What the use of GRE in admission process?

Certification: Test Prep GRE - Graduate Record Examination

The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is an exam taken by students to get admission in foreign colleges and universities, mostly in United States. The test is conducted and monitored by Education Testing Service. Initially around 1949 the test aimed to measure the verbal and quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking. These skills are attained by the students over a long period of time; it can’t be gained by studying a particular period of time in any school. The format of the exam is objective type having multiple choice questions, the scores of the test is a determining factor for the admission foreign graduate schools and the various department within schools. ETS had made some changes in august 2011 in the question pattern, making the exam more users friendly and less difficult in comparison to other exams. The changed pattern will make evaluation of students easier by the universities, enabling them to choose more deserving candidates. The new pattern is effective since august 2011. According to the GRE team this is largest change in the last 60 yrs of GRE history. The score of GRE is used by the students, for graduate students and students seeing for fellowship, should look into the guidelines given by the GRE board. The GRE has provided the guidelines for students to protect them from taking unfair decisions, which can make them suffer after. The students should adhere to the guidelines given by the board. Though every exam has its limitations and cautions, but the GRE board provides some guidelines to students as we as to organizations and institution, as that the scores can be used appropriately.

Guidelines for use

1. Multiple levels of criteria:The educator’s should look into the guidelines provided, they should make multiple level criteria for students so that any deserving talent is not missed and are given the opportunity. They should consider undergraduate score, recommendation letter, work samples, experience certificates and other materials before giving admission to a student. Not merely on the GRE score the admission should not be given. A multiple level of selection should be made so that applicants who are not much privileged should get a fair chance.
2. Use official GRE score: Only the students should use only the official GRE score should be used and should be directly sent to the desired institutes and organization listed by the students. Scores other than ETS should not be accepted by the college. If there is doubt about the score card, college should contact ETS, then ETS will verify whether the scores are accurate or not.
3.  Scores should be confidential:  sections i.e., Quantitative Reasoning, Verbal Reasoning, and Analytical Reasoning should not be considered as one.
4. Score Scales according to the revised pattern:  The departments and graduate shoo programs should shift from old range scale of 200-800 to 130-170 score scale. This will ensure uniformity in the admission process, and students from old course and the new course would be considered same.

   The GRE scores should be used for particular purpose only when it is examined explicitly. If the user is using the score other than then mentioned, they should discuss that with the GRE team in advance before using the score. The GRE scores of the subject score may be criteria for awarding the undergraduate credit if the is in the field of study of the subject score.

5. The users who use the GRE score should agree to maintain the confidentiality of the GRE score. The institutes should develop policies to maintain the confidentiality of the scores. The scores should be paced anywhere like with the documents that need to sent outside.
6. All the tree sections should be considered separate:  The skill level of every individual is different. So the scores should be considered separately. The scores of all the three Appropriate Use of the GRE score

The subject score and the genera test score of the GRE score can be used appropriately for the following purposes if the mentioned guidelines are adhered and followed by the students and institutions

1. Application section for admission
2. Awarding fellowships to graduate students
3. Graduate study counseling and guidance

As stated guidelines above, the scores can be used appropriately for the admission according to the requirement of the graduate college or the department of study. In the United States the admissions in the graduate schools takes place through GRE scores only. It measures the sis and ability of the graduates, in genera irrespective of their field of study. The test is responsible for measuring; the level of individuals Verbal and Quantitative skills. The use of GRE scores vary from school to school and from program to program. For example, some programs may consider an individual score of a single section, while other the whole score. Like the applicants for mathematics or science courses, their quantitative reasoning score will make more difference towards the admission process. While seeing admission in the graduate schools a lot of other factors pay an important roe other than the GRE score like, letter of recommendation, purpose of statement, GPA etc. The use GRE varies from school to school, for example some may use it for admission criteria, while other will be using for funding scholarships and fellowships. Different schools set different level of GRE score for admission. So the student’s should contact the concerned department of their choice for the eligibility of admission rather than contacting the school on whole. So overall the criteria are same for the GRE subject score for admissions in the required field of study the test is given. The students should plan well before the exam, how they have to proceed for the admission process, after they have their scores.