Source:- Freshersworld
What is GRE?
The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test is a multiple-choice admission test for applicants to graduate schools. It is a common prerequisite for all Graduate School applicants. It is developed and conducted by Educational Testing Service (ETS)-a subsidiary of the Graduate Record Examination Board of the U.S.A. The test is a computer-adaptive test (CAT), and consists of three scored sections.
The scores of this standardized, computer adaptive format test help graduate schools to assess the advanced study potential of their prospective students. GRE test scores are used by admissions or fellowship panels to supplement undergraduate records and other qualifications for graduate study. GRE offers two kinds of Examinations to enable admissions panel to assess the applicants and their aptitude towards their chosen fields of study - GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test. Most applicants to Graduate Schools are generally asked to take the GRE General test.
Why GRE?
The GRE General Test measures the skills that you've acquired over the high school and college years. It is an aptitude test because it is meant to measure your potential to succeed in graduate school. While the GRE is only one of several criteria that graduate schools use to evaluate your application, it is one of the most important. This is particularly true if your college GPA is not as high as you'd like. Exceptional GRE scores can open up new opportunities for grad school. The GRE General Test contains sections that measure verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing skills.
Eligibility
A 10+2 pass out of any recognised Indian Board or University is a suitable qualification to take the GRE but generally students go for it after completing their Bachelors degree.
Test Structure
Total time allotted for the Computer-adaptive GRE test is 3 hours, whereas for the Paper-based test it is 3 ¾ hours.
GRE offers two kinds of Examinations to enable admissions panel to assess the applicants and their aptitude towards their chosen fields of study - GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test. Most applicants to Graduate Schools are generally asked to take the GRE General test.
GRE General Test : Generally taken by prospective graduate students, this test measures Verbal reasoning, Analytical and Critical Writing and Quantitative Reasoning skills of a candidate.
GRE Subject test : This version of GRE exam assesses candidates' knowledge level and accomplishments in a specific field of study. Unlike the GRE General test, this test is available only thrice in a year and can be taken only as the paper-based test. The scores of this test are often required for doctoral programs in the US, though some universities require the GRE Subject test scores for Masters-level programs too. The eight subjects in which the GRE subject test is presently conducted are: Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, English Literature, Mathematics, Physics and Psychology.
Each of the three sections is scored on a scale of 200 to 800. The average scores for the GRE are about 470 for Verbal and 570 for Quantitative.
How to apply?
There are no specific dates or schedules for taking the GRE/GMAT/TOEFL. These are conducted round the year.The procedure is to first obtain a form and consequently register your self for the exam.
1. Ordering the form- Forms and their details are available (free of cost) at:
Institute of Psychological and Educational Measurement(IPEM)
119/25-A, Mahatma Gandhi Marg
Allahabad - 211001 (U.P.), India
Phone: 0532 - 624881, 623858
Fax: 0532 - 624637
E-mail : ets@ipem.org
Website : http://ipem.org/ The United States Education Foundation in India (USEFI):
Educational Advisor,
USEFI, Fulbright House,
12 Hailey Road,
New Delhi - 110 001
Phone : (011) 3328944
Fax : (011) 3329718
E-mail : vijaya@usefi.ernet.in
2.Registration : Thereafter, to register yourself for a particular test date, you can contact Sylvan Testing Services in New Delhi.
Address:
Sylvan Testing Services Pvt. Ltd.
Senior Plaza 160-A, Gautam Nagar, 3rd Floor Yusuf Sarai,
Behind Indian Oil Building
New Delhi 110 049
Tel: 011-6511649 Fax: 011-6529741
Acceptable Forms of Payment :
1.International Credit Card : The fee can be paid to Sylvan Testing Services through any of the following international credit cards- VISA, Master , American Express over a telephone.
OR
2. Cheques, bank drafts, money orders payable in U.S. dollars must be drawn on banks located in the U.S and be made payable to ETS-GMAT/GRE/TOEFL.
If payments are made in the Indian currency, these must be made at the telegraphic transfer selling (TTS) exchange rate of the U.S. dollar equivalent. Cheques, money orders payable in Indian Rupee must be drawn on a bank in India
Computer Based Test (CBT) Centres in India
ALLAHABAD - IPEM
AHMEDABAD
BANGALORE
CALCUTTA
HYDERABAD
MADRAS
MUMBAI
NEW DELHI
TRIVANDRUM
These links will give each and every details
GRE Test Preparation
Since GRE is basically an Aptitude test required for joining a graduate course, it is very important to get a good score in it. It cannot be taken lightly since it also includes other general questions in addition to what a candidate has studied in school. Although a good academic record forms a strong foundation for the test, you cannot ignore the fact that GRE test preparation is what actually adds to a better score ensuring you are equipped with confidence, knowledge, practice and training to take the test.
To start with GRE test preparation, a candidate needs to device his preparation strategy which has to include:
- Effective Time Management
An approximate time of about 2 to 3 months is enough for the GRE preparation. Fixing a certain number of hours daily with adequate time devoted to practicing the sample tests will see that a strict schedule is adhered to in order to complete the syllabus as well as revise it before the test. There are many last minute preparation courses which you can also join, which can help you in time management. Thus, no tension and a calm approach is the key.
- Awareness of Test structure
For GRE test preparation, it makes sense to find out as much as possible about the test be it information from books,
friends, instructors, Internet, newspapers etc. Knowing about the different sections of the test, the types of questions asked in it, the syllabus covered will make a candidate better prepared.
- Collecting Good Reference Materials
Looking through various reference materials like books, software, videos, coaching class notes etc. will benefit a candidate and act as a support to fall back on when doubt.
The reference materials should however be authentic, credible & worth studying from. A book written by professionals, the advice of experienced teachers as well as students who have scored well in GRE can be very useful.
- Selecting a Suitable Method of Study
In addition to studying on their own, a candidate can choose interactive and interesting methods for GRE test prep by choosing a coaching class that can help in preparation with the special modules and courses.
Another source that is extremely interactive as well as interesting is the online source. Not only do web sites provide information regarding the test, but they also offer practice tests, discussion forums and 24-hour help lines.
Special GRE test prep software is available that makes it easier for a student to study for the test. There are CDs available in the market as well as software that can be downloaded from the Internet.
Keeping all of the above points in mind, the student can take the GRE while pursuing his under-graduate course which will make him suitably ready for the admission deadlines set by the graduate schools he is interested in applying.
- Practice Original Test papers
Get hold of the BigBook or any other source that has original questions and practice at least one test a day. It won't take you more than 2 hours to do three sections. Then revise the questions and solutions. In this way you can do one paper based test in 2 days.
After each day's work, revise it carefully. Use CareerCampus.net's solutions if you have the CD. Otherwise, you can discuss with fellow students about why you got the answers wrong.
- Practice timed CATs
You should practice three full-length CATs before you go to the exam. While practicing with the BigBook, you get training on the kind of questions you will face in the exam. But practice on CATs will tune you for the front end of the exam.
- Revise your vocabulary for 2 hours a day
You can use powerful programs like CareerCampus.net-WordMine or word lists. But you must have several thousandwords at your finger tips when you attend the exam.
- Revision
Revise the strategies on one section every day for one hour.
- Practice timed reading
Take a 500 page book (preferably non-fiction). It will have around 1,50,000 words. GRE/GMAT expects you to have reading speeds of 400 words per minute. Which means that you should finish the book in 400 minutes or approximately 7 hours.
Read for 1 hour every day. You must cover approximately 70 pages. If you are well below that (most probably this will be the case), every day, try to read 10% faster than your previous day's speed. Do this for an entire month.
As you can see, I have given you a 8-hour a day work. That's a lot. But that is what you need if you want a 2200 score.
The GRE is an important part of your application to graduate school. Here is a bit of advice on how to prepare more efficiently.
What's the ideal timing?
You'll probably submit your application form between January and March of the year you want to begin your graduate degree. Ideally, you'll take the GRE around September of the previous year so that you can retake it if you feel that you haven't performed as well as you could have. If you plan for three months of preparation, you should get down to work in June of the year preceding your potential admission date.
What books and other materials should you use?
Preparation books do the job, but the official exams from ETS are only published after they're given. This is the test thatyou need more than any other. To supplement it you can use others, which may offer good advice and questions that areclose to the real thing, but concentrate first and foremost on past exam questions.
How should you organize yourself?
You'll have to be strict with yourself. Here's a recommended plan of action:
- Start by completing a mock GRE to get yourself into exam mode (get up early, no long breaks between sections, silence, etc.).
- Depending on your first score, decide on the amount of work you're going to have to do. If you think you'll need a significant amount of preparation time, set aside weekly blocks of time.
- Go over the word list for the vocabulary questions. Get into the habit of reading as much as possible. This also has the benefit of improving your awareness of current affairs.
- At the same time, keep testing yourself with questions from past exams.
- Half-way through, do another practice GRE test under exam conditions so you can check on your progress. Depending on the results, you might now be able to turn your undivided attention to the question types that still cause problems for you. Learn to recognize such questions, so that you do not waste an inordinate amount of time on these weakness during the real test.
- Lastly, finish your preparation with one or two practice GREs under exam conditions. The last one should be close to your set target. date
During the test
Throughout the GRE exam period, time and stress management are as important as understanding and knowledge of the material covered. Stay calm during the exam (this really is of the utmost importance!), do breathing relaxation exercises during the short pauses between sections, and eat well before the test.
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