Graduate Record Examination
The Graduate Record Examination or GRE is a
standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many
graduate schools principally in the
United States, but also in other English speaking countries[citation
needed]. Created and administered by the
Educational Testing Service (or ETS), the exam is primarily focused on
testing
abstract thinking skills in the areas of math, vocabulary, and analytical
writing. The GRE is typically a computer-based exam that is administered by
select qualified testing centers; however, paper-based exams are offered in
areas of the world that lack the technological requirements.
In the graduate school admissions process, the level of emphasis that is
placed upon GRE scores varies widely between schools and even departments within
schools. The importance of a GRE score can range from being the most important
selection factor to being a mere admission formality[citation
needed].
Critics of the GRE have argued that the exam format is so rigid that it
effectively tests only how well a student can conform to a standardized test
taking procedure.
ETS responded by announcing plans in 2006 to radically redesign the test
structure starting in the fall of 2007; however, the company has since
announced, "Plans for launching an entirely new test all at once were dropped,
and ETS decided to introduce new question types and improvements gradually over
time." The new questions have been gradually introduced since November of 2007.
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