What is the full form of GRE

GRE: Graduate Record Examination

GRE stands for Graduate Record Examination. It is a standardized exam for admission into various Masters or and post graduate and Ph.D. programs in sciences, art, business and law in the United States, UK, Canada, and other native English speaking countries. So, the students who want to pursue masters, MBA, or Ph.D. from reputed colleges or universities take the GRE General Test. However, students also take this test to secure a merit-based scholarship for grad school.

GRE is a computer-based test, but in the areas which lack internet access, it is conducted as a paper-based test. It is conducted at around 700 test centers across 160 countries. More than half a million candidates take the GRE test every year and more than 1200 business schools across the world accept the GRE score. The GRE score is also accepted by most of the top graduate-level schools for master's degree programs, such as Master of Science Degree - MS in the USA.

The test was introduced in 1936 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. It has gone through lots of changes over the years. At present, it is called the GRE revised General Test. GRE score is valid for five years, and the duration of the exam is 3 hours 45 minutes.

GRE is conducted by Educational Trust Service (ETS). It has two formats; GRE General Test and GRE Subject Test. The GRE General test evaluates candidate's verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing and critical thinking skills. The GRE Subject test is focused on a particular area of study and evaluates candidate's knowledge in a specific subject like physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, psychology, English literature, etc. So, you can take the GRE subject test to highlight your strengths in a specific subject like Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Literature, etc.

Eligibility for GRE:

There are no specific eligibility criteria to apply for GRE. A candidate can appear in the exam irrespective of his or her age and qualification. However, he or she must have a document to prove his or her identity, e.g., In India, you will need a valid passport. The candidates may have to meet the eligibility criteria for individual institutes where they are seeking admission. GRE is conducted throughout the year. A candidate can appear in the test once in every 21 days and for the maximum of five times within 12-months duration.