the new gre: what it means for graduate school applicants
TRANSCRIPT
The New GRE: What It Means for Graduate
School Applicants
The Most Sweeping Changes in the GRE’s History
Why is the GRE changing?
The official word:
“Starting August 1, 2011, the GRE® revised General Test will replace the current GRE General Test, giving you the advantage of a better test experience — and new types of questions that help show your readiness for graduate-level work.”
- ETS (the GRE Testmaker)
Why is the GRE changing?
Reading between the lines (the unofficial word)
Question types?Business school?Scoring scale?
Big Change #1: Test Type
CURRENT GRE The GRE is currently a
computer adaptive test—a “CAT” Adapts question by
question Each time you answer a
question correctly, you’re given a harder question. Each time you answer a question incorrectly, you’ve given an easier question
NEW GREThe Revised GRE will be a
Multi-Stage Test—an “MST”Test does not adapt within
a section, but rather, performance in the first section determines level of difficulty you’ll see in the next section
Big Change #2: Test Interface & Functionality
Unlike the current test, users will be able to move freely within a section
From GRE PowerPrep II, from www.ets.org/gre
Big Change #2: Test Interface & Functionality
From GRE PowerPrep II, from www.ets.org/gre
• Four-function calculator with memory, square root and “Transfer Display” options. Calculates up to hundred millions
Big Change #2: Test Interface & Functionality
From GRE PowerPrep II, from www.ets.org/gre
Big Change #3: Length of the Test
Current GRESection Number of
QuestionsAllotted Time
Analytical Writing (One section, Two timed tasks)
One Issue Task, One Argument Task
Issue-45 Minutes, Argument 30 Minutes
Verbal Reasoning (One section)
30 questions 30 minutes
Quantitative Reasoning (One section)
28 questions 45 minutes
Unscored Varies Varies
Research Varies Varies
Total Testing Time: About 3 Hours
Revised GRESection Number of Questions Allotted
Time
Analytical Writing (One section, Two timed tasks)
One Analyze an Issue task and One Analyze an Argument task
30 minutes per task
Verbal Reasoning (Two sections)
Approximately 20 questions per section
30 minutes per section
Quantitative Reasoning (Two sections)
Approximately 20 questions per section
35 minutes per section
Unscored Varies Varies
Research Varies Varies
Total Testing Time: About 4 hours
Big Change #4: Scoring Scale
CURRENT GRE Scoring for Verbal and
Quantitative Sections: 200-800 in ten point increments
Verbal and Quant Scores Available immediately after test
Official scores available 2-3 weeks from test date
NEW GREScoring for Verbal and
Quantitative Sections: 130-170 in one point increments
From August 1, 2011 through the fall: test takers will not receive official scores until late November 2011
Big Change #5 Rules Around Re-Taking the GRE
CURRENT GRE You can test every 30
days—once per calendar month, up to six times per year
NEW GRE
You can test every 60 days—up to five times per year
Big Change #6: Question Types
NEW GREAnalytical WritingVerbal ReasoningQuantitative Reasoning
Reading Comp
About half of the Verbal Reasoning questions on the GRE will be based on passages
Majority of passages are one paragraph in length
One to six questions per passage
Reading Comp: Single Selection
On single answer multiple choice there are five choices
From GRE PowerPrep II, www.ets.org/gre
Reading Comp: Multiple Selection
On multiple answer multiple choice there are three choices: one, two or all three of which may be correct.
From GRE PowerPrep II, from www.ets.org/gre
Text Completion
Cousin of old Sentence Completion questions
Composed of one to five sentencesCan have one, two or three blanksEach blank functions independentlyNo credit for partially correct answers
Text Completion Example – Single Blank
From GRE PowerPrep II, www.ets.org/gre
Text Completion Example – Multiple Blanks
From GRE PowerPrep II, from www.ets.org/gre
Sentence Equivalence
A cousin of the Sentence Completion question type that also tests your knowledge of synonyms
Big difference: six choices; exactly two mean nearly the same thing and lead to a complete coherent sentence
Sentence Equivalence Example
From GRE PowerPrep II, from www.ets.org/gre
Quantitative Reasoning
Four Question Types
1. Quantitative Comparison (same as current GRE)
2. Multiple Choice-Select One Answer (same as current GRE)
3. Multiple Choice-Select One or More Answers
4. Numeric Entry
QC Example
From GRE PowerPrep II, from www.ets.org/gre
MC Select One Answer Example
• Questions have ovals when a single choice is necessary to solve
From GRE PowerPrep II, from www.ets.org/gre
MC Select One or More Example
Questions have boxes when one or more correct choices are possible
From GRE PowerPrep II, from www.ets.org/gre
Numeric Entry Example
From GRE PowerPrep II, from www.ets.org/gre
The Six Big Changes
1. Test type2. Test interface & functionality 3. Length of test4. Scoring scale5. Rules around re-taking the GRE6. Question types
Some specifics
New GRE test launched August 1, 2011Registration was discounted 50% for August and
September dates onlyFor test takers from August through October/
November 2011, scores will not be available until late-November 2011
By early December, current reporting practices will resume (ie: unofficial Q and V scores day of test, full report ~two weeks later)
Keeping In Touch With Us…
Follow us: Twitter: KaplanGREPrepFacebook: Kaplan Prep For Grad School
Our Blog: kaplanGRE.com/blog
Our GRE website: kaplanGRE.com
Follow the test maker: www/ets.org/gre
Questions and Answers about the New GRE
Q & A