Test Content

What skills does the General Test measure?
The analytical writing section measures your ability to

• articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
• examine claims and accompanying evidence
• support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
• sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
• control the elements of standard written English (this factor plays a role only to the extent that poor writing skills impede readers' understanding of the argument).

The verbal reasoning section measures your ability to

• analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it
• analyze relationships among component parts of sentences
• recognize relationships between words and concepts.

The quantitative reasoning section measures your ability to

• understand basic concepts of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and data analysis
• reason quantitatively
• solve problems in a quantitative setting.

What is the analytical writing section like?
The analytical writing section consists of two analytical writing tasks: a 45-minute "Present Your Perspective on an Issue" task and a 30-minute "Analyze an Argument" task.
The "Issue" task states an opinion on an issue of general interest and asks you to address the issue from any perspective(s) you wish, as long as you provide relevant reasons and examples to explain and support your views.
The "Argument" task presents a different challenge — it requires you to critique an argument by discussing how well-reasoned you find it. You are asked to consider the logical soundness of the argument rather than to agree or disagree with the position it presents.
The “Issue and Argument” are complementary in that the “issue” requires you to construct a personal argument about an issue, and the “Argument” requires you to critique someone else's argument by assessing its claims.



How does the analytical writing section differ from the TOEFL Test of Written English (TWE)?
The TOEFL and GRE analytical writing measures are very different. The TOEFL TWE is not designed to measure higher levels of thinking and analytical writing, but centers instead on command of English vocabulary, grammar, spelling, and syntax. Therefore, scores on the two tests are not at all comparable.
Because the TOEFL test emphasizes fundamental writing skills, the TOEFL score can supplement an analytical writing score by helping faculty determine whether a low score on the GRE analytical writing measure is due to lack of familiarity with English or lack of ability to produce and analyze logical arguments.


Test Preparation

How can I prepare for the General Test?
A CD-ROM containing GRE POWERPREP Software - Test Preparation for the GRE General Test is sent to you when you register for the GRE computer-based General Test. POWERPREP can also be downloaded now for free.
The software includes

• test tutorials
• practice questions with explanations
• two actual computer-adaptive tests for the verbal and quantitative sections
• sample topics and essays for the analytical writing section
• advice on how to write effective essays for the Issue and Argument tasks.

POWERPREP lets you practice writing essays under simulated GRE testing conditions with the same GRE word processing and testing tools that appear on the test.
NOTE: GRE POWERPREP is only IBM- or PC-compatible. The software is not compatible with Apple MacIntosh computers.
POWERPREP was developed using the same software that is used to administer the General Test at computer-based test centers, which is delivered in a PC environment.
The publication includes practice questions with explanations, one actual test for the verbal and quantitative measures, and sample topics and essays for the analytical writing measure.


Test Administration

What is the price of the General Test?
The General Test is

• U.S. $115 for individuals testing in the United States, U.S. Territories, and Puerto Rico
• U.S. $175 for individuals testing in China (including Hong Kong), Korea, and Taiwan
• U.S. $140 for individuals testing in all other locations.

How is the General Test administered?
The General Test is given year-round as a computer-based test in the U.S., Canada, and many other countries. Paper-based General Test administrations are offered in areas of the world where computer-based testing is not available.


What word processing software is used for the analytical writing section of the computer-based test? What tools does it have?
The GRE Program uses an elementary word processor developed by ETS so that individuals familiar with a specific commercial word processing software do not have an advantage or disadvantage. The ETS software contains the following functions:

• Inserting text
• Deleting text
• Cutting and pasting
• Undoing the previous action.

Tools such as spell-checker and grammar-checker are not available in the ETS software, in large part to maintain fairness with those examinees who handwrite their essays at paper-based administrations. You can practice writing essays using the word processor in POWERPREP.


Scoring and Reporting

How are the sections of the General Test scored?
Your scores on the verbal and quantitative sections of the computer-based General Test depend on your performance on the questions given and on the number of questions answered in the time allotted.
Because both of these sections are computer-adaptive, the questions presented are selected to reflect your performance on preceding questions and the requirements of the test design. Test design factors that influence which questions are presented to you include

1. the statistical characteristics (including difficulty level) of the questions already answered
2. the required variety of question types
3. the appropriate coverage of content.

For the verbal and quantitative sections of the paper-based General Test, a raw score is computed. The raw score is the number of questions for which the best answer choice was given.
The raw score is then converted to a scaled score through a process known as equating. The equating process accounts for differences in difficulty among the different test editions so a given scaled score reflects approximately the same level of ability regardless of the edition of the test that was taken.
The scoring of the analytical writing section is the same whether the test is taken on computer or paper. Each essay receives a score from two trained readers, using a 6-point holistic scale. In holistic scoring, readers are trained to assign scores on the basis of the overall quality of an essay in response to the assigned task. If the two assigned scores differ by more than one point on the scale, the discrepancy is adjudicated by a third GRE reader.
Otherwise, the scores from the two readings of an essay are averaged. The final scores on the two essays are then averaged and rounded up to the nearest half-point interval. A single score is reported for the analytical writing section.
The primary emphasis in scoring the analytical writing section is on your critical thinking and analytical writing skills rather than on grammar and mechanics.
During the scoring process, your essay responses on the analytical writing section will be reviewed by ETS essay-similarity-detection software and by experienced essay readers.


Are examinees that use alternative ways of developing an argument scored fairly?
You may use any one of a variety of strategies to structure your essays. Readers are explicitly trained to accept any strategy in an essay that meets the essential requirements of the essay task, i.e., a response that provides the information required by the essay prompt.


What scores are reported?
Three scores are reported on the General Test:

• a verbal reasoning score reported on a 200-800 score scale, in 10-point increments
• a quantitative reasoning score reported on a 200-800 score scale, in 10-point increments, and
• an analytical writing score reported on a 0-6 score scale, in half-point increments.

If you answer no questions at all in a section (verbal, quantitative, or analytical writing), you receive a No Score (NS) for that section.


When are scores reported?
If you take the computer-based General Test, you can view your unofficial verbal and quantitative scores at the test center; however, because of the essay scoring process, you will not be able to view your analytical writing scores at that time. Verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing scores on the computer-based General Test will be sent to you and the institutions you designate within 10 to 15 days of your test administration.
If you take the paper-based General Test, you will not view any scores at the test center. Verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing scores on the paper-based General Test will be sent to you and the institutions you designate within 4 to 6 weeks of your test administration.


Score Use

How does the GRE Program recommend that departments use my scores on the verbal and quantitative sections of the General Test?
The GRE Program recommends that departments use scores from these two sections as they always have, considering the Guidelines for the Use of GRE Scores


How does the GRE Program recommend that departments interpret my analytical writing score?
As a performance assessment, the GRE analytical writing section provides a snapshot of your analytical writing ability before entry into graduate school. The guide (PDF) includes information on the interpretation of analytical writing scores. This information includes descriptions of the characteristic analytical writing abilities reflected at each score level.


My native language is not English. How does the GRE Program recommend that departments interpret my analytical writing score?
If your native language is not English (ESL) and you do not understand the task posed to you, your performance on all three sections of the General Test will be affected. The GRE Program advises score users to consider a variety of pieces of information about ESL applicants, including TOEFL and TWE scores, to determine whether these students would be able to meet the department's requirements.


Should the analytical writing score be combined with the verbal and quantitative scores?
The GRE Program does not recommend combining the scores on any of the General Test sections. Each section should be considered separately because it provides insight into a different aspect of your abilities.


Test Fairness

How can we know that the analytical writing section is fair for all examinees, including groups that are underrepresented in graduate school?
The GRE Board has long been concerned that examinee groups not be disadvantaged by any major changes in the General Test. In response to that concern, extensive analyses of group differences in the Writing Assessment were performed before the test became operational in October 1999. These analyses have since been supplemented by data from those who have taken the Writing Assessment as an operational test, and by data from a special research study conducted in April 2001.
The findings from each of these data sources indicate that there is less difference in the scores of men and women on the Writing Assessment than on the multiple-choice measures. The differences between African American and White examinees and between Hispanic and White examinees are also smaller on the Writing Assessment than on the multiple-choice measures. The difference between Asian American and White examinees is about the same as the difference on the verbal and analytical sections. (Asian American examinees outscore White examinees on the quantitative section.)


How can we know that the analytical writing section is fair for examinees whose native language is not English?
Test takers whose native language is not English (ESL) naturally find the analytical writing section more challenging, on average, than do native speakers of English. Steps have already been taken to ensure that these performance differences are not due to differences in the cross-cultural accessibility of the topics.
Special fairness reviews occur for all topics to ensure that the content and tasks are clear and accessible for all groups of test takers, including ESL students. In addition, scorers are trained to focus on the analytical logic of the essay responses more than on spelling, grammar, or syntax. The mechanics of writing are weighed in their ratings only to the extent that these impede clarity of meaning. The analytical writing section taps into different skills than the multiple-choice measures so it may not be surprising that the performance of ESL examinees differs on this section.
In addition, since graduate school faculty have indicated that analytical writing is an important component of work in most graduate schools, the inclusion of the analytical writing section should increase the validity of the General Test.


Computer-Based General Test

How does the computer-based General Test work?
The verbal and quantitative reasoning sections of the General Test are adaptive tests. They are tailored to your performance level and provide precise information about your abilities using fewer test questions than traditional paper-based tests.
At the start of the test, you are presented with test questions of middle difficulty. As you answer each question, the computer scores it and uses that information, as well as your responses to preceding questions and information about the test design, to determine the next question. As long as you answer correctly, you will typically be given questions of increased difficulty. When you respond incorrectly, you will typically be given less difficult questions.
Because the computer scores each question before selecting the next one, you must answer each question when it is presented. For this reason, once you answer a question and move on to another, you cannot go back and change your answer. The computer has already incorporated both your answer and the requirements of the test design into its selection of your next question.
On the analytical writing section, the two writing tasks are delivered on the computer, and you must type your essay responses.


How can test takers be compared if the test is tailored to the individual?
Each computer-based test meets established specifications, including the types of questions asked and the subject matter presented. The statistical characteristics of the questions answered correctly and incorrectly, including the difficulty levels, are taken into account in the calculation of scores. Therefore, it is appropriate to compare scores of different test takers even though they received different questions.


Are computer-based scores comparable to scores earned on the paper-based test?
Yes. ETS has conducted research studies indicating that these scores are comparable.


Do I need to computer literate?
No. You can take the test even if you have little or no previous computer experience. The test requires only basic computer skills, and these are covered in the hands-on tutorial you must complete before beginning the official timed test. The tutorial is included in GRE POWERPREP software that will be sent to you when you register. The tutorial will let you try out the functions of the computer (e.g., mouse, scrollbar) that you will need to use during the test.


FAQs about the Split-Test Administration of the GRE General Test in China (including Hong Kong), Korea, and Taiwan

How does the split-test administration work?
The General Test is offered in two parts. The Analytical Writing section is offered on computer; the Verbal and Quantitative sections are offered at a paper-based administration. Test takers are required to take both the computer-based and paper-based parts of the GRE General Test in the same testing year, and must take the computer-based Analytical Writing portion first. A choice of two paper-based administrations will be offered during the 2005-06 testing year, spaced out so as to minimize congestion in the computer-based test (CBT) centers.


Why did ETS go to a split-test administration of the GRE General Test?
ETS went to a split-test administration to restore the validity of scores for students in these regions. The paper-based Verbal and Quantitative sections that are administered will be retired from use after each administration, thereby removing the unfair advantage some past students gained by memorizing questions in advance of the test. The Analytical Writing section is administered on computer. Test takers word process their essay responses so that the responses can be reviewed by ETS Essay Similarity Detection (ESD) software. The software ensures that every scored essay has a high degree of original critical thinking and analytical writing. All test takers benefit when ETS can assure admissions decision makers of the validity of test scores.


Can test takers take the Verbal and Quantitative sections first and then take the Analytical Writing section?
No, test takers must take the Analytical Writing section first.


When will the paper-based Verbal and Quantitative sections be offered?
The two paper test administrations will be October 22, 2005 and June 10, 2006.


What is the test fee?
The test fee will be U.S. $175, which is U.S. $35 more than the current foreign test fee to cover additional costs for a split-test administration. The candidate will pay for the entire test at the time he/she registers to take the Analytical Writing section.



How do test takers schedule their Verbal and Quantitative testing appointments?
At the Analytical Writing session, the candidate will complete the Background Information Questions, select score recipients, and select a paper-based test center. Once the candidate takes the Analytical Writing section and test data are transmitted to ETS, a registration number and admission ticket for the paper-based administration of the Verbal and Quantitative measures will be generated and mailed to the candidate.


Will Analytical Writing scores be reported separately from Verbal and Quantitative scores to schools and colleges?
No. Scores on the General Test will not be reported to candidates or institutions until all three sections of the test have been completed. Scores for the General Test will be reported within six weeks after the paper-based administration is completed.


How soon can I take the Analytical Writing section?
The Analytical Writing section will be offered beginning July 1, 2005 (candidates may schedule appointments at any time). The test will be offered at all existing computer-based testing centers in China (including Hong Kong), Korea, and Taiwan.


Can test takers take the CBT and paper-based portions of the test in different years?
No. Candidates must take both administrations in the same testing year (i.e., between July 1 and June 30).


If the test taker takes only the Analytical Writing portion, will Analytical Writing scores be reported?
No. Scores will not be reportable until all three test sections (Analytical Writing, Verbal, and Quantitative) are completed.


How soon must test takers take the Analytical Writing section before the paper-based Verbal and Quantitative testing dates?
Candidates must take the Analytical Writing session several weeks before the paper-based Verbal and Quantitative administration to allow time for admission tickets to be mailed to candidates, test books to be mailed to the test centers, and so forth.
Therefore, candidates wishing to test at the October 2005 paper administration must take the Analytical Writing section between July 1, 2005 and September 17, 2005. Those wishing to take the paper-based test in June 2006 must take the Analytical Writing section between September 18, 2005 and May 6, 2006.


How long is the test session for the Analytical Writing section?
The Analytical Writing session is a total of two hours.


Can I handwrite my essay responses at the CBT test center?
No, you will be required to type your essay responses at the CBT test session. All test takers at CBT centers worldwide are required to type their essay responses on the GRE Analytical Writing section in order to enable use of the Essay Similarity Detection (ESD) software.


How long is the test session for the paper-based Verbal and Quantitative sections?
The paper-based test session is a total of two and a half hours.


Are there test preparation materials available?
The GRE Program will send each test registrant test preparation materials upon receipt of his/her registration information. Typically, it takes up to four weeks to receive the material. The material can also be downloaded free-of-charge here.



What about getting a refund?
Candidates who cancel 3 full days prior to the Analytical Writing test date (not including the day of the test or the day of the request) will receive a partial refund of U.S. $60 (same as General Test). Candidates who take the CBT Analytical Writing section and then cancel the paper-based test 3 full days before the paper-based date will receive a U.S. $35 refund. Allow 6–8 weeks for receipt of the refund after the test date. (Note that candidates will not receive their Analytical Writing scores if they cancel their paper-based test.)


How many times can I take the Analytical Writing section?
It depends on whether or not you choose to report your scores or cancel them at the end of the test session. Only two complete sets of General Test scores can be reported during the 2005-06 testing year.
If you choose to report your scores at the end of the Analytical Writing session, you will be registered for the next paper-based test date. After our have completed the paper-based section of the test, your scores on all 3 sections of the General Test will be reported.
If you register to take the Analytical Writing section of the General Test a second time and choose to report your scores, you must take the paper-based section of the test on the next paper-based test date in this testing year. If you decide to take the Analytical Writing section a third time, you cannot take a paper-based test because there are only two paper-based test dates, and your test fee will be forfeited.
If you choose to cancel your Analytical Writing scores at the end of a test session, your registration for the paper-based test date will be canceled as well and your test fee will be forfeited. You may then register and pay to take the GRE General Test again.
You may take the Analytical Writing section once per calendar month up to 5 times in any 12 month-period. This applies even if you canceled your scores on a test taken previously.

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