GRE OVERVIEW

PREPARATION RESOURCES

1. KAPLAN GRE BOOK (1-800-kap-test) Detailed instruction for Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing Methods and Strategies for every Question Type Full length Practice Test with Practice Questions & Answer Explanations DVD with instruction and grad school admission guidance2. KAPLAN ONLINE CENTER (http://www.kaptest.com/GRE) 5 full-length Practice Tests 500 question Quiz Bank 10 20-question Quantitative Practice Sets

GETTING STARTED

• Register your GRE book: http://www.kaptest.com/booksonline

(* Note: Access expires 1 year following registration)• Take a GRE Practice Test to identify areas of Strength &

Weakness• Create a Study Plan• Learn and Practice

* Kaplan Online Center* Kaplan GRE Book

UNDERSTANDING THE GRE

• Computer Based Exam• Required by most Graduate Schools• Used for acceptance and admission to Graduate Level

Programs

http://www.kaptest.com/GRE

PURPOSE OF GRE

• GRE Score used as an indicator of readiness for graduate study• Each section of GRE assesses general skills necessary

for graduate school• Ability to read Complex Material• Ability to comprehend high-level Vocabulary Words• Ability to give a Written Response regarding an issue• Ability to apply General Math Concepts to a variety of

problems• Graduate Admissions Officers use GRE scores as a

means of selection by comparing many applicants

THE SECRET CODE• GRE is a Standardized Test & therefore must be:

• Reliable – taker receives approximately same score more than once• Test Same Concepts – same concepts tested on each test• Create Bell Curve – some do very well, some do poorly, majority in middle

• GRE Standardized Test = Predicatable Test• Must test Same Concepts = repeated appearance of certain Vocabulary

Words & repeated variations of same exact Math Questions in each test• Must create a Bell Curve = creating Hard Questions that most will get wrong

• Hard Questions = Traps• Wrong choices more appealing than correct choices to majority of test takers)

• Secret Code• Recognize and avoid predictable “Traps”

AQUIRE SKILLS

• GRE measures Acquired Skills, not Innate Skills• Good GRE Performance = acquiring skills through

preparation

SAME PROBLEMS-BUT DIFFERENT

• Same Problems on every GRE Test• Same principles are tested repeatedly- only words and numbers

change• GRE is a Normed Test

• Consistency of concepts tested and scores obtained

GRE ORGANIZATION• GRE Length: 4 hours, including breaks• Scoring Scale:

• Verbal and Quantitative: 130-170 (1 point increments)• Analytical Writing: 0-6

• Format: Multi-Stage Test (MST) • Computer-based format that allows forward & backward navigation within each

test section• Number of Sections: 6 (including an experimental or research section)• Breaks: 10 minutes after 3rd section & 1 minute between all other sections• Analytical Writing: 1 section with 2 30-minute tasks (analyze 1 issue & 1 argument)• Verbal Reasoning: 2 30-minute sections with 20 questions each• Quantitative Reasoning: 2 35-minute sections with 20 questions each (onscreen

calculator)

GRE SUBJECT TESTS• Check Admissions Requirements for Necessity• Offered three times a year: October, November, & April• Designed to Test Fundamental Knowledge in Specific Subject Areas• Format

• Paper-Based Format• Multiple Choice

• Scoring• 1 point per question answered correctly• -1/4 point per question answered incorrectly• Unanswered questions not counted• Raw score converted to scaled score between 200-990 that varies between tests

• SubTests• Sometimes included in Subject Tests• Give more specific information about strengths and weaknesses• Scores reported with overall score

MULTI-STAGE TEST MECHANICS (MST)

• Adapts one section at a time, altering difficulty level of your 2nd Verbal Section and 2nd Quantitative Section based on your performance in the 1st sections• Can answer questions in any order within a section• Can change your answers to previous questions within a

section• Onscreen Calculator provided for Quantitative Section• Mark and Review buttons given to help you track questions

to revisit

SCORING

• Scaled Score• Verbal Reasoning & Quantitative Reasoning: 130 – 170 (1 point

increments)• Analytical Writing: 0-6 (1/2 point increments)

• Percentile Rank• Rates your performance in relation to other GRE test takers• Percentile scores tell grad schools the worth of your scores• Universities pay close attention to GRE percentile ranking*

(*Note: Certain score is not only admissions criteria & does not mean automatic acceptance)

CANCELLATION & MULTIPLE SCORES• GRE gives Second Chance

• Score Cancellation• Scores will be disregarded• You will not be able to see your scores• Score does not count & no refund• Cancel scores only if illness or personal circumstance caused poor performance

• ScoreSelect Option (http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/scoreselect)• Can view scores on test day• Can choose to report most recent scores or scores from all GRE tests taken in past 5 years• Cannot mix scores from different tests

• GRE Score Distribution• Scores sent to grad schools 10-15 days after exam• Most Grad Schools look at highest score for each section if multiple scores are

submitted (check for policies of individual graduate schools)

(Note: Schools have access to photos of you at Test Center & access to Analytical Writing essays)

TEST REGISTRATION• Computer Based GRE General Test Offered Year-Round

• Register Online with debit/credit card at http://www.ets.org/gre• Register by Phone 1-800-GRE-CALL or 1-800-473-2255• Register by Mail (use voucher request form in GRE Information & Registration Bulletin)

• Obtain Copy of GRE Information & Registration Bulletin• Educational Testing Service

• (609) 771-7670 or (866) 473-4373• http://www.ets.org/gre

• Gives information on scheduling, pricing, repeat testing, cancellation policies, etc.

• Admissions Vouchers & Appointment Scheduling• Voucher takes about 3 weeks to process• Schedule appointment after you receive voucher• Vouchers valid for 1 year from date of issue

GRE CHECKLIST – Before the Test1. Choose a Test Date2. Register Online, by Phone, or by Mail3. Receive Admission Voucer (online or via mail)4. Visit the Test Center

- Get directions to the building and the room where you are testing

- Familiarize yourself with the testing room and testing workstation5. Create a Test Preparation Plan using a Calendar

- Block out the weeks you have to prepare for the test- Based on results of the GRE Pre Test, identify your strengths

& weaknesses and establish a detailed plan of study6. Stick to the Plan and Calendar – don’t attempt to cram7. Reevaluate your strengths & weaknesses periodically & revise

plan

GRE CHECKLIST – The Day of the Test

1. Make sure you have your GRE Admission Voucher and ID2. Allow yourself plenty of time to arrive at the test site3. Arrive at least 30 minutes early for check-in procedures