Graduate Record Examination

The Graduate Record Examination or GRE is a standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools in English speaking countries. Created and administered by the Educational Testing Service (or ETS), the exam is primarily focused on testing abstract thinking skills in the areas of math, vocabulary, and analytical writing. The GRE is typically a computer-based exam that is administered by select qualified testing centers, however paper-based exams are offered in areas of the world that lack the technological requirements.

In the graduate school admissions process, the level of emphasis that is placed upon GRE scores varies widely between schools and even departments within schools. The importance of a GRE score can range from being the most important selection factor to being a mere admission formality.

Critics of the GRE have argued that the exam format is so rigid that it effectively tests only how well a student can conform to a standardized test taking procedure. ETS responded by announcing plans in 2006 to radically redesign the test structure starting in the fall of 2007, however the company has since announced, "Plans for launching an entirely new test all at once were dropped, and ETS decided to introduce new question types and improvements gradually over time." The new questions will begin to be introduced in November of 2007.

Exam Structure
''The following section refers to the typical computer-based test. The structure of a paper-based test or a test with special accommodations will differ. See www.gre.org for details.'' The exam consists of three graded sections, plus a required experimental section that is not included in the reported score. The three graded sections are analytic writing, verbal, and quantitative. The analytic writing section will always appear first, while the verbal, quantitative, and experimental sections may appear in any order on the test. An additional non-scored and clearly-marked optional research section may also appear at end of the test. The entire test procedure takes about 3 hours.

Analytic Writing Section
The analytic writing section consists of two different essays, an "issue task" and an "argument task". The writing section is graded on a scale of 0-6, in half-point increments. The essays are written on a computer using a word processing program specifically designed by ETS. The program allows only basic computer functions and does not contain a spell-checker or other advanced features. 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.

Issue Task
The test taker will be able to choose between two topics upon which to write an essay. The time alloted for this essay is 45 minutes.

Argument Task
The test taker will be given an "argument" and the test taker will be asked to write an essay that explains why one "side" of the argument is superior. The time alloted for this essay is 30 minutes.

Verbal Section
One graded multiple-choice section is always a verbal section, consisting of analogies, antonyms, sentence completion, and reading comprehension passages. Multiple-choice response sections are graded on a scale of 200-800, in 10 point increments. This section primarily tests vocabulary, and average scores in this section are substantially lower than those in the quantitative section. This section consists of 30 questions and 30 minutes are alloted to complete the section.

Quantitative Section
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. This section consists of 28 questions, and test takers are given 45 minutes to complete the section.

Experimental Section
The experimental section will be either a verbal or a quantitative section that contains new questions that ETS is considering for future test editions. This section will not count towards the test-taker's score, however the section will appear identical to either the "actual" verbal or quantitative section and will likewise be a multiple-choice test with the same amount of questions and the same time allotment as the "real" verbal or quantitative section. The test taker will have no way of knowing which section is experimental, so the test taker is forced to complete this section.

Research Section
An additional research section may appear at the end of the test. Unlike the experimental section, this section will be clearly marked and will be completely optional. The test taker's participation or refusal to participate will not affect the reported score in any way.

Computer-Adaptive Scoring
The multiple-choice portions of the exam currently use computer-adaptive scoring methods that automatically change the difficulty of questions as the test taker proceeds with the exam, depending on the number of correct or incorrect answers that are given. The test taker is not allowed to go back and change the answers to previous questions, and some type of answer must be given before the next question is presented.

The first question that is given in a multiple-choice section is considered to be an "average level" question that half of the GRE test takers will answer correctly. If the question is answered correctly, then subsequent questions become more difficult. If the the question is answered incorrectly, then subsequent questions become easier, until a question is answered correctly.

ETS claims that this method can effectively pinpoint a test taker's true score by offering questions that are just above and below the test taker's ability.

However, the score for getting each question correct is weighted by its level of difficulty, and the first five or so questions of the exam will determine the general range of the test taker's ability, while the subsequent questions will pinpoint that range in more exact terms. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the test taker to not only answer every question as correctly as possible, but to pay extra attention to the first 5 or so questions, as they will determine the general range of the final score.

ETS has announced that they intend to move away from computer-adaptive scoring, however plans for a brand new testing method have been postponed.

Scoring Percentiles
The percentiles of the current test are as follows:

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.

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. The best way to find out how a particular school or program evaluates a GRE score in the admissions process is to contact the person in charge of graduate admissions for the specific program in question (and not the graduate school in general). Programs that involve significant expository writing require the submission of a prepared writing sample that is considered more useful in determining writing ability than the analytical writing section; 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 Biochemistry, Cell, and Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Literature in English, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology. In the past, subject tests were also offered in the areas of Economics, Revised Education, Engineering, Geology, History, Music, Political Science, and Sociology. In April 1998, the Revised Education and Political Science exams were discontinued. In April 2000, the History and Sociology exams were discontinued, and the other four were discontinued in April 2001. Subject tests typically have 70-200 multiple-choice 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. Since the software replicates both the test format and the questions used, it can be useful 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 the "BIG BOOK" which contained a number of actual GRE questions, however this publishing was abandoned. Several companies provide courses, books and other unofficial preparation materials.

ETS has claimed that content of the GRE is "un-coachable", however many test preparation companies claim that the test format is so rigid that familiarizing oneself with the test's organization, timing, specific focuses, and the use of process of elimination is the best way to increase a GRE score.

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).

Bias
Critics have claimed that the computer-adaptive methodology may discourage some test takers, because the question difficulty changes with performance. 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, even though question difficulty is subjective.

Critics have also stated that the computer-adaptive method of placing more weight on the first several questions is biased against test takers that typically perform poorly at the beginning of a test due to stress or confusion before becoming more comfortable as the exam continues.

The GRE has also been subjected to the same racial bias 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.

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 United States, the cost of the general test is $140 US as of July 4, 2007, although ETS will waive the fee under certain circumstances.

Test takers also complain about the strict test center rules. 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.

Weak predictor of Graduate School Performance
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.

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 antonyms) 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. The Analytic Writing section (derived from ETS' unpopular Writing Assessment Test) may 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).

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.

Recent reports and questionnaires have shown that the GRE General Test is not as significant in determining graduate admissions as once believed, and that some schools are moving away from placing an emphasis on high GRE scores.

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).

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.

On April 2, 2007, ETS announced the decision to cancel plans for revising the GRE. 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.

Changes to the GRE will begin to take affect on November 1, 2007, as ETS will start to include new types of questions in the exam. The changes mostly center around "fill in the blank" type answers for both the math and vocabulary sections that require the test-taker to fill in the blank directly, without being able to choose from a multiple choice list of answers. ETS currently plans to introduce two of these new types of questions in each qualitative or vocabulary section, while the majority of questions will presented in the regular format.

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.