• The GRE is used by graduate schools to assist in the assessment of applicants for admission to graduate school, fellowship awards, teaching or research assistants, and guidance and counseling for graduate study. The GRE measures skills in verbal, quantitative and analytical abilities. The General GRE exam is given exclusively on computer.

• Testing Dates below are for the Subject GRE exams only.
  
   
• Scores will be mailed 4-6 weeks after the test date.

The GRE (Graduation Record Examination) Test is offered as a computer-based test in the U.S., Canada, and many other countries.

Are you registering to test in the U.S., American Samoa, Guam, U.S Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, or Canada?

Are you registering to test in an international location?

There are two ways you can register for a General Test.

• Use VISA, MasterCard, American Express, or a voucher number.
• Call the test center directly or the Prometric Candidate Services Call Center at 1-800-GRE-CALL (1-800-473-2255).
• A confirmation number, reporting time, and the test center address will be given to you when you call.
• If you use a Telephone/Teletypewriter (ITY), call 1-800-529-3590.

• Complete the Authorization Voucher Request Form found in the Bulletin.
• Mail the appropriate payment and voucher request form in the CBT envelope to the address printed on the voucher.
• Allow up to 4 weeks for processing and mail delivery.
• When you receive your voucher, call to schedule an appointment.
• An appointment to test must be made prior to the expiration date on the voucher.
• If you lose your voucher, contact the GRE Program. Only one replacement will be issued.

• It is a multiple-choice examination designed tomeasure the verbal, quantitative, and analytical skills that the students have developed in the course of their academic career.
• This test is in the form of seven sections,

* Two verbal sections
* Two quantitative sections
* Two sections testing analytical ability
* One experimental section regarding one of the three tested areas.

As it is known to all that USMLE is getting tougher and tougher and even a score of above 80% is now not enough to get a residency in most of the fields in USA. So if all the doctors start dreaming about USMLE, many will have to be disappointed. Under such competitive conditions doing GRE is a right step for the future. It opens a door to the golden avenues of research and working in true centers of creativity. The test is not that difficult and especially after the computer-based version, any medical student with some practice of this test can score a lot. 

An Overview Of the GRE

There are seven sections on the paper-and-pencil GRE:
2 verbal sections,
2 quantitative sections,
2 sections testing analytical ability,
1 experimental section in one of the three tested areas; this experimental section is not counted in the scoring.

The verbal sections measure students' ability to use words as tools in reasoning; they are tested not only on the extent of their vocabulary but also on their ability to discern the relationships that exist both within written passages and among individual groups of words. The quantitative sections measure student's ability to use and reason with numbers or mathematical concepts; they are tested not on advanced mathematical theory, but on general concepts expected to be part of everyone's academic background. The analytical sections measure the ability to make rational assessments about unfamiliar, fictitious relationships and to think through arguments logically. Students are given 30 minutes to answer the questions in each section; they may not go back to a section once the time for that section has elapsed.

The GRE General Test is designed to measure verbal, quantitative and analytical skills which are positively related to graduate school achievement. GRE is considered an aptitude rather than an achievement test (which measures knowledge attained during a specificcourse). The GRE is not designed to measure intelligence, creativity, motivation and social worth.

GRE score is only one of several criteria, which graduate schools use to evaluate your application. Schools are advised not to consider a GRE score in isolation or to use "cut-off" scores exclusively. The best predictor of success in graduate school is a combination of GRE scores and undergraduate grade point average. Find out the policies of the different departments to which you are applying

The General Test consists of seven 30-minute sections. Verbal Ability:
2 sections.
Question types- are analogies, antonyms, sentence completion and reading comprehension. Reading comprehension passages are drawn from general readings in humanities, social sciences, physical and biological sciences; you are not expected to have backgrounds in all these to succeed.  

2 sections.
Three question types- quantitative comparison, discrete quantitative and data interpretation - assess arithmetic, algebra and geometry. Problem solving ability and a sound understanding of high school mathematics are required.

2 sections.
Question types are analytical reasoning, logical reasoning and analysis of explanations. They assess thought processes developed in many disciplines; no formal training in logic or analysis is assumed. The seventh section is an additional section of one of the three types. It is experimental, and your results on this section will not be included in your score. You will not know which is the experimental section. National administrations of the General Test are given at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday mornings. (See the Bulletin for alternative test days for religious reasons.) Total testing time is 3 1/2 hours. There is one 10-minute rest break approximately halfway through the test. Includingtime for instructions, the test ends at 12:30 p.m.

There are two types of administrations for the General Test: national and computer-based. National administrations occur three times a year, in October, December, and April. Computer-based administrations are offered three days a week in Austin and at over l00 test centers throughout the U.S. The test can only be taken by computer twice per testing year.

• The test is "adaptive" which means that the computer assesses your response to each question before selecting the next one.
• You can't return to previous questions or look ahead.
• The question types may not be grouped as they are on the paper-and-pencil test.
• At the end of the test, you can view your scores and cancel them immediately.
• There is generally a $32 additional fee for the computerized version. There are plans to phase out the paper-and-pencil test by the 1996-97 academic year.

Students entering the graduate degree program must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution of higher education. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required as part of the application process. Students whose native language is not English are expected to pass the TOEFL examination with a score of at least 580. Applications require three letters of recommendation and all applicants should include a statement of purpose of at least 300 words. New domestic applications for admission should meet the January 15th deadline preceding the fall semester for which admission is requested, and should send all required information to the linguistics department.

The score is to be based on the total number of items answered correctly (raw score). There is no deduction for wrong answers. Raw scores for each of the three areas (verbal, quantitative, analytical) are converted statistically to a scaled score that ranges from 200 to 800. Since a number of different editions of the GRE are administered at each test administration, all of equivalent difficulty, the scaled scores enable comparisons. Scores from national administrations are sent to applicants approximately six weeks after taking the test, along with information about your percentile ranking. The computer-based version of the test provides access to your scores immediately, and mailings ofscores in about10-l5 days. The scores can be cancelled if the ETS is notified within a week after taking the test (or immediately for the computer-based version). Once the scores have been reported, they cannot be cancelled.

GRE registration can be done by getting theregistration forms and fulfilling the requirements mentioned. However, now online registration has been introduced and this is done at the official website of GRE i.e http://www.gre.org GRE registration is also done on telephone, but this facility is not yet available in Pakistan. So the best option for students here is to either fill in the registration forms or get an online registration through internet.

Some points can be gained by retaking the test, or they may be lost as well. The scores can vary Approximately 70 points up or down merely by chance or practice with the test, but greater changes are unusual. All scores from GRE General tests taken within the last five years will be reported. The graduate department will decide whether to average the scores, take the highest, or take the most recent. For these reasons, retaking the GRE may not be worth the time and money, unless the student's skills have significantly changed.

The GRE is a series of standardized, multiple-choice tests many schools use to predict post graduate success. It is one way of comparing prospective students from a wide range of colleges and universities with varying standards. The GRE offers a general test and exams in specific subjects.

The specific tests are taken in the following subjects:-

• Biochemistry
• History
• Molecular & Cell Biology
• Literature
• Biology
• Math
• Chemistry
• Music
• Computer Science
• Physics
• Economics
• Political Science
• Education
• Psychology
• Engineering
• Sociology
• Geology

For a medical student the general test and the specific tests in Biology, Molecular and Cell Biology and Biochemistry are good options. The GRE test measures verbal, quantitative (math) and analytical (logic) reasoning abilities. Quantitative sections cover arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis. The analytical portion evaluates reasoning skills. Each area is scored on a scale of 200-800. The paper-based GRE was offered for the last time on April 10, 1999. The paper test, administered in a group setting, consists of six, 30-minute sections; two each in verbal, quantitative and analytical segments. Subject tests are currently only available on paper. The test will be completely computerized by fall of 1999.  

Preparing for GRE general test:

By becoming familiar with the different types of questions and directions for each section. This can be done both through books and else by taking the GRE practice test on computer. By using official GRE study materials to take one practice test at one time and get acquaintance with it. Practice by using the free full-length downloadable General Test or by using the interactive GRE Sample Questions. Becoming familiar with the computer-based testing tutorial.

1. Practicing to take the GRE General Test, Book 9

Cost in USA: $15.
Contents: explanations, plus a 35-page actual GRE paper tests, one with the review.

2. The GRE Big Book

Cost in USA: $30.
Contents: 27 actual GRE paper tests, including those in Book 9 but without explanations and without the math review

3. PowerPrep Software -- Preparing for the GRE General Test

Cost in USA=$40.
Contents: allows to take a practice GRE General Teston computer. Includes tutorials, test-taking strategies,400 authentic practice questions with explanations, and immediate GRE-equivalent score results. These official GRE materials can be orderedonline.

For students in Pakistan, GRE is a good option but it is a little bit more difficult for them as they are not used to giving MCQs and Computer Based Tests. For them the best preparation strategy is to start attempting MCQs from GRE books. The more they attempt the MCQs and short questions the better are their chances of clearing this test. Second important hindrance for Pakistani students is that they are not computer literate (most of them). As GRE general test is now fully computer based, it is the need of the day that they learn basic functioning of computer. They don't have to do the computer courses but just a little bit of practice and learning to operate the system will be enough. The GRE online registration as well as the knowledge about it on internet are also valuable resources which they can utilize to make themselves more acquainted with the test and the methods of attempting it.
So as we can see the GRE is not a very difficult test for students of Pakistan if they just make their mind and adopt the right strategy and aproach in this regard.

Students in Pakistan can use the book "Barron's How to prepare for the GRE Test"

1.Barron's GRE (15th edition)  'Best Choice'

Local Edition Cost: Rs.225

2.Arco's GRE (7th edition)
A Mcmillon book.

Price: Rs. 550 (foreign edition)
Local Edition: Rs.150

3.Cracking The GRE (1998 edition)
A Princeton's Book.

Price local edition: Rs. 150

4.Practical to tab the GRE test (9th edition)

It has 6 actual GRE tests and math review.

Price of local edition: Rs.150

In addition to the above books on the GRE, separate books for each general test are also available and they cost around Rs. 150 to 200 per book for the local editions.

You can use the following links for more help

                 Description of GRE Examination

                 Sample Test

                 Free GRE Materials

                 Additional GRE Information

The official website of GRE .
          http://www.GRE.org

Best site for GRE books
          http://members.spree.com/sip/speeder/books.htm