INTRODUCTION TO THE GRE GENERAL TEST Margaret Krantz Hanover College Career Center Director

1. INTRODUCTION TO THE GRE GENERAL TESTMargaret Krantz Hanover College Career Center Director

2. GRE Testing Program(Scores last 5 years)Subject Tests(Paper and pencil, offered 3 times/year) • Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology • Biology • Chemistry • Computer Science • Literature in English • Mathematics • Physics • Psychology

3. GRE Subject Test Scores (Achievement Tests) Possible Score Range: 200 – 990 • Actual score ranges vary by test subject. See the ETS website for score distributions for your subject area.

4. Subject Test Registration Test Date • 10/15/11 • 11/12/11 • 4/21/12 Registration Deadline* • 9/9/11 • 10/7/11 • 3/16/12 *Note this is a receipt date; allow 7 days for US mailed financial aid discount vouchers.

5. Revised GRE (General test only) $160 (Save 50% between 8/1 and 9/30) Verbal, Quantitative, Analytical Writing Aptitude TestOffered on computer 6 days/weekLimit once per 60 days, 5 times/year.

6. Revised GRE: Scoring Analytical Writing: • Score range: 0 – 6 • Mean: 4.1 Verbal and Quantitative Sections: • Score Range: 130 – 170 • Verbal Mean: 150 • Quantitative Mean: 150

7. Sample Score Report

8. Registering for the GRE • Call the test center directly • On-line • US mail General test: $160 Subject test: $140 4 reports free; $23 for each additional.

9. THE COMPUTER-ADAPTIVE GRE GENERAL TEST

10. Revised GRE: Adaptivity • There will be 2 verbal reasoning sections and 2 quantitative sections. • Within a section, you can skip, mark, return. • You cannot return to past sections. • Difficulty of second section will be adjusted to your ability.

11. A possible representation of new computer adaptivity Mean ability / difficulty Section 1, questions 1-20 Section 2, 1-20

12. Mean ability / difficulty Section 1, questions 1-20 Section 2, 1-20

13. Mean ability / difficulty Section 1, questions 1-20 Section 2, 1-20

14. Mean ability / difficulty Section 1, questions 1-20 Section 2, 1-20

15. Mean ability / difficulty Section 1, questions 1-20 Section 2, 1-20

16. Mean ability / difficulty Section 1, questions 1-20 Section 2, 1-20

17. OVERVIEW OF THE DAY

18. Test Centers or Universities • Computer stations, • Other tests going on, • Security measures, • Honesty statement in cursive • Demographic information, • Numbered scratch paper, • Clocks on computer.

19. Revised GRE: Analytical Writing “Present your Perspective on an Issue” • one essay topic. • 30 minutes to write your essay. “Analyze an Argument” • 30 minutes to critique a one-paragraph argument. Read and follow instructions! No spell or grammar check provided.

20. How the AWM is Scored • Each essay scored by 2 trained readers. • 6-point holistic scale. • Scores from the two readings averaged. • Scores on the two essays averaged and rounded up to the nearest half-point. • A single score is reported for the section. • Scoring guides and topic pool at www.ets.org/gre.

21. Breaks • There will be a 10 minute break after section 3, and optional one minute breaks between other sections.

22. Standardized Sections:Verbal ReasoningQuantitative Reasoning

23. Revised Verbal Reasoning You will have 2 sections (adaptive at the section level) 30 minutes, 20 questions: • Sentence equivalence • Text completion • Reading comprehension (budget your time!) • All question types for all difficulty levels.

24. Revised VR: Sentence Equivalence

25. Revised VR: Text Completion

26. Revised VR: Reading Comprehension

27. Revised VR: Reading Comprehension

28. Revised VR: Reading Comprehension

29. Preparing for the Verbal Measure

30. www.ets.org/gre

31. Revised Quantitative Reasoning You will have 2 sections (adaptive at the section level) 35 minutes, 20 questions: More real-life scenarios and data interpretation Key knowledge areas: • arithmetic, algebra, geometry, probability and statistics

32. Revised QR: Quantitative Comparison

33. Revised QR: Quantitative Comparison

34. Revised QR: Problem Solving

35. Revised QR: Numeric Entry

36. Revised QR: Choose 1 or more

37. Preparing for the Quantitative Measure

38. www.ets.org/gre

40. Experimental Question Section • Additional section with questions in development • Experimental section may fall first, second or third • Treat all sections as if they count: you can’t tell which is which!

41. Keeping Your Scores • The test is geared toward your highest level of difficulty, so you can’t judge accurately how you did! • In general, if you finish the test, keep your scores.

42. GRE Prep Timeline • Take the practice test to identify your approximate beginning level, • Find target scores on PowerPrep, • Study areas that need improvement, • Practice to increase speed.

43. Grad School Application Timeline • Find application deadlines for your targeted programs, • Subtract one month to determine your “working” deadline, • Subtract two more months to request letters of recommendation, • Take GRE at least two – three months before published deadlines, • Mail in applications, and arrange for transcripts, to arrive by “working” deadline.

44. GRE Bottom Line:Preparation pays off!!