GRE Test

What Is the GRE Test?

The GRE test — formally the GRE General Test — is a standardized exam that measures verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing skills for graduate admissions. Graduate schools use it alongside your transcript, recommendations and statement of purpose to compare applicants from different backgrounds on a common scale.

The current shorter GRE has been in place since September 22, 2023. It runs 1 hour 58 minutes and contains 54 scored questions plus one essay. Scores stay reportable for 5 years from your test date, so many people take the GRE a year or more before they apply.

You can check your current level at any time with our free GRE practice test, which mixes original Verbal and Quantitative questions in the style of the real exam.

Who Administers the GRE Test?

ETS (Educational Testing Service) develops and administers the GRE. ETS writes the questions, sets the fees, runs registration, delivers the test at Prometric test centers and through the at-home option, and sends official score reports to schools.

Because ETS owns the exam, it is the only source for official practice tests, the official score scale and the current test rules. Anything else, including our practice test, is unofficial preparation material.

Which GRE Test Should I Take?

Most applicants should take the GRE General Test, which is what this guide covers. It is accepted by thousands of graduate programs, many business schools and a growing number of law schools, so people also take a GRE practice test for law school, psychology or PA school admissions.

ETS also offers GRE Subject Tests in a few specific fields. Take one only if a program you are applying to requires or recommends it — check each program’s admissions page before you register.

GRE Format: What Kind of Questions Are on the GRE

The GRE has three measures: one Analytical Writing task, two Verbal Reasoning sections and two Quantitative Reasoning sections. Analytical Writing always comes first. Verbal and Quantitative are section-adaptive: how well you do on the first section of a measure sets the difficulty of the second.

Within a section you can skip questions, mark them and return before time runs out, which makes pacing a skill you can practise.

GRE Verbal Reasoning

Verbal Reasoning tests how well you read and reason with written material. It uses three question types:

• Reading comprehension: short and longer passages with questions on main idea, inference, detail, author’s attitude and argument structure.
• Text completion: one to three blanks in a passage, each with its own set of choices.
• Sentence equivalence: one blank and six choices; you pick the two words that produce sentences with the same meaning.

Vocabulary matters, but most questions reward reading the logic of the sentence — contrast words, cause and effect, and tone.

GRE Quantitative Reasoning

Quantitative Reasoning covers arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis at roughly a high school level. Question types include quantitative comparison (compare two quantities), multiple choice with one or several answers, numeric entry and data interpretation sets based on tables and graphs.

An on-screen calculator is available. The difficulty comes from reasoning and traps rather than advanced math, so number sense and estimation often beat long calculations.

GRE Analytical Writing

Analytical Writing is a single 30-minute “Analyze an Issue” task. You read a short claim and a set of instructions, then write an essay that takes a position and supports it with reasons and examples.

Readers score the essay for the quality of your argument, organization and control of written English. A clear thesis, two or three well-developed examples and a short conclusion are a reliable structure.

GRE Scoring

The GRE reports three separate scores: Verbal Reasoning on a 130–170 scale, Quantitative Reasoning on a 130–170 scale (both in 1-point steps) and Analytical Writing on a 0–6 scale in half-point steps. There is no pass or fail mark; each program decides what scores it looks for.

Verbal and Quantitative scores come from the number of questions you answer correctly, adjusted for the difficulty of the second section you received. There is no penalty for wrong answers, so never leave a question blank. At the end of the test you see unofficial Verbal and Quantitative scores and choose whether to report or cancel them; ScoreSelect then lets you decide which test dates schools see.

To turn a practice test and score into an estimated scaled result, use our GRE score calculator. Its conversions are estimates, because ETS does not publish a raw-to-scaled table.

What Is a Good GRE Score?

A good GRE score is one at or above the middle of your target program’s range; as a national benchmark, the average for test takers from July 2022 to June 2025 was 151.4 in Verbal Reasoning, 157.6 in Quantitative Reasoning and 3.5 in Analytical Writing, according to ETS. ETS also publishes percentile ranks, the share of test takers who scored lower:

A 90th-percentile Verbal score is 163, while no Quant score reaches the 90th percentile, because so many test takers score high in Quant: even a 170 is the 89th percentile. A combined 280, such as 140 in each measure, is well below the averages: 140 is the 10th percentile in Verbal and the 5th in Quant.

Is 4 a Good GRE Writing Score?

Yes, an Analytical Writing score of 4.0 is a solid result. It sits above the middle of the scale and above the average of recent test takers in ETS’s published percentile tables. ETS describes essays at this level as competent, with relevant reasons and examples and adequate control of language.

Many programs treat 4.0 or higher as comfortable. Writing-heavy fields, such as humanities or law, may expect 4.5 or more, so check the profiles your target programs publish.

GRE Registration and Fees

You register for the GRE through your ETS account, choosing either a test center appointment or the at-home test. For registrations on or after August 1, 2026, the GRE General Test fee is $249 in all regions except China. Eligible test takers can pay $100 with a fee reduction voucher.

Extra services, such as rescheduling, changing your test center or sending additional score reports, cost more. ETS lists every current fee on its registration fees page, so confirm the total before you book.

How Much Is the GRE Test at Home?

The GRE at home costs the same standard fee as a test center appointment: $249 for registrations on or after August 1, 2026, outside China. The fee reduction program applies to both options. The only extra cost is having a suitable computer, webcam and private room.

How Often Is the GRE General Test Offered?

The GRE General Test is offered year-round. Test centers run appointments on many days each month, and the at-home test is available around the clock, seven days a week, subject to proctor availability.

You can retake the GRE once every 21 days, up to five times in any continuous rolling 12-month period. Because of ScoreSelect, a weaker first attempt does not have to reach the schools you apply to.

How to Prepare for the GRE: How Many Practice Tests to Take

Most test takers do well with four to six full practice tests over two to three months: one at the start to find your baseline, one or two in the middle to check progress and two in the final weeks to rehearse timing. More tests help only if you review each one carefully.

A simple eight-week study plan looks like this:

Build your own version with the study planner for exams, track your test date with the exam countdown timer and keep tricky vocabulary in a deck you make with flashcards online.

Official ETS GRE Practice Test

The official ETS GRE practice test, POWERPREP, is the closest you can get to the real exam. It uses the real interface, the shorter-GRE structure and the official score scale, so its results are the best predictor of your test-day score.

Use official tests sparingly, because the supply is limited. Take one at the start of your preparation and save the rest for the final weeks, when an accurate score matters most.

ETS POWERPREP GRE Practice Test

POWERPREP Online is ETS’s practice software for the GRE. The free tests give you scaled Verbal and Quantitative scores, while paid POWERPREP PLUS tests add more practice and answer explanations. Take them in one sitting, timed, in a quiet room to treat each as a real GRE mock test by ETS.

GRE Practice Test Book

A GRE practice test book is useful for question volume and topic review. The ETS Official Guide to the GRE General Test contains real questions with explanations and is the most reliable book. Commercial books add more practice and strategy, but their difficulty and scoring do not always match the real exam.

How Long Is the GRE Practice Test?

A full official GRE practice test matches the real exam: about 1 hour 58 minutes, including the 30-minute essay. Our free online practice test is shorter: 30 questions in 49 minutes in timed mode, which mirrors the real Verbal and Quantitative pace and fits into an evening study session.

GRE Test Day Checklist: GRE at Home Testing Rules

Whether you test at a center or at home, prepare the day before so nothing distracts you from the questions. Check ETS’s current rules for your format, and use this checklist:

• Bring or have ready an acceptable, valid, government-issued photo ID whose name exactly matches your ETS registration.
• For the GRE at home, run the ETS equipment check and install the required secure browser in advance.
• Test at home on a desktop or laptop computer in a private room with a closed door; tablets and phones are not allowed.
• Have a small whiteboard with an erasable marker or a transparent sheet protector with a whiteboard insert; paper notes are not allowed at home.
• Clear your desk of phones, watches, notes and extra screens, and be ready to show the room on camera.
• Stay in view of the webcam for the whole test, and make sure no one enters the room.
• At a test center, arrive early and follow the center’s locker and check-in procedures.

For pacing and guessing strategies that apply on test day, see our guide to test taking strategies.

GRE vs GMAT

The GRE and the GMAT are both accepted by many business schools, but they test differently. The GRE is broader and is accepted across most graduate fields; the GMAT test is built for business school and measures data skills more directly.

If you are torn between them, take a timed GRE and GMAT practice test and compare how comfortable you feel. Many applicants find the GRE’s vocabulary-based Verbal easier, while those strong in data and logic often prefer the GMAT. To compare question styles directly, try our free GMAT practice test, and see the ACT and SAT practice test hub for undergraduate admissions exams.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can the GRE Test Be Taken Online?

Yes. The GRE General Test at home is the same test as the test center version, with the same sections, timing and score scale. It is delivered online on your own computer and monitored live by a remote proctor. You need a private room, a working webcam and microphone and a computer that passes the ETS equipment check.

Are GRE Practice Tests Harder?

Not as a rule. The official ETS POWERPREP tests are built from retired real questions and are designed to match the real exam closely. Some commercial practice tests run harder, especially in Quantitative Reasoning, which can make your practice scores look lower than your real score. Use official tests to predict your score and other material to drill.

Are GRE Practice Tests Accurate?

Official ETS practice tests are the most accurate predictors because they use the real scoring scale and section-adaptive design. Unofficial tests vary. Treat any non-ETS score as an estimate, and judge your progress by the trend across several tests rather than by one result. Testing in exam-like conditions makes every practice score more reliable.

How Many Official GRE Practice Tests Are There?

ETS publishes a small set of free POWERPREP practice tests for the current shorter GRE, plus additional paid POWERPREP PLUS tests. The exact number available changes as ETS updates its materials, so check the official prep page on ets.org. Save at least one official test for the final week before your exam.

Which GRE Prep Is Best?

The best GRE prep combines official ETS material with steady, targeted practice. Use POWERPREP tests to measure your level, the Official Guide for realistic questions and a free GRE practice test with explanations for daily drills. A course or tutor helps if you need structure, but consistent practice and careful review matter more than the brand.