What Is the GRE? 2025 | Format, Sections, Scoring, and Prep

What Is the GRE? 2025 Format, Sections, Scoring, and Prep Guide

The GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) is a standardized admissions test used by graduate and professional schools to evaluate applicants' academic readiness. Produced by ETS (Educational Testing Service), the GRE General Test measures Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing skills. In 2023, ETS shortened the GRE from approximately 4 hours to just about 1 hour 58 minutes — making the 2025 GRE significantly more manageable than older versions. The GRE is accepted at thousands of graduate programs in business, education, social sciences, natural sciences, engineering, and the humanities, and is increasingly accepted as an MBA application alternative to the GMAT.

GRE General Test Format 2025

The 2025 GRE General Test is offered in two modes: a computer-delivered test at Prometric test centers (available year-round) and an at-home version (GRE at home) via ProctorU. The at-home option has the same format and scoring as the test center version.

Current GRE format (since September 2023):

Total testing time: approximately 1 hour 58 minutes (down from ~3 hours 45 minutes)
Two scored Verbal Reasoning sections
Two scored Quantitative Reasoning sections
One Analytical Writing section (one task, 30 minutes)
No longer has an unscored research section — the test is shorter because ETS removed the experimental section

Registration:

Register at ets.org/gre
Cost: $220 in the United States (varies internationally)
Available year-round at Prometric test centers and via GRE at home
Scores are valid for 5 years from test date

GRE Sections

Verbal Reasoning (2 sections, 18 questions each, 18 minutes each = 36 minutes total)

Question types: Reading Comprehension, Text Completion (fill in blank with vocabulary), Sentence Equivalence (choose two words that both create similar meanings)
Skills tested: ability to analyze written material, understand relationships among words, recognize assumptions and reasoning in arguments
Difficulty: adaptive at the section level — your score on Section 1 determines the difficulty of Section 2

Quantitative Reasoning (2 sections, 27 questions each, 21 minutes each = 42 minutes total)

Question types: Quantitative Comparison, Multiple Choice (one or more answers), Numeric Entry (enter your own answer)
Content: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Data Analysis and Statistics
On-screen calculator provided; math knowledge required through approximately 10th-grade level

Analytical Writing (1 task, 30 minutes)

One 'Analyze an Issue' essay (previously had two essays — now only one)
You choose a position on a given issue and support it with relevant reasoning and examples
Scored by a combination of e-rater (automated) and a human reader
Score is separate from the 130–170 scale — reported as a 0–6 score in half-point increments

GRE General Test at a Glance

🔴 Test Format – ~2 Hours

Shortened 2023

Total time: ~1 hour 58 minutes — shortened in 2023
Sections: Verbal (2) + Quantitative (2) + Analytical Writing (1)
Mode: Test center (Prometric) or at-home proctored
Cost: $220 in the United States

🟠 Scoring – 130–170 Per Section

Verbal Reasoning: 130–170 (1-point increments)
Quantitative Reasoning: 130–170 (1-point increments)
Analytical Writing: 0–6 score (half-point increments)
Score validity: 5 years from test date

🟡 Registration – $220

Where: ets.org/gre — year-round availability
Score sending: 4 free score reports at time of test
Retake policy: Up to 5 times per year, once every 21 days
At-home option: GRE at home available via ProctorU

🟢 Who Uses GRE – 1,300+ Programs

Graduate programs: Business, law, sciences, humanities, education
MBA programs: Most top MBA programs accept GRE scores
Average scores: Verbal ~152, Quant ~153 (all GRE test-takers)
Score reporting: Can select which scores to send (ScoreSelect)

GRE Scoring — What You Need to Know

The GRE uses a scaled scoring system that is section-adaptive — your performance on the first Verbal and Quantitative sections determines the difficulty level of the second sections.

Score scales:

Verbal Reasoning: 130–170 in 1-point increments (average ~152)
Quantitative Reasoning: 130–170 in 1-point increments (average ~153)
Analytical Writing: 0–6 in half-point increments (average ~3.5)

ScoreSelect — choosing which scores to send: ETS offers a ScoreSelect feature that lets you choose which GRE score reports to send to programs. You can send scores from the most recent test, all tests in the past 5 years, or scores from any specific test date(s). This is a significant advantage for test-takers who want to retake and only send improved scores.

What programs look for:

Most graduate programs list average GRE scores of admitted students — check the program's website for benchmark data
Quant scores matter most for STEM, engineering, and business programs; Verbal scores matter most for humanities and social science programs
Analytical Writing scores of 4.0+ are generally considered strong across disciplines

Who Needs the GRE — and Who Doesn't

Graduate programs that commonly require GRE scores:

Master's and doctoral programs in natural sciences, social sciences, engineering, mathematics
Psychology PhD programs
Public policy and public administration programs
Education graduate programs
Humanities PhD programs (literature, history, philosophy)

MBA programs: The GRE is now accepted at nearly all top MBA programs as an alternative to the GMAT. If you score stronger on the GRE, submit that — use ETS's GRE comparison tool to see how your GRE score compares to equivalent GMAT scores for specific programs.

GRE-optional programs: Many graduate programs have moved to test-optional admissions, particularly in education and social work fields. Check your specific target programs — submitting GRE scores at a test-optional program can strengthen an application if your scores are above program averages, but weak scores are better not submitted where optional.

Who should skip the GRE: If your target programs are all test-optional and you have strong alternative credentials (research, work experience, publications, relevant degrees), spending significant time on GRE prep may be less valuable than strengthening other parts of your application.

GRE Prep Strategies

Effective GRE preparation focuses on building skills in the actual areas tested — not just content memorization.

Free prep resources:

PowerPrep: ETS offers two free full-length GRE practice tests at ets.org/gre — these are the gold standard for accurate score prediction
ETS Verbal and Quant practice banks: Official practice questions by section
Khan Academy: Useful for Quantitative Reasoning math concepts (GRE math covers up to about 10th-grade level)

Paid prep resources:

Manhattan Prep GRE: Known for rigorous Quantitative Reasoning instruction; good for strong-math-background students targeting top STEM programs
Magoosh GRE: More affordable ($150–$200); good video instruction and practice questions; works well for self-paced learners
5lb Book of GRE Practice Problems (Manhattan Prep): The most comprehensive GRE practice question resource for both Verbal and Quant

Vocabulary for Verbal Reasoning: GRE Verbal heavily tests academic vocabulary through Text Completion and Sentence Equivalence. Start vocabulary study 8–10 weeks before your test date — common GRE vocabulary lists (e.g., 'GRE 1000 word list') are available from multiple prep companies.

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GRE Exam Questions and Answers

What is the GRE exam used for?

The GRE (Graduate Record Examinations) General Test is used by graduate and professional schools as a standardized measure of academic readiness for graduate study. Produced by ETS, it is accepted at thousands of master's and doctoral programs across nearly every field — sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, business, education, and health fields. Many MBA programs now accept GRE scores as an alternative to the GMAT. GRE scores are valid for 5 years.

How long is the GRE exam in 2025?

The 2025 GRE General Test takes approximately 1 hour 58 minutes of testing time. This is significantly shorter than the old GRE (previously 3 hours 45 minutes) due to a format change in September 2023 that removed the experimental section and shortened the Analytical Writing section from two essays to one. The test has two Verbal Reasoning sections (18 minutes each), two Quantitative Reasoning sections (21 minutes each), and one Analytical Writing section (30 minutes).

What is a good GRE score?

Average GRE scores for all test-takers are approximately 152 for Verbal Reasoning and 153 for Quantitative Reasoning (130–170 scale). What constitutes a 'good' GRE score depends on your target programs. For STEM and engineering PhD programs, a Quantitative score of 162+ is typically competitive. For humanities PhD programs, a Verbal score of 160+ is generally strong. Check the average GRE scores published by your target programs — most post admitted student score averages or middle 50% ranges on their websites.

How many times can you take the GRE?

You can take the GRE General Test up to 5 times within any continuous rolling 12-month period, with at least 21 days between test attempts. ETS's ScoreSelect feature allows you to choose which score reports to send to programs — you can send only your best scores rather than all attempts. Most test-takers take the GRE 1–2 times, with a significant improvement common on a second attempt with additional targeted preparation.

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