Sections in GRE Exam

Sections in the GRE Exam

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is a standardized test used by many graduate and business schools around the world to assess the qualifications of applicants. The GRE exam is divided into several sections, each designed to measure different aspects of a test taker’s academic abilities and readiness for graduate-level work. In this detailed explanation, We will discuss the main sections of the GRE exam:

Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA):

• Description: The AWA section assesses your ability to think critically and express your ideas clearly in written form. It consists of two tasks: the Issue Task and the Argument Task. 
• Issue Task: In this task, you are presented with a statement or topic and asked to write an essay that discusses your perspective on the issue. You must provide reasons and examples to support your viewpoint. 
• Argument Task: For this task, you are given an argument and asked to evaluate its logical soundness. You must identify flaws in the argument and provide evidence to support your critique. 
• Scoring: The AWA section is scored on a scale of 0-6 in half-point increments, with 6 being the highest score. Scores are determined by trained human raters and a computer algorithm.

Verbal Reasoning:

• Description: The Verbal Reasoning section assesses your ability to understand and analyze written material, as well as your ability to evaluate and draw conclusions from it. It includes three types of questions: Text Completion, Sentence Equivalence, and Reading Comprehension. 
• Text Completion: In this question type, you must fill in the blanks in a sentence with the appropriate words from a provided list. 
• Sentence Equivalence: You are asked to select two words from a list that would complete a sentence in an equally meaningful way. 
• Reading Comprehension: This section includes passages followed by questions that assess your ability to understand the main ideas, details, and the author’s reasoning in the text. 
• Scoring: The Verbal Reasoning section is scored on a scale of 130-170 in one-point increments.

Quantitative Reasoning:

• Description: The Quantitative Reasoning section evaluates your mathematical skills and your ability to solve problems using quantitative methods. It includes questions related to Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Data Analysis. 
• Multiple Choice Questions: You will encounter both multiple-choice questions with one correct answer and multiple-choice questions with multiple correct answers. 
• Numeric Entry Questions: In this question type, you must enter a numeric answer without any choices provided. 
• Quantitative Comparison: You are asked to compare two quantities and determine if one is greater, equal to, or less than the other. 
• Scoring: The Quantitative Reasoning section is also scored on a scale of 130-170 in one-point increments.

Research Section (Unscored):

• Description: An unscored research section may be included in the GRE exam. This section is used for research purposes by ETS (Educational Testing Service) and is not scored. It can be either a Verbal or Quantitative section. 
• Purpose: ETS uses this section to test new questions for future exams. Test takers do not know which section is the research section, so it’s essential to treat every section seriously.

Experimental Section (Unscored):

• Description: Similar to the research section, the experimental section is also unscored. It can be either a Verbal or Quantitative section. 
• Purpose: The experimental section is used to pilot test new questions and assess their difficulty level. It helps ETS determine which questions should be included in future exams. 
• ScoreSelect Option:
• Description: After taking the GRE, test takers have the option to choose which scores they want to send to schools or business programs. This allows you to send only your best scores if you take the GRE multiple times. 

Options: You can choose from the options:

• Most Recent: Sends your scores from the most recent test. 
• All Scores: Sends scores from all test administrations in the last five years. 
• Any Score: Allows you to select specific test dates to send scores from.

Test Format and Timing:

• Computer-Based Test: The GRE is primarily administered as a computer-based test, although paper-based versions are available in areas where computer testing is not feasible. 
• Timing: The total testing time for the GRE is approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes, including breaks and instructions.

In conclusion, the GRE exam consists of several sections, each designed to assess different aspects of a test taker’s academic readiness and skills. The Analytical Writing Assessment evaluates your ability to express ideas in writing, while the Verbal and Quantitative Reasoning sections assess your critical thinking and quantitative abilities. The GRE also includes unscored research and experimental sections, and you have the option to choose which scores to send to schools using the ScoreSelect option. Understanding the format and content of each section is crucial for effective GRE preparation and achieving your desired scores.