Let’s begin with a fact: the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not as heavy as it may sound. There is no need to study, all you need is to be is in tune with the basics, practical and smart. If cleared well, the test opens doors to several prestigious colleges in the United States (and a few in Europe), and also to financial aid throughout the course. “Almost all the top foreign universities, besides a number of renowned B-schools such as Harvard, Wharton, Sloan, Stanford, etc. consider GRE as a measure of a student’s ability and aptitude,” says Bidyut Dutta, Head-Academics, International Education, Career Launcher.
Developed and conducted by the Education Testing Services group (ETS), GRE can be taken all year round by paying a test fee of US$180. The test is largely mandatory for those who dream of pursuing a Master’s or a Ph.D programme from a university abroad. Admissions panels and committees use the GRE score to support a candidate’s undergraduate records, and other qualifications required for graduate study.
About the test
The examination has a General Test that measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and critical thinking as well as the analytical writing skills of the students. The GRE Subject Tests, if required by the university one is keen to join, gauges undergraduate achievement in eight specific fields of study. The use and value of GRE scores vary not only from one institute to another, but also among departments. For example, programmes in arts may only consider an aspirant’s verbal scores, while the engineering programmes may put more weightage on one’s quantitative ability.
