G.R.E. Crash Course

February 17, 2007

Campbell University

Trey Asbury, Ph.D.

Certified GRE Campus Educator

I. General TestVerbal, Quantitative &

Analytical Writing

II. Subject Test

Biochemistry, Cell & Molecular Biology

BiologyChemistryComputer Science

Literature in EnglishMathematicsPhysicsPsychology

When to register…

Begin to consider your options during the second term of your junior year.

Check the deadlines for submission to graduate programs of interest.

Register 6-8 weeks before you plan on taking the GRE.

Schedule your testing session the semester before the first term of your senior year (ideally summer).

Local GRE Test Sites1-800-GRE-CALL

Prometric Testing Center (Two locations in Raleigh)

North Carolina Central University (Durham)

Fayetteville State University

What do my scores mean?

Average Estimated Correlations with First-Year GPA in Grad School

Predictors

Subject Tests

# ofDepts

# of Exam. VQA S U VQASU

Biology 52 369 .27 .37 .33 .45Chemistry 26 298 .30 .51 .36 .63Economics 18 148 .26 .43 .31 .51Engineering 21 185 .28 .41 .39 .54Geology 12 153 .20 .21 .25 .48Lit. in English 20 238 .29 .32 .34 .54Physics 24 314 .20 .27 .28 .49Psychology 110 1,151 .33 .37 .37 .50

V = Verbal, Q = Quant, A = Analytical, S = Subj. Test, U = Undergrad Grades

Appropriate Use of GRE Scores

The GRE Board urges graduate institutions to evaluate each student’s application as a whole, considering the student’s personal history, letters of recommendation, grade transcripts, personal statement, and test scores.

Scores should not be added together.The setting of “cut-off scores” is

considered an inappropriate score use.

Linear (traditional) Tests

Are based on standardized test forms containing a mixture of easy, middle and difficult questions

Test scores are derived from the number of correct answers

Test forms are equated by means of an equating block

BUILDING AN ADAPTIVE TEST

Benefits of C.A.T.

-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3

Ability

Info

rmati

on

Normal Population Linear Test Information--100 Items

CAT Test Information--34 Items Desired Information Level

Some CAT Rules

You cannot go back and revise a previous answer.

You cannot skip ahead to fill in answers to questions you know.

You must answer each question as it is presented -- by posting a guess if necessary.

CAT Strategy: Answer Questions!

Learn to identify the point at which it is best to post a guess. There are no time outs once a section has begun.

It is normal in CAT to answer several questions incorrectly, even for high scorers.

CAT scores are not based solely on the number of questions answered correctly, but rather on such question characteristics as level of difficulty.

Don’t Get Hung Up on a QuestionPacing is critical to success in the GRE

General Test. It is important not to leave questions unanswered, or to finish with a string of guesses.

If the candidate sees a possible error, he/she should note its location and report it to the test center supervisor at the end of the test. Actual errors are very rare.

It is important for a test taker to focus on just one thing: answering the current question on the screen!

The Quantitative Measure

Math Content

ArithmeticAlgebraGeometryData Analysis

Generally no higher than pre-calculus,high school math.No Trigonometry or higher college-levelmathematics is assumed

Question Types

Regular Multiple Choice—stand-alone questions with 5 answer choices

Quantitative Comparison—two quantities are compared, with 4 possible answer choices

Data Interpretation—a 5-choice question about a display of data; these questions appear in sets of two or more consecutive questions about the same display of data

Quantitative Measure

28 Questions; all types mixed together

45 minutes to complete sectionCalculators not permitted

Strategies Handout

Preparation

GRE Math Review (Available online at www.gre.org)

Verbal Measure

Verbal Content

Designed to measure knowledge of words and the ability to reason or understand and analyze relationships among words, among groups of words, and within sentences.

Also seeks ability to read a passage and determine main ideas, make inferences, evaluate purpose and structure and identify style and tone.

Format and Type of Questions

AntonymsAnalogiesSentence CompletionReading Comprehension

30 questions5-item multiple choice 30 minute time limit

Antonyms

Questions require you to find the answer choice with the word or phrase that is most nearly opposite the word in question.

Some questions may require the knowledge of words that have more than one meaning.

Analogies

Questions test the ability to see a relationship in a pair of words, to understand the ideas expressed in the relationship, and to recognize a similar or parallel relationship.

Always identify the precise relationship between the two words in question before looking at the answer choices.

Sentence Completions

Questions require the analysis of the relationship of sentence parts, and to supply the most appropriate word(s) to fill in the blank(s).

If there are two blanks, the correct answer must have the best answer for both blanks.

Reading Comprehension

A combination of short and long passages.

Topics for passages are purposely obscure.

Typically required to determine main points, implications, style, author’s tone or attitude.

Preparation

Read articles from news magazines such as Time, Newsweek, U.S.World Report, etc.

Read technical magazines designed for the layperson such as home repair, auto mechanics, etc.

Read newspaper editorials.Don’t study dictionaries or “G.R.E. vocabulary

lists”.

Analytical Writing

A.W. Content

Two separately-timed analytical writing tasks:

1. Present Your Perspective on an Issue

(45 Minutes)

2. Analyze an Argument (30 minutes)

A.W. Issue

You will be given a choice between two Issue topics. Each one states an opinion on an issue of broad interest, and asks you to discuss the issue from any perspective(s) you wish—as long as you provide relevant reasons and examples to support your views.

A.W. Argument

You will not have a choice of argument topics.

The task requires you to critique a given argument by discussing how well reasoned you find it.

Consider the logical soundness of the argument—not whether you agree or disagree with the position it presents.

A.W. Scoring Criteria

You will be judged by college and university faculty based on…

1. Consideration of the complexities and implications

2. Organization, development and expression of ideas

3. Relevant reasons and examples supporting your ideas

4. Control of the elements of standard written English

A.W. Scoring Guide

Scoring Guide Handouts

Subject Test

8 GRE Subject Tests

Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular BiologyBiologyChemistryComputer ScienceLiterature in EnglishMathematicsPhysicsPsychology

Subject Test

All paper-and-pencil testsAll 170 minutes in lengthAdministered only 3 times per year:

November, December, and AprilSubscores reported for 3 tests:

Biochemistry, Biology, and Psychology

Types of Questions

All questions are 5-option multiple choice

Some sets of 2 or more questions based on a particular stimulus

Roman numeral formatClassification set format

Strategies

Non-CAT means you can skip questions and come back to them later.

Correction for haphazard guessing is used in scoring

Minus ¼ for incorrect answer0 points for blank answer

Preparation

Review basic undergraduate textbooksBe familiar with question typesTake practice test in allotted time frameReview incorrectly answered questionsForm study groups

Examinees can decide whether or not to sendSubject tests to a particular grad school.

GRE and ETS Resources

Powerprep Software, version 3.0Math ReviewAn Introduction to the Analytical Writing

Section of the GRE General TestGRE Practicing to Take the General

Test, 10th Ed. ($18)GRE Diagnostic Service ($15)

Other…

You will be given immediate feedback for the CAT (Verbal and Quant).

Allow Two-Four weeks for A.W. and Subject scores

You will have the option to cancel your CAT session when time is up—before you see your score of course.When scores are sent to grad schools—all your GRE General Test scores for the past 5 years are also sent.

Changes in General Test

Effective September 2007Elimination of CAT (back to linear)Verbal Reasoning--2 40 minute sections

Significant content change

Quantitative--2 40 minute sectionsMinor content change; calculator added

Changes in General Test

Critical Thinking & Analytical Writing2 30 minute tasks, relatively minor changes

Additional Unscored SectionTime and content variable

Changes in General Test

29 scheduled administrations over the calendar year

Scoring change 200-800 replaced by 130 to 170

Persistence

admission into