The test assesses verbal and quantitative abilities, analytical thinking, as well as reading and writing skills. The GRE has been administered since 1936 and is run by the nonprofit organization ETS (Educational Testing Service).

The GRE General Test consists of three sections: Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. The exam can be taken at an authorized test center or from home via the GRE Home option. Following a revision in autumn 2023, the GRE General Test lasts less than two hours, making it shorter, more clearly structured, and more focused in content than before.

The GRE uses section-level adaptation, meaning that the difficulty of questions in the second section adjusts based on your performance in the first. Within each section, you have an overview of the questions, can return to previous tasks, and change your answers, offering more flexibility compared to fully adaptive tests.

The total duration of the exam is 1 hour and 58 minutes, and it consists of 55 questions:

Analytical Writing (30 min)
You write an analysis of a given topic or issue. Clarity of thought, structure of argumentation, and the ability to express complex ideas precisely are assessed.

In the essay section, candidates are expected to think clearly and argue their position on a given topic. The test does not assess memorized knowledge, but rather the ability for critical thinking and logical expression of ideas.
The score is reported on a scale from 0 to 6, with an average score of around 3.5. A score above 4 is considered good.

Verbal Reasoning (41 min – 18 + 23 questions)
Measures reading comprehension, reasoning, argument analysis, and precision in language. This section is scored on a scale from 130 to 170.

Quantitative Reasoning (47 min – 21 + 26 questions)
Focused on solving mathematical problems from arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis. An on-screen calculator is allowed during the test. It is scored on a scale from 130 to 170.

The total GRE General Test score ranges between 260 and 340 points.

The GRE revised General test and GRE Subject tests can be registered for online after creating a user account on the official ETS website:
http://www.ets.org/gre/subject/register/

The GRE® General test is typically administered one to two times per week at authorized test centers. The GRE® Home option can be taken at almost any time, while GRE Subject tests are held only three times per year — in October, November, and April.

Each candidate can take the GRE General test once every 21 days, up to a maximum of five times within 12 months. This rule also applies to candidates who have canceled their previous scores. GRE Subject tests can be taken an unlimited number of times.

Test fees

GRE test results are valid for 5 years.
The official score report is available online 8–10 days after the test.

Each candidate can select up to 4 institutions to which official scores will be sent automatically, free of charge. Additional score reports cost 25 USD per institution.

Related articles:

1. Answers to frequently asked questions: www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/faq

2. See which institutions require the GRE test: https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/scores/send/aidi_fellowships, https://www.ets.org/gre/consider/business/programs, https://www.ets.org/gre/consider/law/programs

3.  Learn more about sending GRE scores:  www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/scores/send/asr

4. Watch a video about the difference between GRE and GMAT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uc3EnFoZk8&ab_channel=MagooshTestPrepforGRE

Sources:

1. https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/ Accessed March 4, 2024.