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One graded multiple-choice section is always a Verbal section, consisting of Analogies , Antonyms , sentence completion, and Reading Comprehension passages. This section primarily tests vocabulary, and average scores in this section are substantially lower than those in the quantitative section. PowerScore GRE Preparation. Retrieved February 4, 2007, from PowerScore GRE Preparation . The Quantitative section, the other multiple-choice section, consists of problem solving and quantitative comparison questions that test high-school level math. Multiple-choice response sections are graded on a scale of 200-800, in 10 point increments. The writing section is graded on a scale of 0-6, in half-point increments. Each essay is scored by at least two readers on a six-point Holistic scale. If the two scores are within one point, the average of the scores is taken. If the two scores differ by more than a point, a third reader examines the response. Scoring The percentiles of the current test are as follows:PowerScore GRE Preparation. Retrieved February 4, 2007, from PowerScore GRE Preparation . Comparisons for "Intended Graduate Major" are "limited to those who earned their college degrees up to two years prior to the test date." ETS provides no score data for "non-traditional" students who have been out of school more than two years, although their own report "RR-99-16" indicated that 22% of all test takers in 1996 were over the age of 30. The first five questions carry more weight. So be careful while attempting those. Use in admissions Many graduate schools in English -speaking countries (especially in the United States ) require GRE test results as part of the admission procedure. The GRE test is a standardized test intended to measure the abilities of all graduates in tasks of general academic nature, regardless of their fields of specialization. The GRE is supposed to measure the extent to which Undergraduate education has developed an individual's verbal and quantitative skills in Abstract Thinking . Unlike other standardized admissions tests (such as the SAT , LSAT , and MCAT ), the use and weight of GRE scores varies considerably not only from school to school, but from department to department, and from program to program too. Programs in liberal arts topics may only consider the applicant's verbal score to be of interest, while math and science programs may only consider quantitative ability; however, since most applicants to math, science, or engineering graduate programs all have high quantitative scores, the verbal score can become a deciding factor even in these programs. Some schools use the GRE in admissions decisions, but not in funding decisions; others use the GRE for the selection of scholarship and fellowship candidates, but not for admissions. In some cases, the GRE may be a general requirement for graduate admissions imposed by the university, while particular departments may not consider the scores at all. Graduate schools will provide information about how the GRE is considered in admissions and funding decisions, and the average scores of previously admitted students. In general, schools do not place a great deal of weight on the analytical writing section. Programs that involve significant expository writing require the submission of a prepared writing sample that is considered more useful in determining writing ability; however, the writing scores of foreign students are sometimes given more scrutiny and are used as an indicator of overall comfort with and mastery of conversational English. GRE SUBJECT TESTS In addition to the General Test, there are also eight GRE Subject Tests testing knowledge in the specific areas of questions that must be answered in 170 minutes. When an applicable subject test exists for an area of study, scores for that particular test are typically given greater weight than those for the General Test. However, the departments at some universities may not require applicants to take their field's subject test. For example, the English test primarily includes questions regarding canonical British and American literature; as English studies have expanded to include more study of female and minority writers, some departments have deemed that the subject test is outdated and not an efficient predictor of graduate success, and therefore do not require it of applicants. In other fields, however, this is not the case, as the tests might represent things that a superlative graduate should know. PREPARATION A variety of resources are available for those wishing to prepare for the GRE. Upon registration, ETS provides preparation software called PowerPrep which contains two practice tests of retired questions, as well as further practice questions and review material.This software is very useful and it can be used to predict the actual GRE scores. ETS does not license their past questions to any other company, making them the only source for official retired material. ETS used to publish BIG BOOK which contained a number of actual GRE questions. This publishing was abandoned. Several companies provide courses, books and other unofficial preparation materials. TESTING LOCATIONS While the general and subject tests are held at many undergraduate institutions, the computer-based general test is only held at test centers with appropriate technological accommodations. Students in major cities in the US, or those attending large US universities, will usually find a nearby test center, while those in more isolated areas may have to travel a few hours to an urban location. Many industrialized countries also have test centers, but at times test-takers must cross country borders (see GRE website for details). CRITICISM The GRE exams are criticized for not being a true measure of a whether a student will be successful in graduate school. The ETS published a report ("What is the Value of the GRE?") that points out the GRE's shortcomings in attempting to predict a student's index of success at the graduate level. A PDF form of the report can be viewed here . Critics of the GRE consider the exam to be irrelevant. Recent reports and questionnaires may show that the GRE General Test is not as significant in determining graduate admissions as once believed. While the verbal section tests vocabulary and verbal reasoning, the vocabulary employed is not specifically relevant to any particular area of study, and (in the case of Analogies and Antonym s) is presented without context. The quantitative portion of the test covers topics that are far too elementary for any program in the fields of math or science, as well as being irrelevant for the study of most liberal arts topics. Some people consider the Analytic Writing section (derived from ETS' unpopular Writing Assessment Test) to be less useful in assessing writing ability than a prepared writing sample (generally known as a 'Personal Statement' or ' Statement Of Purpose ') relevant to the appropriate field (which is also required for admissions by many programs). Also, because of the way the computer-adaptive test is scored, individual scores may vary considerably, not only in response to the choice of the material selected for those particular questions, but also in response to the ordering of that material (early questions are given greater weight in determining final score than later questions). There is also a slight bias towards those students who have the financial resources to take privately owned test taking classes. These classes do typically result in better scores; however, many such companies and tutors focus solely on how to use the test's format to one's advantage, and not how to actually learn the material on the exam. In the computer-adaptive test, the difficulty of the questions changes based on whether previous questions were answered correctly or not, which may discourage some test takers. For example, if the test-taker is presented with remarkably easy questions half way into the exam, they may infer that they are not performing well, which will influence their abilities as the exam continues. However, test takers shouldn't assume that easy questions are an indication of prior failure, because question difficulty is subjective. The GRE has also been subjected to the same racial basis criticisms that have been waged against other admissions tests. In 1998, the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education noted that the mean score for black test-takers in 1996 were 389 on the verbal section, 409 on the quantitative section, and 423 on the analytic, while white test-takers averaged 496, 538, and 564, respectively "Estimating the Effect a Ban on Racial Preferences Would Have on African- American Admissions to the Nation's Leading Graduate Schools." ''The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education'', No. 19. (Spring, 1998), pp. 80-82.. Test center rules are strict. For instance, test takers may not use pens or bring their own scratch paper. Paper and pencils are provided at the testing center. Food and drink are prohibited in the test centers, as are chewing gum, jackets and hats. In the United States, the cost of the general test is $140 as of July 4 , 2007. Weaknesses Dr. Robert Sternberg of Yale University found that the GRE general test was weakly predictive of success in graduate studies in psychology. The weak predictability may be related to the mathematics portion of the GRE general test because a good foundation of mathematics is important in understanding advanced statistics. However, in some branches of psychology, the application of statistics is only a small part. The mathematical portion of the GRE general test is the only area of the GRE general test that may have predictive ability in the natural sciences. The natural sciences require a strong foundation in mathematics for success in both core courses and in statistical analysis related to research. However, it is not clear whether the GRE accurately assesses mathematical skills required for success in graduate school. VALIDITY A meta-analysis of the GRE's validity in predicting graduate school success found a correlation of .3 to .4 between the GRE and both first year and overall graduate GPA. The correlation between GRE score and graduate school completion rates ranged from .11 (for the now defunct analytical section) to .39 (for the GRE subject test).[http://web.uvic.ca/psyc/lindsay/teaching/499/readings/kuncel.pdf Currently the GRE Scores are valid for 5 years. PLANS FOR THE REVISED GRE In 2006, ETS announced plans to enact significant changes in the format of the GRE. Planned changes for the revised GRE included a longer testing time, a departure from computer adaptive testing, a new grading scale, and an enhanced focus on reasoning skills and critical thinking for both the quantitative and qualitative sections. Comparison Chart of GRE Changes On April 2, 2007, ETS announced the decision to cancel plans for revising the GRE. Plans for the Revised GRE Cancelled The announcement cited concerns over the ability to provide clear and equal access to the new test after the planned change as an explanation for the cancellation. They did state, however, that they do plan "to implement many of the planned test content improvements in the future," although exact details regarding those changes have not yet been announced. GRE PRIOR TO OCTOBER 2002 Prior to October 2002, the GRE had a separate Analytical Ability section which tested candidates on logical and analytical reasoning abilities. This section has now been replaced by the Analytical Writing portion. REFERENCES SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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