Everything You Should Know about GRE Structure 2024

Are you considering pursuing a graduate degree? If so, you've likely encountered the GRE (Graduate Record Examination) along your academic journey. For many, the GRE represents a significant milestone on the path to higher education. In this blog post, we'll delve into the structure of the GRE, providing you with a comprehensive understanding of what to expect on test day.

Before we discuss the specifics of the GRE exam structure, let's briefly discuss its purpose. The GRE is a standardised assessment tool used by graduate and business schools to evaluate applicants' readiness for advanced academic study. It assesses key skills that are deemed essential for success in graduate-level programs, including critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning.

GRE General Test vs. Subject Tests

The GRE consists of two main tests: the GRE General Test and the GRE Subject Test.

Know more about: Study Guide to the GRE General Test

GRE General Test Structure

The GRE General Test is computer-delivered. Its test-taker-friendly design lets you skip questions within a section, go back and change answers and have the flexibility to choose which questions within a section you want to answer first.

Test sections and timing (beginning September 22, 2023)

The overall test time is about 1 hour and 58 minutes. There are five sections.

The Analytical Writing section will always be first. The Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections may appear in any order after the Analytical Writing section.

Test sections and timing before September 22, 2023

The overall testing time is about 3 hours and 45 minutes. There are six sections with a 10-minute break following the third section.

The Analytical Writing section will always be first. The Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning and unidentified/unscored sections may appear in any order; therefore, you should treat each section as if it counts toward your score.

Section-level adaptation

The Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections are section-level adaptive. The first section of each measure (i.e., Verbal and Quantitative) is of average difficulty. The difficulty level of the second section of each of the measures depends on your overall performance on the first section.

For example, if you do very well on the first Quantitative Reasoning section, the second section of Quantitative Reasoning will be at a higher level of difficulty. The scoring for the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning measures takes into consideration the total number of questions answered correctly across the two sections, as well as the difficulty level of the sections.

Test design features

The advanced adaptive design of the GRE General Test allows you to move forward and backward throughout an entire section.

Specific features include:

• Preview and review capabilities within a section
• "Mark" and "Review" features to tag questions, so you can skip them and return later if you have time remaining in the section
• The ability to change/edit answers within a section
• An on-screen calculator for the Quantitative Reasoning section

The GRE Subject Test

Show what you know about a specific subject and graduate schools will take notice.

The GRE Subject Tests are achievement tests that measure your knowledge and skill level in a particular field of study. They’re intended for students who have an undergraduate major or extensive background in one of the following disciplines:

• Mathematics
• Physics
• Psychology

GRE Subject Test scores are used by admissions or fellowship panels to supplement your undergraduate records, recommendation letters and other qualifications for graduate-level study.

Upcoming Subject Test Changes

The GRE Program is excited to announce that the GRE Subject Tests in Mathematics, Physics and Psychology are moving to a computer-delivered format in September 2023. The tests will be offered more often in more locations, including in test centers worldwide and at home in most countries. In addition, the Physics and Psychology Tests will be shortened to 2 hours.

These changes are intended to bring greater accessibility, convenience and options to students around the world who want to stand out and show admissions committees they’re serious about and ready to attend competitive graduate programs.

Additionally, the Chemistry Test was discontinued after the April 2023 administration. Scores on the test will continue to be reportable for 5 years after the test date.

Beginning in September 2023 the GRE Subject Tests will be administered in a computer-delivered format. Total testing time is 2 hours and 50 minutes for the Mathematics Test and 2 hours for the Physics and Psychology Tests. There are no separately timed sections.

1. Mathematics : 

The test consists of approximately 66 multiple-choice questions drawn from courses commonly offered at the undergraduate level.

Approximately 50% of the questions involve calculus and its applications — subject matter that is assumed to be common to the backgrounds of almost all mathematics majors.

About 25% of the questions in the test are in elementary algebra, linear algebra, abstract algebra and number theory.

The remaining questions deal with other areas of mathematics currently studied by undergraduates in many institution. 

2. Physics 

The test consists of approximately 70 5-choice questions based on such materials as diagrams, graphs, experimental data and descriptions of physical situations. The aim of the test is to determine the extent of the examinees' grasp of fundamental principles and their ability to apply these principles in the solution of problems.

Most test questions can be answered on the basis of a mastery of the first 3 years of undergraduate physics.

The International System (SI) of Units is used predominantly in the test. A table of information representing various physical constants and a few conversion factors among SI units is presented in the test book.

The approximate percentages of the test on the major content topics have been set by the committee of examiners, with input from a nationwide survey of undergraduate physics curricula. The percentages reflect the committee's determination of the relative emphasis placed on each topic in a typical undergraduate program. These percentages are given below along with the major subtopics included in each content category. 

In each category, the subtopics are listed roughly in order of decreasing importance for inclusion in the test.

Nearly all the questions in the test will relate to material in this listing; however, there may be occasional questions on other topics not explicitly listed here.

The Physics Test yields three per cent correct subscores in addition to the total score:

 (1) Classical Mechanics, (2) Electromagnetism, and (3) Quantum Mechanics and Atomic Physics. The questions on which subscores are based are distributed throughout the test; they are not set aside and labelled separately, although several questions from a single content area may appear consecutively.

3. Psychology 

• The test consists of approximately 144 multiple-choice questions. Each question in the test has five options from which the test taker is to select the one option that is the correct or best answer to the question.
• Some of the stimulus materials, such as a description of an experiment or a graph, may serve as the basis for several questions.
• The questions in the Psychology Test are drawn from the core of knowledge most commonly encountered in courses offered at the undergraduate level within the broadly defined field of psychology.
• A question may require recalling factual information, analysing relationships, applying principles, drawing conclusions from data and/or evaluating a research design.
• The test adheres to the terminology, criteria, and classifications in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR).
• The test yields six percent correct subscores in addition to the total score: (1) Biological, (2) Cognitive, (3) Social, (4) Developmental, (5) Clinical, and (6) Measurement/Methodology/Other.

Know more about: How Important Are GRE Mock Tests To Scoring 320+?

Conclusion 

The GRE exam structure is important for candidate who are going to appear for exam. The GRE is a standardised assessment tool used by graduate and business schools to evaluate applicants' readiness for advanced academic study. It assesses key skills that are deemed essential for success in graduate-level programs, including critical thinking, analytical writing, verbal reasoning, and quantitative reasoning.