Conducted by US-based Education Testing Service (ETS), Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is a standardized, computer-based, multichoice exam accepted by all top US Universities for MBA, MS, Law and other graduate programs. GRE exam scores are accepted by more than 1,300 business schools including Harvard, Wharton, Chicago and almost all other Top 50 B-schools as ranked by Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Financial Times and U.S. News & World Report. According to information shared by GRE, 70,136 test takers took the GRE exam from India in 2020-21. GRE 2022 exam has 3 sections: Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) section, Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning. GRE Exam 2022 can be a good alternative to GMAT, particularly for students who have good English language skills. Also, taking GRE 2022 exam cost a less than GMAT exam. GRE score validity is for a period of 5 years. In this MBAUniverse.com article, written keeping in mind Indian students, you will get all the vital information on GRE 2022 Exam like What is GRE Test, GRE Registration Process, Exam Pattern, Preparation, Colleges and Universities accepting GRE, comparison with GMAT & CAT, What is GRE Score Validity, Latest updates on GRE Test 2022 and a lot more. So, continue reading…

Types of GRE Test


Let us start with the basics. There are two different types of GRE tests: GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test.

GRE General Test


‘GRE General’ test is commonly used exam for admission to MBA, Specialized Master’s Program, Law and other graduate programs. There are three sections in the GRE General Test – Analytical Writing Assessment, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. Check GRE General Test Pattern below. The answer to the query as to why take the GRE General Test is that  GRE General measures one’s command of quantitative ability like basic arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis as well as college-level vocabulary. More importantly, it measures your reasoning ability to analyse and evaluate written material, think critically, and solve problems.

GRE Subject Test


The GRE Subject Tests are conducted for admissions in the field of Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics and Psychology. This test aims at evaluating the applicants’ ability on a specific subject. We will be discussing GRE General Test in this article. 

GRE 2022 Key Highlights & Benefits of GRE 2022 Exam for Indian Students


GRE Highlights and benefits accruing from GRE Exam 2022 for Indian Students are more than perceived. GRE 2022 opens up different avenues for higher studies for any serious test-taker. Here are a few benefits of taking the GRE 2022 with special consideration to Indian students:

GRE General Test at Home offered amidst COVID-19 crisis


GRE at Home Test started during the Covid-19 pandemic. Now Students all over the world including India can take GRE Exam from the comforts of their homes! The GRE at Home Test is identical in content, format and on-screen experience to the GRE General Test taken at a test center. This test in however available only for a limited time till COVID-19 situation becomes normal. So, check details on GRE/ETS official site and take advantage of this opportunity.

Types of Programs Accepting GRE Exam


As already explained above, the wide variety of programs available to a GRE candidate is unmatched.

  1. 2 Year or 1 Year MBA Programs offered by B-schools and Universities
  2. Specialized Masters in Management (MiM) Programs in Finance, Accounting, Business Analytics etc offered by B-schools and Universities
  3. PhD in Management Programs
  4. Graduate Schools for Engineering
  5. Law Schools
  6. Other programs like PhD, Health Services, Education and other fields

GRE Test Taker’s Graduate Degree Objectives


Below are the most popular programs for GRE test takers. About 60% of test takers reported a graduate degree objective of either master’s degree (37%) or doctorate (22%). MBA was the third most popular program amongst GRE exam takers.

Percentage of GRE General Test Examinees, by Graduate Degree Objective
Graduate Degree ObjectiveNumberPercent
Master’s (M.A., M.S., M.Ed.)13569837
Doctorate (Ph.D., Ed.D.)8048722
MBA132044
JD20251
Postdoctoral Study20231
Specialized Master’s in Business1585<1

Source: ETS/GRE

GRE Exam Pattern: Key Highlights

  NameGRE (Graduate Record Examination)
Conducted byETS(Educational Testing Service) 
Total Duration3 hours 45 minutes
GRE FeesGRE Exam Fee in India is US$ 213, which is approximately INR 15,975 (1 US$ = INR 75).
Accepted forMBA, Specialized Masters in Finance, Accounting, Business Analytics etc, Law, Other Graduate Programs
Sections3 Sections (Analytical Writing Assessment, Verbal Reasoning -2 sections, Quantitative Reasoning- 2 sections) + Unscored/ Research section -not scored)
No. Of Questions/Time limitAWA – 2 Question / 30 Minutes each QR (1) – 20 Questions / 35 Minutes QR (2) – 20 Questions / 35 Minutes VR (1) – 20 Questions / 30 Minutes VR (2) – 20 Questions / 30 Minutes
GRE Score validity5 years
No. Of AttemptsMaximum 5 attempts in a year (Minimum 21 days between consecutive attempts)
GRE Contact in India+91-1244517127 or 000-800-100-4072 Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. IST Email: GRESupport4India@ets.org

GRE Eligibility: What are GRE Eligibility criteria for 2022?


What are GRE Eligibility criteria for 2022? In fact GRE Eligibility criteria is very simple and easy. Anyone who is a passport holder is eligible to take GRE exam. Aspirants of any age, who want to pursue programmes like MBA, MS or law programmes can take the GRE test. There are no specific age or qualification criteria mentioned by the ETS. However, candidates are expected to possess a graduate degree (ongoing or completed) in any discipline from a recognized university.

GRE Exam Dates


As the exams is conducted throughout the year, the question arises when should you take the GRE Test? The answer to this is that since there are no fixed official GRE exam dates, one can choose preferred GRE test dates 2022 and self-schedule the GRE 2022 exam dates according to the convenience and availability. However, the GRE 2022 exam dates chosen should be at least two months before your first application deadline.  

GRE Exam Registration: How to Register for GRE 2022?


GRE is conducted throughout the year. However, the GRE exam registration appointments are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. Early submission of GRE exam application form can help one get the preferred test date and test location. The information filled in your GRE exam application form should match the passport details, else results may get cancelled.

How to Register for GRE 2022: Registrations can be made in the following manner:

GRE Exam Fees: What is the GRE Exam Fees in India?
GRE Exam Fee in India is US$ 213, which is approximately INR 15,975 (1 US$ = INR 75). While, GMAT Exam Fee in India is US$ 275, which is approximately INR 20,625 (1 US$ = INR 75).

GRE Test Duration
The overall testing time for the computer-delivered GRE General Test is three hours and 45 minutes.

GRE Exam Pattern: GRE General Test Structure


The GRE General Test measures your verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills which have been developed over a long period of time. There are three test sections: Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning.GRE General exam structure &pattern details are as below.

  MeasureNumber of QuestionsAllotted Time
GRET Analytical Writing Test
(One section with two separately timed tasks)
One “Analyze an Issue” task and one “Analyze an Argument” task30 minutes per task
Verbal Reasoning
(Two sections)
20 questions per section30 minutes per section
Quantitative Reasoning
(Two sections)
20 questions per section35 minutes per section
Unscored¹VariesVaries
Research²VariesVaries

1 An unidentified unscored section that does not count toward score may be included and may appear in any order after the Analytical Writing section.

2 An identified research section that does not count toward score may be included in place of the unscored section. The research section will always appear at the end of the test.

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

Now, let us understand each of the section in detail.

GRE General Analytical Writing Assessment (AWA) Section


GRE Analytical Writing section measures student’s ability to:

The first essay requires you to state your stance and provide supporting evidence, while the second essay requires you to evaluate someone else’s position. The key to do well in this section is formulating a well-supported thesis in response to new and unfamiliar topic. For the “Analyze an Issue” task, you will read an opinion on a topic of general interest and be given instructions on how to respond to the issue at hand. For the “Analyze an Argument” task, you will need to consider an argument according to instructions given in the prompt.

GRE General Verbal Reasoning Section


GRE Verbal Reasoning section measures your ability to:

In this section the questions are presented as Text Completion, Sentence Equivalence, and Reading Comprehension question types.

GRE Quantitative Reasoning Section


GRE Quantitative Reasoning section measures student’s ability to:

This section focuses on basic math skills and concepts like arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis. This section is a blend of:

Test-takers have an option of using the on-screen calculator during solving this section.

GRE Exam Preparation


The GRE tests both the logic and the aptitude of the test taker, across all sections, apart from the basic foundational knowledge of Maths and English. Since most candidates who score well recommend a time period of 8-12 weeks for the preparation as per the GRE exam syllabus 2022, the GRE preparation tips which we shall recommend is a detailed 10-week study plan to get a good score in the exam. Before starting with the plan, one should attempt the Free Diagnostic GRE test, based on GRE exam syllabus and is available on the official website, which will help in guiding the study plan further.

The GRE 2022 preparation tips for GRE exam preparation are that the initial 2-3 weeks should be dedicated entirely to the basic foundational concept building for Math and majorly that of English, especially grammar and reading skills. Vocabulary should also be given 20-25 minutes of daily preparation through any of the various sources available. The practice of the different types of questions under the categories of Quant and Verbal must be done through the Official GRE Guide.

Other GRE preparation tips are that the next 2-3 weeks’ time should be devoted mainly to the rigorous solving of the Quant question types of ‘Data Comparison’ and ‘Problem Solving’. Also, a ‘Performance Tracker’ should be maintained to keep a tab on the rightly and wrongly attempted questions, time taken, and also the usual error areas.

The final 3-4 weeks should be dedicated to the following:

GRE Scoring Pattern


For the Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning sections, the raw score (number of correct answers) will be converted to the scaled score below, which adjusts for minor variations. For the AWA section, the essays will be scored using a six-point scale. Scores for this section will be based on the overall quality of each essay in response to the assigned task, with emphasis on critical thinking and analytical writing skills. The essay score is then reviewed by one or more trained professionals and a computerized program (e-rater) developed by ETS. If the human and e-rater scores are similar, the average of the two scores is used as the final score.

Score scale for each of the three sections:

SectionScore Scale
Analytical Writing0-6, in half-point increments
Quantitative Reasoning130-170, in 1-point increments
Verbal Reasoning130-170, in 1-point increments

When will the GRE Scores be available?
The scores will be available on the ETS account on the GRE website 10-15 days after your test date. An email will be sent by ETS intimating the availability of the official scores, along with a confirmation that four FREE score reports have been sent to the schools which were selected by the applicant on or before test day. GRE applicants can access their scores by logging into their GRE account.

GRE Cutoff Scores for B-schools: Who accepts GRE?
Given below is a table with Colleges accepting GRE Score. The list summarizes average GRE cutoff scores, required across sections of the GRE, for getting considered into the top 25 US university programs. Please note that for any other colleges accepting GRE scores 2022, the candidate must refer the official website of the B-school. These colleges also offer GRE Scholarships to high scorers  

B-School2019 GRE Average Quant Score2019 GRE Average Verbal Score2019 Total2019 Writing Score
Stanford GSB1651653304.9
Yale SOM1641653294.9
Harvard Business School163*163326NA
MIT (Sloan)1621623244.7
Michigan (Ross)1591603194.4

GRE Exam Centers
GRE Exam Centers are located in Ahmedabad, Allahabad, Calcutta, Chennai, Coimbatore, New Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida, Chandigarh, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune, Hyderabad, Trivandrum and other prominent cities in India. There are more than one GRE exam centers in many cities. The Pros and Cons of taking the GRE at Home vs. in a Test Center are that you need to have a no disturbance environment and computer system with internet if you are taking GRE test from home else should report to the exam centre to appear in GRE exam at the scheduled date and time. There is no difference in GRE test pattern

GRE Vs GMAT: Similarities and Differences


While the two tests are very similar when it comes to the various sections and their preparation is concerned, there definitely are differences between the two. Though, both of them test the same skills, which include basic math, and English aptitude developed through high school education, the depth of understanding required and the methodology of the solutions for the questions asked, across the two, differ quite a lot. The table below will summarize the comparison between these two exams:

  ParameterGREGMAT
Accepted forMBA, Specialized Masters Programs in Finance, Accounting, Business Analytics etc, LawPrograms, PhD in Management Programs andother Graduate ProgramsPrimarily MBA Programs and MS Programs in Management/ Business Area
Duration of the test?3 hours 45 minutes3 hours 30 minutes
Sections3 (Analytical Writing Assessment, Verbal Reasoning -2 sections, Quantitative Reasoning- 2 sections)4 (Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, Analytical Writing, Integrated Reasoning)
Navigation between Sections?YESNO
AdaptivenessSection AdaptiveQuestion Adaptive
Score validity5 years5 years
No. Of AttemptsMaximum 5 attempts in a year (Minimum 21 days between consecutive attempts)Maximum 5 attempts in a year (Minimum 16 days between consecutive attempts) Lifetime Limit of 8 attempts overall

GRE v CAT


While the two tests are very similar when it comes to the various sections and their preparation is concerned, there definitely are differences between the two. Though, both of them test the same skills, which include basic math, and English aptitude developed through high school education, the depth of understanding required and the methodology of the solutions for the questions asked, across the two, differ quite a lot. The table below will summarize the comparison between these two exams:

ParameterGRECAT
Conducting bodyETSIIMs
Exam dateThroughout the year (except Sundays and National Holidays)1 Day, 2 slots (last Sunday of November)
Application CostGRE Exam Fee in India is US$ 213, which is approximately INR 15,975.INR 1800/-
Test typeComputer-based (section-adaptive)Computer-based
Test duration3 hours 45 minutes3 hours
Score validity5 years1 year
Accepted byAll top Global UniversitiesIIMs, and all top Indian B-schools accept XLRI, NMIMS and Symbiosis

Indian MBA Colleges Accepting GRE scores:
Given below is a table of some of the top B-schools across India, along with the respective program names, which consider GRE scores for admission:

    B-schoolProgram
ISB Hyderabad/MohaliPGP
IIM-AhmedabadEPGP
IIM-BangaloreEPGP
Indian Institute of Management LucknowIPMX
IIM-UdaipurOne-year MBA
Indian Institute of Management VisakhapatnamPGP-DGM & PGPEx
IIM-RaipurFPM
BITS School of Management (BITSOM)2 Year MBA

Summing up:
In this article you have read about the components of GRE, what is GRE, types of GRE, how to register, how each section is scored, also, the difference between CAT/GMAT vs GRE and the top business schools accepting the GRE score. We hope this article could help you understand more about the exam and also choose an exam that will suit your purposes. All the best!

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