UPDATED August 13, 2019

Whether you’re nearing graduation for your undergraduate degree or are considering returning to school after some time away, choosing to further your education with a graduate degree is a big step toward increased career opportunities and earning potential. Unfortunately, getting into grad school isn’t as simple as submitting an application to your dream school. Just as you had to sit the SAT or ACT and submit your scores to prospective colleges, to apply to most graduate programs in the US, you’ll have to take another standardized test: the GRE.

Odds are, it’s been at least a few years since you’ve had to take a standardized test, which can make the prospect of GRE quite intimidating. But we’re here to put your mind at ease. While the GRE is certainly a challenging test, if you take the time to learn about it and prepare the right way, you’ll have no problem achieving a score that speaks to your true potential as a scholar.

And that’s why we’ve put together this guide: so you can have a single source of reliable information about all the important aspects of the GRE exam, as well as a resource that provides insights into GRE study plans and prep tools, all of which come from our own experiences and success with this exam. Our goal is to demystify the GRE for you, so this exam won’t be a roadblock that keeps you from reaching your academic goals. So, let’s get acquainted with the GRE, shall we?

So, What Is the GRE, Really?

The GRE, or Graduate Record Examination is a standardized test that has been around since 1936, when it was first created by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. But it’s changed a lot over the ensuing decades, including its current owners and proctor.

Who Makes the GRE Test?

In 1947, three non-profit educational organizations–including the Carnegie Foundation–came together to establish the Educational Testing Service (ETS) to administer the GRE and other exams. ETS owns and administers the GRE to this day. So you have them to thank for that!

What Is the GRE Used For?

The GRE is the primary standardized test graduate schools around the country use in their admissions processes to determine which applicants they believe are best suited to their programs. In this sense, it’s an “aptitude test”—that is, a test designed to evaluate your potential to succeed in graduate-level studies.

This might cause you a bit of concern. After all, how can a single test accurately measure how well students of all types and talents will perform in a wide range of graduate programs? Well, we’re going to let you in on the best-kept secret about the GRE: it can’t.

But this is good news for anyone taking the GRE. Why? If the GRE isn’t an accurate indicator of success in grad school, what does it indicate? Simply put, the GRE is the best exam at assessing how well you take the GRE exam! This is great news for test-takers for one simple reason: you can absolutely learn how to take the GRE. And the whole purpose of this guide is to teach you everything you need to know about the exam, including its structure, procedure, contents, and best practices for preparation.

The bottom line: you can “hack” the GRE, and we’re going to show you how.

Who Takes the GRE?

The most obvious answer is anyone who wants to apply to graduate programs in the United States. But what else do we know about the people who take the GRE? The following graphic gives you all the relevant statistics on GRE test-takers.

GRE Basic Information

The first step is to cover all the procedural details associated with the GRE. Here, we’ll go over cost, location, testing dates, and other vital information before we dive into the best ways to prepare for the GRE.

When Is the GRE Offered? And Where Can I Take My GRE?

In the United States, the GRE is only offered as a computer-delivered test, and it is administered throughout the year at designated Prometric testing centers. Sometimes, ETS offers the exam at non-Prometric testing locations, but you’ll have to check the official ETS website for more information. Otherwise, you can find a full listing of test centers and examination dates here.

How to Register for the GRE

Thanks to the ETS website, registering for the GRE is simple. As mentioned above, all you have to do is go to the website, find the closest testing center to your location, and select your desired test date and time from the dates listed for that location. Oh, and you’ll have to submit your payment, too. In fact, now is a good time to talk about the costs associated with the GRE.

How Much Does it Cost to Take the GRE?

How much would you say several stressful hours of high stakes testing is worth? Well, ETS has decided for you. For the privilege of taking this grueling exam, you get to shell out $205. Oh, and as an added bonus, if you have to change your testing date or location, ETS will happily take another $50 from you.

How Long Does the GRE Take?

Once you’ve registered for the GRE and paid the fee, you’re probably wondering what you’re in for in terms of time commitment on test day. While we’ll go into more detail about the contents and procedures involved with the GRE later in this article, for now, here’s a general overview of the allotted time for the GRE, including the duration of each section and breaks. Do note, however, that the sections here are not in the order you will find on the actual exam, as the order or your specific exam will be essentially randomized.

GRE vs. GMAT

The GRE is far and away the most commonly used test for prospective graduate school students and the one most accepted by US grad programs. That said, there is another graduate-level standardized test that is designed specifically for graduate business programs, or MBAs: the GMAT. We won’t go into the details of the GMAT here; for that, you can check out our comprehensive guide to the GMAT. Instead, let’s take a look at the main things to consider when deciding which to take before applying to business school.

Which Test Is Better for Your Business School Goals: GMAT or GRE?

The most important thing to consider when deciding between these two exams is whether the school or schools you intend to apply to accept one, the other, or both. While most business programs accept the GMAT, not all accept the GRE. But we’ll go into more detail on this issue in the next section.

The other thing to keep in mind is what your strengths are. Why? Because the level of difficulty in different sections of each exam can be quite different. For instance, it’s generally accepted that the quantitative reasoning section on the GMAT is considerably more challenging than that of the GRE. On the other hand, if you’re not as confident in your writing abilities, the GMAT might be more suitable for you. Though the difficulty of the writing sections for the two exams is similar, the GMAT only requires one 30-minute essay, as opposed to the two 30-minute essays for the GRE. Further, most agree that the GRE’s verbal reasoning section is a bit tougher than the one on the GMAT.

All this said, when deciding between the two exams, it’s important to keep your educational and career goals in mind and do the research on which exam will best help you achieve those ends.

Which Business Schools Accept the GRE?

While the GMAT might seem like the obvious choice for anyone planning to apply for MBA programs, there has actually been a steady increase in the number of prospective business students who are opting for the GRE instead. And many of the top business programs in the country now gladly accept the GRE in place of the GMAT. Here is just a small sampling of the top business programs that accept GRE scores:

What Does the GRE Evaluate?

In this section, we’ll provide detailed information on what each section of the GRE exam evaluates and how it is scored. Scoring methods and criteria for the different sections vary considerably, so be sure to pay attention to the details for each one.

Analytical Writing Section

While the order of the test sections for the GRE varies, one thing that is always consistent is that the analytical writing section comes first. Here, you’ll find all the information you need on the writing section, including tasks, time limits, and scoring criteria.

Verbal Reasoning Section

The GRE verbal reasoning section is comprised of two subsections, each of which lasts 30 minutes. Further, each of the two subsections contains 20 multiple-choice questions. The following chart outlines the types of questions you can expect on the verbal reasoning section, along with sample questions.

Generally, the verbal reasoning section of the GRE assesses your analytical and evaluation skills when it comes to written material. It will ask you to synthesize, analyze, and recognize important information and relationshionships presented in different textual passages.

The verbal reasoning section is scored on a scale of 130-170, in 1 point increments.

Quantitative Reasoning Section

The GRE’s quantitative reasoning section is, admittedly, notoriously difficult, as it assesses your mathematical skills in a wide range of areas. It includes questions that are straightforward math problems, as well as word problems with real-world scenarios. Like the verbal reasoning section, it is scored on a scale of 130-170, in one point increments. The questions can be multiple-choice with one correct answer, multiple choice with more than one correct answer, and numeric entry. There are two 35-minute subsections, each with 20 questions for a total of 40 questions.

How Is the GRE Scored?

While we’ve already covered the score ranges for the individual sections of the GRE, it’s important to note a few other crucial aspects of how your performance on the test effects scoring.

The GRE is an Adaptive Test

First of all, the GRE is an adaptive test, which means that, for the verbal and quantitative reasoning sections, how well you perform on the first subsection of each will determine the difficulty level of the second respective subsection. So, if in the first quantitative reasoning section, you score quite high, the second subsection will include more difficult questions.

GRE Scaled Score vs. GRE Raw Score

There are two important concepts to understand with regard to GRE scoring. First, the “raw score” is simply the amount of questions you answered correctly. So, if you answered 30 questions correctly out of the 40 questions in the verbal reasoning section, your verbal reasoning score is 30.

However, the more important number is the GRE “scaled score.” This score is derived from your raw score through “equating.” This is necessary because, as the GRE is an adaptive test, there must be a way to account for the increased or decreased difficulty of questions in the second subsection. Here’s why this is important: imagine two test-takers, A and B. Let’s say A earns a raw score of 8 out of 20 and B earns a raw score of 17 out of 20 on the first subsection of the quantitative reasoning section. Since the test is adaptive, A’s questions for the second subsection will be less challenging, while B’s will be more challenging. As a result, A earns a raw score of 17 on the second section, while B only earns a raw score of 8. Now, if the GRE only used raw scores, it would appear that A and B both scored a 25 out of 40. Clearly, though, this is not an accurate reflection of these two students’ performances. That’s why scaled scores are used. While we don’t have access to ETS’s specific score equating algorithm, the thing to understand is that, in this example, student B would have a much higher scaled score than student A, thanks to the adaptive nature of the test.

What Is a Good GRE Score?

This is a virtually impossible question to answer. The reason for this is that what makes a “good” GRE score is entirely dependent on several individual variables and circumstances. For instance, if you want to get into a top-tier graduate program at, say, an Ivy League school, a “good” GRE score is going to be significantly higher due to those institutions’ stricter standards. So, if Harvard recommends that applicants have an overall scaled score of 162 or above, then a scaled score of 161 isn’t a very “good” GRE score if you want to go to Harvard.

Further, individual programs might have differing standards for what makes a “good” GRE score. As an example, if you want to enroll in a grad program in the humanities at a certain institution, the admissions committee might require a 161 or above on the verbal reasoning section, while their standards for the quantitative reasoning section might be considerably lower–in some cases, they might disregard the quantitative reasoning score altogether (bot don’t count on that!).

All that is to say, it depends. For each of your prospective grad programs, you need to find out a couple of things. One, what is their minimum score required for consideration? Two, What is the average score of admitted students. This is crucial, since just because Harvard might have a minimum score of, say, 161 to be considered, the average score of admitted students is likely much higher. So, while you might only need a 161 to get your foot in the door, you might need something more like a 166 or higher to be a competitive applicant.

That said, you can get a general idea of how your score stacks up against all other GRE test-takers by taking a look at GRE scoring percentiles. This information, presented in the charts below, shows you the percentage of test-takers that scored below any given score. For example, if you scored a 159 on the verbal reasoning section, you are in the 83rd percentile. This means that 83% of all the people who took the GRE scored lower than you.

Analytical Writing Percentile

Preparing for the GRE

Now that you have a better understanding of the GRE overall, you’re probably wondering if we have any tips on how to best prepare for the GRE. Indeed, we do! In this section, we’ll go over our best tips, tricks, and general advice on how to crush your GRE test!

When Should You Take the GRE?

There’s a very simple answer to this question: when you’re ready! That is, don’t simply rush into taking the GRE in an effort to fast-track your grad school plans. You’re much better off waiting until you’ve had plenty of time to study and prepare for the GRE. Now, let’s take a look at just how you can go about doing that GRE prep to get the most out of your exam.

How Do Successful GRE Takers Prepare for the Test?

The best way to prioritize your GRE preparation is obviously to model it after the strategies used by those who have had success with the GRE. The following basic tips come from our own experience performing well on the GRE, as well as suggestions from other high-achieving test-takers.

• Get acquainted with the test format and content areas
• Take lots of GRE practice exams
• Make a GRE study plan (like the one we outline below!)
• Assess your strengths and weaknesses (another great use for GRE practice exams)
• Online prep courses are among the best ways to study for the GRE, as they offer guided instruction, as well as plenty of practice tests
• Use reputable GRE prep books
• If you can afford it, consider a private GRE tutor or in-person prep course

GRE Study Plan: Timeline and Materials

While this is merely a broad outline, you can use this basic GRE study plan and adapt it to your needs with additional details, more targeted study, and different timelines. Generally, though, it’s good advice to set aside at least two to three months to prepare for the GRE, so this study plan will use a three-month timeframe.

We’ve only provided detailed instructions for the first month, as your own GRE study plan should be very specific to your own study needs and goals. However, we do give some advice for how to structure your plan for months two and three.

First Month: Self-Assessment and Getting
Acquainted with the GRE

First Month: Self-Assessment and Getting
Acquainted with the GRE

Second Month: The Real Preparation Begins!

Second Month: The Real Preparation Begins!

Third Month: Intensive Content Review and Test-Taking Strategy

Third Month: Intensive Content Review and Test-Taking Strategy

Week before the Test: Assess Your Progress and RELAX!

In the final days leading up to your GRE test date, scale back your study time to the amount you did in the second month. But the most important thing is, one or two days before the exam, take some time to unwind, relax, and do something you enjoy with people you care about. You’ll be surprised just how big an impact this can have when it comes time to sit the exam. You’re much better off having a clear head and a relaxed mind.

If you follow these steps and adjust them according to your individual study needs, we have no doubt you’ll achieve that killer GRE score you need to get accepted into your dream grad program. Happy studying, and good luck!