and Guessing

If you can eliminate even one of the answer-choices, guessing can be advantageous. Well talk
more about this later. Often students become obsessed with a particular problem and waste
time trying to solve it. To get a top score, learn to cut your losses and move on.
If you are running out of time, randomly guess on the remaining questions. This is unlikely to
harm your score. You are not penalized for guessing on the GRE, so make sure you answer
every question - even the ones you feel unsure about. Because the total number of questions
answered contributes to the calculation of your score, you should answer ALL the questions
even if this means guessing randomly before time runs out.

The 2 out of 5 Rule

It is significantly harder to create a good but incorrect answer-choice than is to produce the
correct answer. For this reason usually only two attractive answer choices are offered. One
correct and the other either intentionally misleading or only partially correct. The other three
answer-choices are usually fluffed. If you can dismiss the three fluff choices, your probability of
answering the question successfully will increase from 20% to 50%.

Computer Screen Options

When taking the test, you will have six on-screen options/buttons:
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GRE Guide 2014

Quit Section
Time
Help
Next
Confirm
Tag
Calculator

Unless you just cannot stand it any longer, never select Quit Section. If you finish a section
early, just relax while the time runs out. If youre not pleased with your performance on the
test, you can always cancel it at the end.
The Time button allows you to display or hide the time. During the last five minutes, the time
display cannot be hidden and it will also display the seconds remaining. The Help button will
present a short tutorial showing how to use the program. You select an answer-choice by
clicking the small oval next to it. To go to the next question, click the Next button. You will then
be asked to confirm your answer by clicking the Confirm button. Then the next question will be
presented. The Tag button allows you mark a question for later review. The Calculator button
presents an on-screen calculator.

Test Day

Bring a photo ID.

Bring a list of four schools that you wish to send your scores to.

Arrive at the test center 30 minutes before your test appointment. If you arrive late, you
might not be admitted and your fee will be forfeited.

You will be provided with scratch paper. Do not bring your own, and do not remove
scratch paper from the testing room.

You cannot bring testing aids in to the testing room. This includes pens, calculators,
watch calculators, books, rulers, cellular phones, watch alarms, and any electronic or
photographic devices.

You will be photographed and videotaped at the test center.

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GRE Guide 2014

Getting started with your GRE Prep

Here are few must read articles to get you started with your GRE prep

3 questions you need to ask yourself before starting your

GRE Prep

Your score in the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is one of the chief conditions for
getting admittance in graduate and business schools in English speaking countries. However
before even starting off on your exam preparation, you need to ask yourself the following 3
questions What are the schools you are applying to? : One of the most critical facets of your GRE
preparation is to zero in on the list of schools you are targeting. With nearly all graduate
schools in the United States requiring a GRE score for admission, it becomes vital to
know the minimum test scores your target schools consider as their cut offs. That way,
you can streamline your preparation on various specific areas and identify beforehand
what you need to focus on.
With ever increasing competition to top schools, GRE score might not promise
acceptance to a college but a below par score would undeniably guarantee elimination.
In addition to a good GRE score, a great academic record and a holistic approach to
student life play a role in admissions. Letters of recommendation from your seniors or
supervisors in your previous workplace or educational institution or even from

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GRE Guide 2014

renowned professionals play a huge role in balancing the selection in your favour. These
act as a means of verification and validation of your profile and skills.
Lastly your essays and a detailed personal statement would feature amongst the
application documents. This is an important document which give you a chance to
introduce yourself and says a lot about your passion for the field of study, goals and the
skills you possess to meet them.
What are your weak and strong areas? : GRE requires you to have impeccable
quantitative skills, immaculate reasoning ability and polished writing skills all of which
do not come naturally to many. You have to diagnose and understand the areas in which
you are solid in and those which require improvement. Focusing your preparation in in
your weak areas is critical. It is natural to spend more time in the areas we are most
comfortable in and end up neglecting areas that really need work. This invariably leads
to a skewed level of preparation and below standard performance in the final exam
even after putting in hours and hours of effort.
Lastly, what is your preparation plan? : Having a clear plan with the goal in place is
critical to success in all aspects of your life, nowhere is it more applicable than in GRE.
With a clear view on time available and a good understanding of your weak and strong
areas it should be relatively easy to have a plan in place. The hard part is following it till
your exam day, but preparing in a structures manner will help you get the most out of
your time.
Schools mix, match and weigh all the factors before picking the candidate and you might
definitely want to put your best foot forward always.

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GRE Guide 2014

Importance of Q&A for GRE exam Preparation

While the exam pattern of the GRE test was altered in the year 2011, the overall premise of
the exam stayed the same. It still continued to lay emphasis on evaluating your academic
ability, analytical thinking competence and critical reasoning for admissions into graduate or
business schools. The Graduate Record Exam mainly comprises of two broad parts - the
compulsory General Test and the optional Subject Tests which might sometimes may be
provided to the universities.
You should focus more of our energy on the general test, which as per the pattern is evaluated
on a scale of 130 - 170 score with a 0-6 rating used to evaluate the analytical writing skills of the
aspirant. The exam is divided into majorly 3 sections namely the Verbal Reasoning, the
Quantitative Reasoning section and the Analytical Writing segment. The verbal section which
featured number of antonyms and analogies have questions base on complex reasoning. With
calculators being allowed in the exam, it would also eliminate mistakes due to simple
calculation errors. However the best feature is its exceedingly upgraded exam design that
allows you to go back and forth in a particular section and even make changes if necessary. This
pattern not only tests the overall aptitude of yours, but also empowers the business schools
and universities to make the right choices by zeroing on the worthy candidates.
It has been observed that the lack of time has proved to be the Achilles Heel for many GRE
hopefuls. Leading GRE training providers help you in this aspect, wherein they train you to
cover a larger portion of the questions thereby increasing your chances of answering correctly
and securing a high score. Practice papers are one of the best bets which not only help you in
identifying your weak areas, but also increase the speed and accuracy in which you can cover
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GRE Guide 2014

the questions. The mantra is the more you attempt the higher you will score. Increasing your
levels of concentration can lead to efficient self-study hours that augment information
absorption that can be a welcome addition to your existing repertoire. You have to understand
that it is important to follow a pattern and not get twitchy if something does not go right as
expected. Anxiety can easily bring curtains on your prospects of accomplishing a good score.
With practice and a sure footed strategy there is no reason why you cannot ace the GRE test.
Many institutes provide power prep guides that can prove to be a sure shot way to taste
success in the GRE test. There are many online resources which helps you prepare for the
GRE exam and one of them is Gradestack GRE mobile app available on Google Play store.

GRE Exam Success Tips for You

Your scores in the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is one of the chief gauges for getting
admittance in graduate and business schools in English speaking countries. Here are key tips
that you must consider while preparing for the GRE exam.
Plan your schedule: It is important for you to prepare your schedule and the way in
which you go about preparation. Various training institutes provide software packages
and tools that provide awareness on the test-taking strategies, simulated tests on all
areas and much needed insight on the parameters governing the way a GRE test is

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GRE Guide 2014

scored. In addition to your exam preparation, you have to include adequate sleeping
hours during the prep days, so that you do not reach a zombie state bereft of sleep.
Know the exam: The GRE test has 3 sections which have to be given equal weightage.
You would really do well, if you are aware of the exam format and the interface
Practice simulated tests: Apart from getting a real life experience of taking a simulated
GRE test, it also helps you budget your time, and to pace and strategize the way you
should take the exam. You may have your own way of taking exam and should stick to it,
but you should also apply small tricks of elimination, backward answer taking etc. that
goes a long way in ensuring a strong performance.
You have to realize that a relatively high or an above average GRE score might
not promise acceptance to a college but a below par score would undeniably guarantee
elimination from most schools. Hence in addition to a great academic record and a good
GRE score you have to have a holistic approach to your student life apart from the
academic front, which includes involvement in extracurricular and sport related
activities. Apart from that, letters of recommendations from your seniors or supervisors
in your previous workplace or educational institution or even from renowned
professionals play a huge role in balancing the selection in your favour.
You also must do well to prepare a detailed personal statement that features
amongst the application documents. This is an important document which introduces
you and says a lot about your passion for the field of study, goals and your ability to
meet them

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GRE Guide 2014

Gradestack GRE Mobile App

The Complete GRE Prep app provides you an exhaustive course for GRE prep turing your phone
into a mobile tutor. The GRE course has been built based on the new syllabus and is designed
especially for studying and testing yourself on mobile. The course includes notes, designed in a
modular format, large set of practice questions along with detailed answers and flashcards to
enhance your vocabulary.
The key features of the course:
Word Pack: Over 3500 flashcards to help you improve your vocabulary on the go
Study Notes: Complete GRE syllabus of Verbal and Math in a concise format for you to learn
quickly
Practice Tests: Exhaustive library of GRE level questions for you to practice
The app contains all kinds of sample questions that are asked in the GRE along with detailed
solution to each of them. Take Verbal (Reading Comprehension, Text Completion and Sentence
Equivalence) and Math tests on your phones, get detailed answers to all the questions, analysis
of your performance and a snapshot of your preparation level.
You can study this GRE tutor course on any Android device and on the web
(www.gradestack.com)

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