St.George International

The test is designed in such a way that it would be unlike any other test you would have taken at school or college. First, the test has no question paper or answer sheets, nor does it have the same set of questions for all the examinees. Further, it does not give you the option of not answering a question (unless, of course, you run out of time at the end). All this because the GRE Test is an entirely Computer based test - the keyboard and mouse do the work of a pen or pencil. The test is scored out of 1600 (in multiples of 10).

  The GRE Test is only one of several parameters which the graduate schools look at to determine the selection of an applicant. A high score alone does not translate into an admission offer from a great school. But the test can be looked upon as the first major hurdle to be cleared in the process of getting admission into a Graduate school of your choice

The GRE Test is developed and administered by the US-based "Educational Testing Service" (ETS) under the direction of the Graduate Record Examination Board, a non-profit organization of graduate business schools worldwide. This implies that ETS sets the questions, conducts the test, and sends each examinee the score report. For the conduct of the test, ETS has appointed Testing Agencies in various countries, which act as franchisee for ETS. In India, this agency is the "Sylvan Testing Services Pvt Ltd" which administers the test at 9 centres in the country: Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Bangalore, Calcutta, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Trivandrum.

All-round-the-year. Unlike other exams, you can choose your own date and time for taking the GRE Test! The test is administered in the above cities five-days-a-week (Monday through Friday), twice-a-day. September to December is the high season for GRE Test, so in case you intend to take the test during this period, you need to register very early (say 90 days in advance) to get a date of your choice. Otherwise, registering at least 15 days in advance is mandatory. The test lasts roughly three-and-a-half hours, and most centers offer two slots : 9 A.M. and 2 P.M.

Anyone and everyone is eligible for taking the GRE Test - there are no restrictions based on age or qualifications. The test scores are valid for five years, i.e., most universities accept scores up to five years old. But it is always better if your scores are recent (not older than 2 years).

Test fees for GRE Test may vary according to the country in which you take the test. In India, this fee is US $140 (approx Rs. 7000), payable at the time of registration. You cannot pay in Indian Rupees. The fees has to be paid through a US Dollar denominated draft, made out in favour of "ETS - GRE" payable in the U.S. Such a draft is usually available with the Main Branches of most banks (which have a foreign exchange counter) in most of the big cities for a nominal charge (around Rs. 200). Alternately, the payment can also be made through a credit card which has global acceptance. The credit card need not necessarily be yours - you can get your father to sign for you!  

Obtain the "GRE Information Bulletin" available free with Prometric Testing Services and USEFI. The Test Scheduling Form comes with the bulletin. There are four ways to register:

Registering by Phone: You may call up Prometric Delhi office until 12:00 noon to register. Make sure to call at least THREE BUSINESS DAYS before the test date.

Registering Online: You may now also register only from the GRE site: www.gre.org.

Registering by Fax: If registering by fax, you must send your fax at lest SEVEN DAYS prior to your first choice of a test day.

Registering by Mail/Courier: Fill in the form, get the draft made (if you are not paying by credit card), and submit these to the Prometric Centre at New Delhi either by hand or by registered post/courier. You must send the documents at least THREE WEEKS before your choice of a test day.

On receipt of your documents, an appointment will be scheduled for you to test at the Prometric Center. Confirmation of the date, time and location of the appointment will be sent to you. If you do not receive confirmation at least THREE business days before your first choice of test day, please call the Prometric office to verify your appointment.

Prometric Testing Private Limited

2nd Floor, DLF Infinity Tower - A

Sector 25, Phase ll

DLF City, Gurgaon

Haryana 122002

India

Call: 91-11-2651-1649/26531442

Fax: 91-11-26529741/26523266

You will receive an admit card normally within a week of applying. Remember to keep a copy of the form and the draft with you.

In a computer-adaptive test, the computer screen displays one question at a time, which is chosen from a very large pool of questions categorized by content and difficulty. The first question is always of a medium difficulty, and each subsequent question is determined by your responses to all the previous questions. In other words, the CAT adjusts itself to your ability level - you’ll get few questions that are either too easy or too difficult for you.

Each question in the GRE CAT has five answer options, and you are required to select one of these five as the correct answer by clicking on it. A subsequent question is displayed on the screen only after you have answered the previous question, so you cannot skip a question. You cannot also go back to a previously answered question to change your answer. Thus, if you guess a correct answer or answer a question incorrectly by mistake, your answers to subsequent questions will lead you back to questions that are at the appropriate level of difficulty for you.  

The test has three distinct sections : Writing Assessment (WA), Quantitative, and Verbal. The Quantitative section has Problem Solving questions, which test your mathematical skills and concepts of roughly the high-school level.

The Verbal Section has four types of questions : Antonyms, Analogies, Reading Comprehension, and Sentence Completion. The questions of each type appear in no set sequence. There are a total of 58 questions, 28 in Quantitative and 30 in Verbal.

The third section, Analytical Writing Assessment measures critical thinking and analytical writing skills. It consists of two analytical writing tasks :

(1) "Present your perspective on an issue", and (2) "Analyze an Argument".

There is a one-minute break between each test section. Midway through the testing session, an on-screen message will inform you of the opportunity to take a 10-minute break. Section timing will not stop if you take an unscheduled break.

An unidentified verbal or quantitative experimental section may be included and may appear in any order after the analytical writing section. It is not counted as part of your score.

Quantitative Section          

The section tests you on a level of Maths that is comparable to Class 10 mathematics, with questions on Number Systems, Percentages, Fractions & Decimals, Algebra (including Quadratic Equations), Geometry (including Basic Coordinate Geometry), Ratio & Proportion, Area & Volume of 2-D and 3-D figures, and Probability. This list is not exhaustive; questions from beyond these topics may also be asked.

The section has 28 questions to be completed in 45 minutes.

Verbal Section         

The verbal section in GRE Test requires a good vocabulary level, the basic skills of correct English coupled with reasoning and analysis. The 30 questions, to be attempted in 30 minutes, consist of four types : Antonyms, Analogies, Sentence Completion, and Reading Comprehension. The four types are intermingled, with no fixed number for each type.

Analytical Writing Assessment Section

The writing assessment section requires you to write - or type - two short essays. The first is the Issue task, in which you need to analyze the issue presented and explain your views on it. For the Issue task, you will be able to choose 1 of 2 essay topics selected by the computer from the pool of topics. You will get 45 minutes to do write or type this essay.

The second essay is Analysis of an Argument, in which a given argument has to be critically analyzed and evaluated. The Argument task does not offer a choice of topics; the computer will present you with a single topic selected from the topic pool. You will get 30 minutes to write or type this essay.

For both the essays, the emphasis is on the "Analytical" part, and not on the "Writing" part. This implies that a concise essay with well-reasoned points written in simple English will be looked upon more favorably than an essay which falls short on the analytical aspects even though it is high on writing skills.

A ten-minute break follows the two essays. The computer gives you the option to take this break, or to move directly to the subsequent section. Even if you finish the essays before the stipulated sixty minutes, the break will still be of five minutes. It is advisable to utilize this break by gearing yourself up for the tougher sections that follow.  

ETS has the provision of reporting your GRE scores to a maximum of four universities of your choice, the cost of which is built into the fee you pay. You have to indicate the four universities where you wish a copy of your GRE score to be sent after you get to know your scores. For reporting to each additional university, the ETS charges you $17, payable by an international credit card or a dollar denominated draft.

The GRE Test results comprise four different scores : a total score, and separate scores for Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing Assessment sections. The total score is reported out of 1600 and the sectional scores are out of 800. The Writing Assessment section is scored separately on 6.

In addition to these scores, the score report also contains percents (%) below. These "% below" indicate the percentage of examinees who scored below you based on the scores of the entire GRE testing population for the most recent three-year period. These percentages are important in considering how an applicant for admission to a particular management school compares with everyone in the specified period, with all other applicants to the same school, and with students already enrolled at the school.  

Even though an "I could have done better" feeling is inevitable after any test, taking the GRE Test again may not be helpful. Sometimes it is necessary to take the GRE Test more than once, like when a management school asks you for more recent scores than what you have. However, unless your scores seem unusually low compared to your performance in the practice tests, or if you have not been able to perform well because of a sudden illness or similar exceptional circumstances, it’s advisable not to succumb to the temptation of repeating the test. This is so for given the nature of the test, it is unlikely that your scores can substantially improve, and in fact, your scores may decrease.

If you repeat the test, your scores from the latest test date and the two most recent test administrations in the last five years will be reported to the institutions you designate as recipients. In any case, you cannot take the test more than once in the same calendar month, even if you have taken the test and cancelled your scores.

SUBJECT GRE

The GRE Subject tests are meant to assess your qualification in a specific field of study. It is required mainly for Doctoral Study in the US and is also required by some universities for Masters Level programs.

You need to check the application requirements of universities you are applying to. The test is available in eight different areas:

1. Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology

2. Biology

3. Chemistry

4. Computer Science

5. Literature in English

6. Mathematics

7. Physics

8. Psychology

This test is a written test and not a computer test like the General GRE test. It is held thrice a year at the following cities in India.

Allahabad

Bangalore

Mumbai

Kolkotta

Coimbatore

Hyderabad

Chennai

New Delhi

Pilani

Ranchi

Trivandrum

The Registration Bulletin for the General GRE test has a separate form for the Subject GRE test.

The GRE bulletin can be ordered online from www.ipem.org

The completed application form has to be sent to ETS (The test conducting authority) in USA along with the required fee by the dates mentioned above.

To know more about the GRE Subject test, you could go through the following page on the official GRE site.

http://www.gre.org/pbstest.html

GRE Test Centers - India

GRE is now a computer adaptive test and can be taken all round the year.

To schedule a date to take GRE, contact the Regional Registration Centre at Gurgaon at the given address:

Prometric Testing Private Limited

2nd Floor

DFL InfinityTower - A

Sector 25, Phase ll

DFL City Guraon

Haryana 122002,India

Call: 91-11-2651-1649/26531442(New Delhi, India)

Fax: 91-11-26529741/26523266

GRE Test Centres in India

Ahmedabad (8902)

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.

301-302, Abhijeet-II, Mitha Kali,

6 Road, Ellisbridge,

Ahmedabad

Allahabad (8903)

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.

119/25A, Mahatma Gandhi Marg,

Civil Lines, Allahabad – 211001

Bangalore (8904)

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.

Maini Sadan, 1st Floor,

No 38 Lavelle Road, 7th Cross,

Bangalore – 560001

Calcutta (8906)

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.

Flat 1/C, 1st Floor, Sukh Sagar Bldg,

Sarat Bose Road,Calcutta – 700020

Chennai (8909)

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.

No 15, 2nd Floor, Romar House,

Jagannathan Road, Nugambakkam,

Chennai – 600034

Hyderabad (8908)

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.

Avenue 1, Street 20, Plot 1672,

Road 12, Banjara Hills

Hyderabad – 500034

Mumbai (8921)

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.

Marwah House, Saki Vihar Road,

Saki Naka, Andheri (E)

Mumbai – 400072

Trivandrum (8912)

Prometric Testing (P) Ltd.

PTC Towers, 2nd Floor,

SS Coil Road, Thampanoor,

Trivandrum – 695001

GRE Test Registration

Obtain the "GRE Information Bulletin"  available free with PrometricCenter and USEFI.

You can also request the bulletin from SGi at sgi@sgistudy.com and it will be delivered to your given address.

The Test Scheduling Form comes with the bulletin.

There are four ways to register:

Registering by Phone: You may call up Prometric Delhi office until 12:00 noon to register. Make sure to call at least THREE BUSINESS DAYS before the test date.

Registering Online: You may now also register only from the GRE site: www.gre.org.

Registering by Fax: If registering by fax, you must send your fax at lest SEVEN DAYS prior to your first choice of a test day.

Registering by Mail/Courier: Fill in the form, get the draft made (if you are not paying by credit card), and submit these to the Prometric Centre at New Delhi either by hand or by registered post/courier. You must send the documents at least THREE WEEKS before your choice of a test day.

On receipt of your documents, an appointment will be scheduled for you to test at the PrometricCenter. Confirmation of the date, time and location of the appointment will be sent to you. If you do not receive confirmation at least THREE business days before your first choice of test day, please call the Prometric office to verify your appointment.

Prometric Testing Private Limited

2nd Floor, DLFInfinityTower - A

Sector 25, Phase ll

DLF City, Gurgaon

Haryana 122002

India

Call: 91-11-2651-1649/26531442(New Delhi, India)

Fax: 91-11-26529741/26523266

You will receive an admit card normally within a week of applying. Remember to keep a copy of the form and the draft with you.

GRE Preparation

GRE Test Preparation Books & CDs

    * GRE Preparation Books/CDs

    * FREE GRE CAT Practice Tests/Questions

    * GRE Essay Guides/Grading Services/Sample Essays

GRE Preparation Books/CDs

   1. GRE Prep Course with CD

      Price: Rs. 1500

      Published by: Nova Press

      It is a comprehensive book, but pretty expensive. Comes with a CD that has practice tests.

   2. 30 Days to the GRE CAT

      Price: Rs. 650

      Shipping: Rs. 50

      Published by: Arco

      A comprehensive guide available for students preparing to take the GRE.

   3. Cracking the GRE

      Price: Rs. 275

      Shipping: Rs. 50

      Published by: The Princeton Review

      Note: Please check availability before ordering

      The book has techniques and strategies to score high on the GRE. It has over 120 practice questions. Good value for money.

GRE CAT Practice Tests/Questions         

 1. Crack-GRE Test Prep

  Offers five full-length practice tests and tutorials for all sections of the GRE.

      This includes :

      FREE full-length GRE practice test

      GRE Verbal Tutorial with practice exercises

      GRE Quantitative Tutorial with practice exercises

      GRE AWA Tutorial

Buy now with a credit card or demand draft

http://www.crack-gre-test-prep.com/

GRE Essay Guides/Grading Services/Sample Essays          

   1. GRE-CAT Answers to The Real Essay Questions

      Price: Rs. 495

      Postage: Rs. 50

      Published by: Arco

      Note: Please check availability before ordering

      The only book that has sample essays for almost all 180 GRE AWA topics. It is the most exhaustive book available for GRE AWA preparation. Excellent value for money.