GRE Tips

1. First 15 Questions of each section are most Important!

3. Questions on Probability, Permutations , combinations , mean, mode, standard deviation are common. Be patient in Quantitative section.

5. Answer all questions in each section .There is negative marking for questions unanswered. So at last 2 minutes just guess all remaining questions.

7. Be prepared for 4 Universities to apply online.

Salient Features
First, the test has no question paper or answer sheets, nor does it have the same set of questions for all the examinees. Further, it does not give you the option of not answering a question (unless, of course, you run out of time at the end). GRE is an entirely Computer based test. The test is scored out of 2400 (in multiples of 10), and most scores fall in the range of 1800-2000.

The GRE is only one of several parameters which the graduate schools look at to determine the selection of an applicant. A high score alone does not guarantee admission.  But the test can be looked upon as the first major hurdle to be cleared in the process of getting admission into a Graduate school of your choice.

Who administers GRE?
The GRE is developed and administered by the US-based "Educational Testing Service" (ETS) under the direction of the Graduate Record Examination Board , a non-profit organization of graduate business schools worldwide. This implies that ETS sets the questions, conducts the test, and sends each examinee the score report. For the conduct of the test, ETS has appointed Testing Agencies in various countries, which act as franchisee for ETS.

When is GRE held?
All-round-the-year. Therefore you can choose your own date and time. The test is administered in the above cities five-days-a-week (Monday through Friday), twice-a-day. September to December is the high season for GRE, so in case you intend to take the test during this period, you need to register very early.  to get a date of your choice. Otherwise, registering at least 15 days in advance is mandatory. The test lasts roughly three-and-a-half hours, and most centres offer two slots : 9 A.M. and 2 P.M.

Eligibility and Fees
Anyone and everyone is eligible for taking the GRE.There are no restrictions based on age or qualifications. The test scores are valid for five years. Most universities accept scores up to five years old.

Test fees for GRE may vary according to the country in which you take the test. In Nepal, this fee is US $125, payable at the time of registration. The fee has to be paid through a US Dollar denominated draft, made out in favour of "ETS - GRE" payable in the U.S. Such a draft is usually available with the Main Branches of most banks (which have a foreign exchange counter) in most of the big cities for a nominal charge (around Rs. 200). Alternately, the payment can also be made through a credit card which has global acceptance.

What is Computer - Adaptive Test?
In such a test, the computer screen displays one question at a time, which is chosen from a very large pool of questions categorized by content and toughness. The first question is always of a medium difficulty, and each subsequent question is determined by your responses to all the previous questions. In other words, the CAT adjusts itself to your ability level.

Each question in the GRE CAT has five answer options, and you are required to select one of these five as the correct answer by clicking on it. A subsequent question is displayed on the screen only after you have answered the previous question. You cannot also go back to a previously answered question to change your answer.

Reporting the Score 
ETS has the provision of reporting your GRE scores to a maximum of four universities of your choice, the cost of which is built into the fee you pay. You have to indicate the four universities where you wish a copy of your GRE score to be sent after you get to know your scores. For reporting to each additional university, the ETS charges you $13, payable by an international credit card or a dollar denominated draft.

Retaking GRE
Sometimes it is necessary to take the GRE more than once, like when a management school asks you for more recent scores than what you have. However, unless your scores seem unusually low compared to your performance in the practice tests, or if you have not been able to perform well because of a sudden illness or lar exceptional circumstances, it’s advisable not to  repeat the test. Given the nature of the test, it is unlikely that your scores can substantially improve. In fact, your scores may decrease.

See Also..............................................................................................
Test Modules | Sample Questions | Score Pattern