The General GRE (Graduate Record Examination) consists of 3 sections. These are 1. Verbal Reasoning which contains 30 questions. All questions have to be attempted in 30 minutes. The verbal section demands a good vocabulary level, and basic skills of grammatically perfect English along with reasoning and analysis. The questions in this section consist of four types: these are…. Antonyms, Analogies, Sentence Completion, and Reading Comprehension. The four types are mixed, with no fixed number for each type.
The skills measured in this section include the test takers ability to analyze and evaluate written content and synthesize information collected from that material, analyzing relationship among component parts of various sentences and recognizing relationship between words and concepts.
Quantitative Reasoning : This section consists of 28 questions. Mathematics questions are to be completed in 45 minutes. The difficulty level of questions is comparable to Tenth Class. Major topics in Mathematics include… Number Systems, Geometry (including Basic Coordinate Geometry), Percentages, Ratio & Proportion, Fractions & Decimals, Algebra (including Quadratic Equations), Area & Volume of 2-D and 3-D figures, and Probability. The skills to be measured include the candidates ability to understand basics of arithmetic, geometry, algebra, and data analysis, to reason quantitatively and to solve problems in a quantitative setting.
Analytical Writing: The writing assessment section demands candidate to write two short essays. The first is the Issue task, in which candidate need to analyze the topic presented and explain his views on it. For the Issue task, candidate will be able to choose 1 of 2 essay topics selected by the computer from the pool of topics. The time allotted to this section is 45 minutes. The second essay is related to Analysis of an Argument. In this, a given argument has to be analyzed and evaluated critically . The Argument task does not offer choice of topics; the computer will present the candidate with a single topic selected from the topic pool. The time allotted for this section is 30 minutes.
The skills that have to be measured include the candidates ability 1. to articulate complex ideas clearly and more effectively 2. to examine claims and accompanying evidences. 3. to support ideas with relevant reasons and also examples. 4. to sustain a well-focused and coherent discussion. 5. to control the elements of standard written English.
Test Fee: US $160.
Useful Books: Kaplan GRE, Princeton Review, Barron’s GRE.
GRE Subject Test: The GRE Subject Tests measures undergraduate achievement in the eight disciplines listed below. Each Subject Test is intended for candidates who have majored in or have extensive background in that specific area. The disciplines are 1. Biochemistry, 2. Cell and Molecular Biology 3. Biology 4. Chemistry 5. Computer Science 6. Literature in English 7. Mathematics 8. Physics 9. Psychology. The Subject Tests are given at paper-based test centers worldwide three times a year during October, November and April.
Test Fee: US $170.
Useful Books: Kaplan GRE, Princeton Review, Barron’s GRE.
For more details, please visit www.ets.org/gre/