In most graduate schools, your GRE score is a significant part of your graduate school application, but it is not the only part of your admission. A high score will not get you in the program if you don’t meet the school’s other criteria. Other factors, such as your GPA, letters of recommendation, and your personal essay may be part of your admission. Some schools may use the GRE for admissions but not for funding decisions. Contact the admission’s office for any specific questions. Read on to learn more tips for success!

What are the Components of the GRE?

The four sections on the GRE test are:

Analytical Writing

On this part of the test students use their critical thinking and analytical writing skills. This section consists of two different essays, an issue task, and an argument task.

Verbal Reasoning

This part of the test assesses your reading comprehension skills, critical reasoning, and vocabulary. This section measures how well students understand what they are reading. This part tests your ability to be an active reading student and be able to analyze what you are reading. Some changes were made in 2011. As a result of the changes there is reduced emphasis on rote vocabulary and elimination of antonyms and analogies. There are five to seven passages.

Quantitative Reasoning

This part of the test deals with analyzing quantitative information. It assesses basic high school level mathematical knowledge and reasoning skills. Students solve problems. There are forty quantitative questions. This section includes quantitative comparison problems and problem-solving questions.

Unsolved Section

This is the unscored section. This section may include verbal reasoning or quantitative reasoning. This is always the last section. This section consists of new questions ETS may consider for future use.

A candidate can miss one or more questions on a multiple-choice section and may still receive a perfect score. 130 is the lowest possible score an examinee can score.

How to Prepare for the GRE

Give Yourself Enough Time

You’ll need plenty of time to prepare for GRE. It’s a test of patterns, not facts, so you can’t cram for it on a weekend like some exams. You shouldn’t expect to simply memorize vocabulary words and review math concepts and think that you’ll do well. Experts recommend giving yourself anywhere from four to twelve weeks to prepare.

Know the Format

Currently, the GRE is divided into four sections: multiple-choice questions, descriptive writing, and an “experimental” section. It’s more about being able to problem-solve on the spot than just memorizing words and facts, which is another reason why you must give yourself enough time to understand the format. If you know the structure of the test backwards and forwards, you’ll be less likely to panic during the exam because nothing should surprise you. You’ll be able to focus completely on the content.

It’s important to note that a new, shorter version of the test is set to debut in September of 2023. You will have one hour and 58 minutes to complete the exam. The writing will be shortened to one question, and you will be allotted 30 minutes to respond to it. This leaves 47 and 41 minutes for the other two sections. The 10-minute break will be removed from the new version. Because the test is shorter, the penalty for answering a question wrong is going to increase. Students need to make sure they spend adequate time answering every single question.

Determine Where You Will Take the Exam

An online version of the GRE was introduced during the pandemic, and it’s still available to students today. This allows you to take the GRE test at home or in a testing facility. If you choose to take it at home, you’re able to take the test completely online while being monitored by a human proctor (still online). You have the same features that you would have in a testing facility, such as the ability to preview and skip questions.

You’ll need to make sure you’re prepared with the necessary supplies such as markers and transparency sheets prior to taking the exam, however, and you’ll need to ensure that you have a quiet room with a secure internet connection in which to take the test. It could be considered cheating if someone walks into the room while you’re testing. Consider where you feel most comfortable testing: in a room with others, or at home by yourself? The more comfortable you feel, the better your chances of success.

Set a Score Goal

Take a practice test and determine your baseline score (what you would get if you took the test today). Make sure the testing conditions are the same, especially the time length. Only let yourself use the same resources you will have available to you during the real test, such as a calculator and scratch paper.

Then determine your target score. You should research the average GRE test scores for the school(s) and program(s) you’re interested in attending. Scores can range anywhere from 200-990.

Determine Your Learning Style

Figure out the best way to prepare based on your learning style. You can take a prep course, either in person or online, or you can buy a test prep book and prepare on your own. You can also hire a GRE tutor to help with your test-taking skills such as pacing. They can review your practice exams to identify weaknesses and offer individualized solutions. Everyone learns differently, so it’s important that you are in tune with your own learning style and that you choose a form of preparation that will set you up for success. Don’t just go by what others are doing; there are plenty of ways to tailor the test prep to your individual needs.

Focus On Vocab

While we don’t recommend memorizing huge lists of new words, it is important to spend a significant amount of time studying vocabulary as it is a large portion of the test. Teach yourself reading strategies, such as how to use context clues in order to define unfamiliar words. Spend time every day reading academic journals, newspapers, and magazines to get used to new and challenging words.

Trust Your Instincts

Don’t doubt yourself; spend time preparing, and then trust in your own knowledge. If you have a gut feeling about a question, go with it. While it’s important to focus on each question, you don’t want to waste too much time on any one question. Go with your gut, and then move on to the next question.

Follow this guide and you’ll know exactly what to do on the GRE, and how to do it. You’ll be receiving acceptance letters from graduate programs in no time!

Educators never stop learning; check out our available graduate degree programs  to hone your skills and promote lifelong learning and academic excellence.

*Updated June 2023

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