General Test Overview

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General Test Overview

Purpose of the General Test
Publications
GRE Institutional Services
GRE Fee Reduction Program
The GRE Board as a Link to the Graduate Community

Purpose of the General Test

The General Test measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, and analytical writing skills that are not related to any specific field of study.

General Test scores can be used by admissions or fellowship panels to supplement undergraduate records and other qualifications for graduate study. The scores provide common measures for comparing the qualifications of applicants and aid in the evaluation of grades and recommendations.

Publications

To learn more about the GRE® General Test, download the following publications:

Anyone interested in reviewing the content of the GRE General Test can download a copy of the Powerprep® Software, version 3.1 for the GRE® test.

Read about the benefits of the GRE Subject Tests.

GRE Institutional Services

ETS® Personal Potential Index (ETS® PPI) — web-based evaluation system that offers a more complete picture of an applicant's potential. The ETS PPI offers reliable information on 6 critical attributes of applicants that graduate and business school deans and faculty have identified as essential for successful graduate study.
CGS/GRE Survey of Graduate Enrollment and Degrees — collects on an annual basis, total graduate school enrollment data and discipline data from institutions that are members of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) and members of the regional associations affiliated with CGS.
Criterion® Online Writing Evaluation Service — this Web-based institutional service gives students valuable writing practice on authentic GRE® Analytical Writing topics and provides both students and instructors with holistic evaluations of students’ writing skills and diagnostic feedback, instantly.
GRE Institutional Summary Statistics Reports — provide graduate institutions with performance data about their applicants; provide undergraduate institutions with performance data about their enrolled seniors and unenrolled college graduates who have graduated within the past 2 years.
GRE Search Service — aids institutions interested in recruiting qualified applicants for their programs.
GRE Test Preparation Workshops for Campus Educators — these workshops provide in-depth information about GRE tests to attendees so they are able to serve as campus-wide resources in organizing and presenting campus-based GRE test preparation workshops.

GRE Fee Reduction Program

In order to ensure that the cost of taking a GRE test is not a barrier to graduate study, ETS offers a limited number of GRE Fee Reduction Certificates on a first-come, first-served basis that are available to U.S. citizens or resident aliens who are college seniors and unenrolled college graduates who meet eligibility requirements. GRE Fee Reduction Certificates are also made available to the McNair Scholars Program, the Project 1000 Program, the Gates Millennium Program, and the GEM Program.

A Fee Reduction Certificate may be used for one General Test and/or one Subject Test. Eligibility for participation in the Fee Reduction Program is limited to one time only. Thereafter, the full test fee will be charged for additional tests for which the candidate registers. Individuals meeting the eligibility requirements will be required to pay 50 percent of the full test fee. The reduced fee is $75 for the General Test and $65 for a Subject Test.

If the Financial Aid office at your institution would like to participate in the Fee Reduction Program, please notify us at GRE_Fee_Reduction@ets.org. (Educators Only). If you have any questions, please contact GRE Code Control at 1-609-771-7092 or codecontrol@ets.org.

See Fee Reduction information for Test Takers.

GRE Fee Reduction Program for the Unemployed

In 2009, ETS is offering a limited number of GRE fee reductions to individuals who are unemployed. The fee reductions are available on a first come, first served basis to individuals who meet the eligibility requirements. Individuals who meet the requirements, and request a GRE fee reduction before the upper limit of fee reductions has been reached, can take the computer-based GRE General Test for half price ($75).

See Fee Reduction information for Test Takers.

The GRE Board as a Link to the Graduate Community

The GRE Board oversees GRE tests, services and research in consultation with its committees. It establishes all policies for the GRE Program, which ETS administers.

ETS provides information, technical advice, and professional counsel to the Board and develops proposals to achieve its program, research, and service goals.

The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Board was formed in 1966 as an independent board and is affiliated with the Association of Graduate Schools (AGS) and the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS).

The GRE Board consists of 16 appointed members, four AGS appointees, four CGS appointees, and eight at-large. In addition, the CGS president is an ex officio member of the board, as is the immediate past chair of the board. The term of office is four years.

There are five standing committees of the GRE Board:

Executive Committee - empowered to make interim decisions and set the agenda for board meetings.
Research Committee
- establishes long-range planning strategies related to research
- considers proposals for new research
- monitors the progress of all research projects
- allocates designated GRE Board funds for research projects.
Services Committee
- monitors all GRE operating services
- identifies long-range planning strategies involving the development of new services.
Minority Graduate Education Committee
- considers new program services and long-range planning strategies for minority students
- monitors ongoing minority-related GRE programs (including the Fee Reduction Program and GRE Search Service)
- evaluates research proposals and ongoing research projects as they affect minorities.
Finance Committee - considers and makes recommendations for action on all GRE budget and finance issues.

The GRE Board typically meets three times a year and oversees GRE tests, services, and research in consultation with these committees.

The committees typically meet two to three times a year to monitor, organize, and develop projects and services intended to enhance the GRE Program's usefulness to students, institutions, and higher education in general.