All About the
General GRE
OVERVIEW
• The GRE structure and testing format
• Your GRE scores
• Taking the GRE computer-based test
• Registering for the GRE (United States and Canada)
• GRE availability and registration (international testing)
• The paper-based GRE (for international test takers)
• Other GRE policies you should know about
• The GRE Personal Potential Index (new in 2009)
• Obtaining up-to-date GRE information
• Contacting the testing service
• General test-taking tips
• Summing it up
Your GRE preparation begins with an overview of the test and of GRE
registration and testing procedures. In this chapter, you’ll first look at the
overall structure of the GRE and find out how the exam is scored. Then you’ll
learn how the computer-based GRE testing system works and about regis-
tration and testing details for both the computer-based and the paper-based
versions of the test. The chapter concludes with a need-to-know list of GRE
test-taking tips.
Before you begin, you should become familiar with the following three
acronyms, which are used throughout this chapter and the rest of the book:
ETS (Educational Testing Service). This is the organization that designs
and administers the test. ETS also scores the GRE and reports test scores to
the graduate schools. ETS is a private nonprofit organization based in
Princeton, NJ.
GRE (Graduate Record Exam). The GRE is the primary standardized test
for admission to graduate-level academic (Masters and Ph.D.) programs in the
United States. This book uses the acronym GRE to refer only to the GRE

• Present Your Perspective on an Issue (Issue task),
1 essay (45 mins.)
• Argument Analysis (Argument task),
1 essay (30 mins.)
Quantitative Reasoning 45 mins. (28 multiple-choice questions)*:
• Quantitative Comparison (14 questions)
• Problem Solving (14 questions)
Verbal Reasoning 30 mins. (30 multiple-choice questions):
• Analogies (9 questions)
• Sentence and Text Completion (6 questions)
• Reading Comprehension (8 questions,
divided among 2–4 sets)
• Antonyms (7 questions)
PART I: GRE Basics4
.................................................................
..............................................................................................
NOTE
The structure of the paper-
based GRE (offered only in
certain remote locations
outside the United States)
differs somewhat from the
computer-based GRE
structure, which is shown here.
www.petersons.com
TEST SECTION (cont’d) COMPONENTS
Unscored 30 or 45 mins.:
• Verbal Reasoning (30 questions, 30 mins.)
OR
• Quantitative Reasoning (28 questions,

Verbal Reasoning sections. We’ll go into these in more detail later in this chapter:
• The computerized test won’t let you skip questions. Also, once you confirm your
answer to a question, you can’t return to it.
Chapter 1: All About the General GRE 5
.................................................................
..............................................................................................
www.petersons.com
• An on-screen calculator is NOT provided, and calculators are prohibited in the
testing room, so during the Quantitative Reasoning section(s), you’ll need to use
your scratch paper to perform calculations.
• During the Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning sections, you’ll be
required to select among multiple choices by clicking on the ovals next to them.
For one Quantitative Reasoning question, you might be required to type in your
own numerical answer, instead of selecting among answer choices.
YOUR GRE SCORES
You’ll receive four different scores for the GRE:
A scaled Quantitative Reasoning score on a 200–800 scale (in 10-point increments)
A scaled Verbal Reasoning score on a 200–800 scale (in 10-point increments)
A total score on a 200–800 scale (in 10-point increments), based on both your
Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning scores
An Analytical Writing score, on a 0–6 scale, which averages the scores for each of
your two GRE writing tasks
For each of these four scores, you’ll also receive a percentile rank (0–99 percent). A
percentile rank of 60 percent, for example, indicates that you scored higher than 60
percent of all other test takers. Percentile ranks reflect your performance relative to
the entire GRE test-taking population during the most recent multi-year period.
The Scoring System for Quantitative and Verbal Reasoning
Scores for the Quantitative Reasoning and Verbal Reasoning sections are not based
strictly on the number of correct answers. Instead, each of these two scores is based on
three factors:

www.petersons.com
TAKING THE GRE COMPUTER-BASED TEST
The GRE Computer Interface
The three simulated screen shots on the following pages show the GRE Computer-
Based Test interface for the Analytical Writing section, the Quantitative Reasoning
section, and the Verbal Reasoning section. Let’s first examine the features of the
interface that are common to all exam sections.
The Title Bar
A dark title bar will appear across the top of the computer screen at all times during
all test sections. (You cannot hide this bar.) The title bar displays three items:
Left corner: The time remaining for the current section (hours and minutes)
Middle: The name of the test (GRE) and current section number
Right corner: The current question number and total number of questions in the
current section (Quantitative and Verbal sections only)
00:28 GRE—Section 1: Analytical Writing
The following appeared in a memo from the manager of UpperCuts, a hair salon
located in a suburb of the city of Apton, to the salon’s owner:
“According to a nationwide demographic study, more and more people today are
moving from suburbs to downtown areas. So in order to boost sagging profits at
UpperCuts we should relocate the salon from its current location in Apton’s
suburban mall to downtown Apton, while retaining the
salon’s decidedly upscale
approach in terms of services, products and pricing. After all, HairDooz, our chief
competitor at the mall, has just relocated downtown.”
The manager’s argument relies on a series of unproven assumptions and
is therefore unconvincing as it stands. To begin with, the argument
assumes that Apton’s demographic trend reflects the national trend.
Yet, the mere fact that one hair salon has moved downtown hardly
Cut
Paste

The Toolbar
A series of six buttons appears in a toolbar across the bottom of the computer screen
at all times during all test sections. (You cannot hide the toolbar.) Here’s a description
of each button’s function:
Quit Test
Click on this button to stop the test and cancel your scores for the entire test.
(Partial score cancelation is not allowed in any event.) If you click here, a
Chapter 1: All About the General GRE 7
.................................................................
..............................................................................................
www.petersons.com