One of the most significant tests you will ever take is the Graduate Records Examination. A good exam score almost guarantees admission to the graduate school of your choice, whereas a low score limits your alternatives. The test comprises a variety of questions that assess your writing knowledge and talents, among other things.

After you’ve finished the test, you can have your scores mailed to you or sent to the graduate institutions that you’re interested in. The results are good for up to five years, which will come in handy if you decide to apply to graduate school later.

Read this article below to understand how GRE functions and how they tally the scores.

What does the GRE Test Measure?

Verbal reasoning, numeric reasoning, and analytical writing are the three components of the GRE. Aspirants will read brief articles and answer questions to see how well they understand the information presented throughout the verbal reasoning section of the test. This section of the test will also include some fill-in-the-blank and other vocabulary questions.

The test’s quantitative reasoning section focuses on solving mathematical equations. Aspirants will be given numerous questions in the test’s final section, and they will have to compose essays in response to them.

Also Read: What is the Purpose of the GRE Exam? Get to Know the Full Details Here

Where Can Aspirants Take the Test?

The aspirants can take either a computer-based or a paper-based test, according to the Educational Testing Service. The aspirants choice determines where they can take the test.

Unlike the SAT and other similar tests, the GRE is not taken in a group setting. The aspirants choose when they want to take the test, where they want to take it, and how much it will cost them.

How Long the Results Take?

Depending on whether the candidate took the paper or online test, the time it takes to obtain one’s score varies. If the candidate takes the computer test, their results will arrive in 15 days; however, if the candidate takes the paper test, it may take up to six weeks for their results to arrive in the mail.

If the candidate chooses to mail their results to one or more graduate institutions, they should receive them in the same amount of time. Many candidates request their marks before the information is sent to the schools, giving them the opportunity to decide whether or not they want to retake the test.

GRE Scores Validity: How Many Years are the Score Valid?

Scores can be reported for up to five years after the exam date. Scores on a test taken on July 3, 2021, for example, are reportable until July 2, 2026.

Prior to July 2016, GRE scores were no longer reportable.

Aspirants should note that the requests to send GRE scores take about five business days to process. Allow ample time for processing if aspirants plan to send scores and the day when they are no longer reportable is approaching. Otherwise, their results may not be sent.

Also Read: What is the GRE Exam? Get Full Information about the GRE to Ace It

Why are the GRE Scores Valid for so Long?

The aspirants’ scores are kept on file by ETS for five years from the day they appeared for the test. The candidates have until 2017 to request a copy of their GRE score if they took it on August 1, 2012. According to US News, one of the six elements that graduate schools use when evaluating applications is GRE scores.

ETS keeps test scores because it understands that not everyone who takes the test immediately applies to graduate school.

The candidates’ GRE score, in combination with letters of recommendation and transcripts, can help them get into a reputable graduate programme.

The test’s administrator, ETS, retains tabs on file for five years, allowing the candidate to take a break after college before enrolling in graduate school.

Will the GRE Scores be Displayed After the Exam?

The candidates will be given the option to report or cancel their marks after they have completed the GRE General Test. The candidates will see their unofficial Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning results if they select Report Scores. They will not be able to see their analytical writing essay total due to the Analytical Writing essay scoring process.

Which Scores are Reported?

There are three scores that will be reported on the GRE General Test:

#A Verbal Reasoning score is reported in 1-point increments and on a score scale of 130–170.

#A Quantitative Reasoning score is reported in 1-point increments and on a score scale of 130–170.

#An Analytical Writing score is reported in half-point increments and on a score level of 0–6.

How is the GRE Exam Scored?

A good GRE score is subjective and is determined by the school to which the aspirants are applying. The aspirant needs to know on what basis are the scores tallied. Read below to know on what criteria are the scores tallied for the aspirants to get a clear picture.

Also Read: Who Takes the GRE Test? Get the Full Information on GRE & Know How to Prepare for it!

Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning Measures

The reported scores for the GRE General Test’s Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning measures are based on the number of right responses to all of the questions in the operative parts of the test.

The Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning tests are adaptive at the section level. This means that the computer chooses the second operational segment of a test based on how well the candidate did on the first.

All questions in each segment count equally to the final score. A raw score is produced for each of the two measures. The raw score is the total number of questions properly answered.

What is Equating?

Equating is the process of converting a raw total into a scaled score. The equating technique takes into consideration slight differences in difficulty between test versions as well as the difficulty variances caused by section-level modification.

As a result, regardless of which the second portion was chosen or when the exam was taken, a given scaled score for a particular measure reflects the same level of performance.

Analytical Writing Measure

Each essay in the analytical writing component is graded on a six-point holistic scale by at least one qualified rater. In holistic scoring, raters are taught to assign grades based on the overall quality of an essay written in response to the job.

The essay is subsequently graded using an e-rater, an ETS computerised algorithm capable of identifying essay aspects related to writing ability.

If the human and e-rater scores are almost identical, the final score is calculated as the average of the two. If they disagree, they get a second human score, and the final score is the average of the two.

The Final Score

On the 0–6 scale, the final totals on the two essays are then averaged and rounded to the nearest half-point interval. The analytical writing total is provided as a single number. The analytical writing portion is scored mostly on the candidate’s analytical writing skills and critical thinking, rather than mechanics and language.

The aspirants analytical writing part essay submissions will be examined by expert analysts using ETS essay-similarity-detection software and experienced essay raters during the scoring process.

Good GRE Score

The candidates can achieve good results on all three segments of the exam. They must score 130 to 170 in both verbal and quantitative thinking. If they are well prepared, these are good scoring locations.

Both of these parts have a mean score of 151 and 153, respectively. Because they can score 0 to 6 in this portion with an extra extension of 0.5, the mean score for analytical writing is 4.

As a result, it’s a well-balanced method to scoring well. If one wants to enrol in a college programme of their choosing, they must achieve a higher score than this.

Higher GRE Scores

If an aspirant scored higher than 151, 153, and 4, they are unquestionably better than the average candidate. This will assist them in completing their upgrade.

They must prepare for their subjects in such a way that they receive greater grades than the average. It’s also possible that the programme they want to pursue has a different scoring scheme.

The candidate must choose their level of preparation and grading scheme based on their participation in the programme of their choice.

Also Read: GRE Examination: Is the GRE Exam Tough? How Tough is GRE?

Conclusion

Hopefully, the aspirants have understood the facts about GRE scoring and have cleared all their doubts. The exam is tough, so the candidates need to put in a little extra effort to get into the top institution or college for their goals. It’s difficult, but that doesn’t mean the aspirants can’t accomplish it.

It all depends on how well the candidates manage their time and how well they prepare for it. They need a lot of quality time to go over all of the details. Also, because it is taken on the computer, they must prepare themselves to work on it.

One will be the winner if they concentrate on their preparation. The aspirants should visit the IELTS Ninja website if they need any preparation suggestions or answers to any of their questions. The faculties’ role is to instruct and guide them toward their desired outcome.

Also Read: GRE Exam Dates 2021 in India: Dates of GRE General and Subject Test

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Amiksha Kantam

Amiksha is a budding Content Writer. A young writer who has written over 250 poems and quotes and also an author of a famous Wattpad novel named “Ma and the Magical Kingdom” and always sets her goals high with her determination like the sky. Her mother is her inspiration and her family is her biggest support. She has her interest in writing, reading novels and craft. She has developed her hardworking and disciplined persona from her mother. She is very out going and loves travelling, trekking and hiking. She believes in the quote “Creativity lies in actions not experience

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