The Complete GRE General Test Guide (2026)

What is the GRE?

The GRE General Test (Graduate Record Examination) is the world's most widely accepted graduate and professional school admissions test. It is developed, administered, and scored by ETS (Educational Testing Service), a non-profit organization founded in 1947. The GRE measures the verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing skills that you have developed over your academic career — skills that are directly relevant to graduate-level academic work.

More than 1,300 graduate and professional schools accept GRE scores, including MBA programs, law schools, PhD programs, and master's programs across virtually every academic discipline. Approximately 340,000 individuals take the GRE each year from countries all over the world. In the United States alone, the GRE is accepted by programs at Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Princeton, and essentially every accredited graduate institution.

Who takes the GRE?

The GRE serves an unusually broad applicant pool. Unlike the GMAT (which is specifically for business school) or the LSAT (law school only), the GRE is designed to be field-neutral. Test takers include:

• College seniors and recent graduates applying to PhD or master's programs
• Working professionals applying to MBA or specialized business programs
• Applicants to law school (many schools now accept GRE in place of LSAT)
• International students applying to graduate programs in English-speaking countries
• Career changers using graduate school as a transition vehicle

When to take the GRE

Most applicants take the GRE 6–12 months before their application deadlines, giving time to retake if needed. Because scores are valid for five years, some students take the GRE in their junior year of college and use scores for applications years later. The GRE is offered year-round at Prometric testing centers and via the GRE at Home option, so scheduling flexibility is excellent.

You may retake the GRE once every 21 days, and no more than five times within any rolling 12-month period. There is no lifetime limit on how many times you can take the GRE. The fee is approximately $220 globally (slightly higher or lower depending on country).

GRE at Home vs test center

The GRE at Home option lets you take the test from your own computer under live remote proctoring. The format, question content, and scoring are identical to the test center version. At Home requires a reliable internet connection, a webcam, and a clean, private room. Test centers are still preferred by many candidates who find the home environment too distracting or lack a suitable setup.

GRE Test Format Overview

The GRE General Test consists of three scored sections: Analytical Writing, Verbal Reasoning, and Quantitative Reasoning. The total testing time is approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes, including a mandatory 10-minute break after the third section.

The GRE may also include an unscored Research section or Experimental section, which can appear anywhere in the test. These sections are used by ETS to pretest new questions and are not identified to test takers. You should approach every section as if it counts.

Section-level adaptive format — how it works

The GRE uses a section-level adaptive design, not a question-level adaptive design. This is an important distinction. In a question-level adaptive test (like older versions of the GMAT), every individual question adapts in real time. On the GRE, adaptation happens between sections:

• Section 1 of Verbal and Quantitative is always medium difficulty for all test takers.
• Based on your performance on Section 1, you receive either a harder or easier Section 2.
• The difficulty of Section 2 determines the ceiling of your final scaled score. A harder Section 2 allows you to reach scores of 163–170; an easier Section 2 caps you at roughly 160 or below.
• Your final scaled score accounts for both section difficulty and raw score, so the same number of correct answers yields different scaled scores depending on difficulty tier.

Within a section, you can skip questions and return to them. You can change answers within the section before time expires. This flexibility does not exist between sections — once you submit a section, you cannot return to it.

Total score

Your GRE total score is the sum of your Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning scaled scores, ranging from 260 to 340. The Analytical Writing score (0–6) is reported separately and is not included in the total. Most programs refer to the combined V+Q total alongside writing separately.

Verbal Reasoning — Deep Dive

The Verbal Reasoning section measures your ability to analyze and evaluate written material, synthesize information, analyze relationships among component parts of sentences, and recognize relationships between words and concepts. ETS emphasizes that Verbal tests reasoning ability, not just vocabulary — but vocabulary is a foundational input.

Each of the two Verbal sections contains 20 questions to be answered in 30 minutes (90 seconds per question on average). Questions fall into three types: Text Completion, Sentence Equivalence, and Reading Comprehension. The average Verbal score is approximately 150. The 90th percentile is 163 or above.

Text Completion

Text Completion (TC) questions present a passage ranging from one sentence to five sentences with one, two, or three blanks. You select one word or phrase per blank from a separate set of choices (5 choices for one-blank, 3 choices per blank for two- or three-blank passages).

One-blank questions

The most straightforward format. A single sentence or short passage contains one blank, and you choose from five options. Strategy: determine the meaning the blank must carry based on context clues (contrast words like "although," "however," "despite"; support words like "furthermore," "similarly"), predict the word before looking at options, then find the answer closest to your prediction.

Two-blank and three-blank questions

These are significantly more difficult because there is no partial credit — all blanks must be correct to earn any points. The blanks interact with each other: filling in blank (i) changes the meaning context for blank (ii). The recommended approach is to work through blanks in the order that makes the most logical sense, often starting with the blank that has the most context clues, rather than always starting with blank (i).

Sentence Equivalence

Sentence Equivalence (SE) presents a single sentence with one blank and six answer choices. You must select exactly two answers that (a) both complete the sentence grammatically and logically, and (b) produce sentences that are alike in meaning. Both choices must be selected — selecting one correct answer and one wrong answer earns no credit.

SE questions test nuanced vocabulary and the ability to recognize near-synonyms in context. The two correct answers are always near-synonyms in the context of the sentence, but they may not be general synonyms of each other outside that context. Distractors often include a word that fits the sentence logically but pairs with none of the other choices.

High-frequency GRE vocabulary categories

GRE vocabulary skews heavily toward academic and literary registers. High-yield categories include:

• Words describing attitudes: sanguine, truculent, sycophantic, sardonic, ingenuous, laconic, garrulous
• Words describing argument/discourse: tendentious, polemical, equivocate, prevaricate, cogent, specious, sophistry
• Words describing change or stasis: mercurial, protean, immutable, transient, ephemeral, ossified, ossify
• Words describing size/importance: monumental, paltry, trifling, negligible, prodigious, minuscule
• Negative words with subtle distinctions: censure vs. rebuke vs. reprove vs. castigate vs. excoriate
• Words describing writing or speech: verbose, prolix, terse, laconic, bombastic, grandiloquent, pithy

The most effective vocabulary-building approach for GRE is learning words in context (through reading academic prose) supplemented by targeted flashcard study of the 500–800 highest-frequency GRE words. Rote memorization of isolated word lists is less effective than understanding word roots and encountering words in authentic sentences.

Reading Comprehension

Reading Comprehension (RC) constitutes roughly half of the Verbal section — approximately 10 of 20 questions per section. Passages range from a single paragraph (75–100 words) to longer multi-paragraph texts (up to 450 words). Topics include natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, business, and everyday topics. No prior knowledge is required — all answers are derivable from the passage.

Question types in Reading Comprehension

• Main idea / primary purpose: What is the overall point of the passage? What is the author's main goal? These require understanding the whole passage, not individual sentences.
• Detail / explicit information: What does the passage say about X? The answer is directly stated; the challenge is locating it and matching the paraphrase.
• Inference: What can be inferred / most reasonably concluded? The answer is not explicitly stated but must be logically supported by the passage.
• Strengthen / weaken: Which answer choice would most strengthen (or undermine) the argument made in the passage? These require understanding the argument's assumptions.
• Author's tone or attitude: How does the author feel about the subject? Tone words in answer choices are frequently extreme — correct answers for GRE passages are almost always measured, not extreme.
• Logical structure / purpose of paragraph: Why does the author include this paragraph? What function does this sentence serve?
• Vocabulary in context: As used in the passage, the word X most nearly means... The common meaning of a word is often wrong; rely on context.
• Select-in-Passage: A unique GRE format — the question asks you to click on a specific sentence in the passage that performs a described function. You must identify the sentence precisely.
• Multiple-select (all that apply): Select all answer choices that apply. Partial credit is not awarded — all correct choices must be selected and no incorrect choices selected.

How section adaptation works in Verbal

The first Verbal section you take is always of medium difficulty. If you answer approximately 65–70% or more of questions correctly, you are routed to the harder second section. The harder second section contains more challenging vocabulary, denser RC passages, and more complex inference questions. Performing well on the hard second section is what unlocks scores of 160+.

Contrary to popular belief, the section you see second is not necessarily harder — routing depends on your first-section performance. A test taker with a weak first section gets an easier second section, which limits their ceiling but also makes the remaining questions more manageable.

Quantitative Reasoning — Deep Dive

The Quantitative Reasoning section measures your ability to understand and interpret quantitative information, solve problems using mathematical models, and apply basic mathematical concepts. An on-screen four-function calculator with square root is provided for all Quantitative questions. The average Quant score is approximately 153; the 90th percentile is 167 or above.

Each of the two Quant sections contains 20 questions in 35 minutes (about 1 minute 45 seconds per question). Questions appear in four formats: Quantitative Comparison, Multiple Choice (single answer), Multiple Select (all that apply), and Numeric Entry.

Quantitative Comparison (QC)

QC questions present two quantities — Quantity A and Quantity B — and ask you to compare them. There are exactly four possible answer choices for every QC question:

• (A) Quantity A is greater
• (B) Quantity B is greater
• (C) The two quantities are equal
• (D) The relationship cannot be determined from the information given

Choice (D) is only correct when the relationship is genuinely ambiguous — when the answer changes depending on the value of a variable. To prove (D), you need to find at least two different values that give different relationships. The most common error is choosing (D) out of uncertainty rather than proving ambiguity. If you can determine the relationship definitively, (D) is wrong.

QC strategy: plug in special cases

When a QC question involves variables without constraints, test special cases systematically: zero (0), one (1), a negative number (e.g., –1), and a fraction (e.g., 1/2). These five values expose the most common traps — for instance, squaring a fraction makes it smaller, and multiplying by a negative reverses inequalities. If you get the same relationship with all special cases, that relationship is almost certainly always true.

Multiple Choice — Single Answer

Standard five-choice questions where exactly one answer is correct. These are the most familiar format. Two useful strategies specific to GRE Multiple Choice: (1) Backsolving — substitute answer choices into the problem rather than solving algebraically, particularly useful for equations. Start with choice (C) if answers are ordered numerically. (2) Estimation — many GRE questions can be solved approximately if you recognize the magnitudes involved.

Multiple Select (all that apply)

Questions where one, two, or all three answer choices may be correct. No partial credit — you must select all and only the correct choices. These questions are particularly dangerous because selecting four out of five correct answers earns zero points. The most dangerous approach is guessing; the safest approach is evaluating each choice independently.

Numeric Entry

You type your answer as an integer or decimal (or fraction in some cases). There is no answer bank to check against, so precision matters. Always double-check the question's requested form (does it ask for the answer in thousands? as a percentage? rounded to the nearest integer?). A common error is computing the right value but entering it in the wrong unit or precision.

Content areas

Arithmetic

Arithmetic forms the foundation of all Quant content. Key topics: integers and their properties (prime numbers, divisibility, factors and multiples, odd/even rules), fractions and decimals, percentages, ratios and proportions, powers and roots, absolute value, and sequences. GRE arithmetic emphasizes number properties — particularly questions about what must be true vs. what could be true about expressions involving variables representing integers.

Algebra

Algebraic topics include: simplifying expressions, solving linear and quadratic equations, inequalities (including compound inequalities and systems), absolute value equations, word problems requiring equation setup, functions (evaluating and interpreting), and interpreting algebraic expressions in real-world contexts. GRE algebra heavily favors word problems. Translating English to algebra accurately is more important than knowing complex algebraic procedures.

Geometry

GRE geometry covers: lines and angles (supplementary, complementary, vertical), triangles (including special triangles: 30-60-90 and 45-45-90), quadrilaterals and other polygons, circles (area, circumference, arc length, sector area, central angles, inscribed angles), three-dimensional figures (rectangular solids, cylinders), the Pythagorean theorem, and coordinate geometry (slope, midpoint, distance formula, equation of a line). An important note: GRE figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. Never estimate angles or lengths from a diagram — always use given information.

Data Analysis

Data Analysis is increasingly prominent on the GRE. Topics include: measures of central tendency (mean, median, mode), measures of spread (range, standard deviation, interquartile range), percentiles and quartiles, basic probability (including independent and dependent events, and simple counting methods), combinations and permutations, Venn diagrams, and data interpretation from charts, graphs, and tables.

Data Interpretation sets

Data Interpretation (DI) questions appear as groups of 3–4 questions based on a shared stimulus — typically a table, bar chart, line graph, pie chart, or combination. All questions in the set refer to the same data. DI questions require careful reading of the graph's axes, units, and footnotes. A common trap is misreading the scale or missing a "% change" vs. "absolute value" distinction.

On DI sets, the on-screen calculator becomes genuinely useful — the numbers are often unwieldy by design. However, calculator use still requires setting up the correct computation first. The most common DI errors are logical (computing the wrong quantity), not arithmetic.

On-screen calculator usage

The GRE provides a basic four-function calculator with a square root button and memory function. It is not a graphing calculator. It cannot solve equations, graph functions, or perform symbolic algebra. Use it for: precise arithmetic in Data Interpretation sets, percentage calculations, and checking exact decimal or fraction values. Do not reach for the calculator for every problem — many GRE Quant questions are faster to solve conceptually than to calculate numerically.

Analytical Writing — Deep Dive

As of September 2023, the Analytical Writing section consists of a single task: the Analyze an Issue essay. (The Analyze an Argument essay was removed in the September 2023 format change.) You have 30 minutes to plan and write one essay. The average Writing score is approximately 3.5 out of 6.

Analyze an Issue task

You are presented with a brief statement about a topic of general interest — typically an opinion, recommendation, or claim — along with specific instructions about how to respond. The instructions vary and are critical to read carefully:

• Agree or disagree: Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning.
• Support, refute, or qualify: Present a view that supports, opposes, or qualifies the claim, providing reasons and examples.
• Specific instructions on what to include: Some prompts specify that you must address both sides, acknowledge counter-arguments, or consider specific conditions.

The ETS Issue Topic Pool is publicly available on the ETS website and contains all the actual topics that may appear on your exam. While you cannot memorize answers, reviewing the pool helps you practice the range of topics and develop flexible argumentative frameworks.

Recommended essay structure (30-minute format)

Given 30 minutes, experienced GRE writers use this structure:

Scoring rubric explained (0–6 scale)

GRE essays are evaluated holistically on a 6-point scale. Each score level reflects an overall level of performance across three dimensions: quality of ideas, organization, and command of language.

How the essay is scored

Each GRE essay is scored by one trained human rater and one ETS automated scoring engine called e-rater. If the human and automated scores agree within one point, the average of the two is reported. If they differ by more than one point, a second human rater resolves the discrepancy. In practice, the vast majority of essays are scored through the human + e-rater agreement process.

How AI grading works on our platform

FullPracticeTests scores your GRE essays at submission time using a large language model calibrated against the official ETS 6-point rubric. Our AI evaluates your essay across all three dimensions — quality of ideas and argument development, organization and coherence, and language command — and returns a numeric score along with specific paragraph-level comments explaining what earned marks and what fell short. Feedback is returned within seconds of submission.

High-scoring essay characteristics

• Takes a clear, specific position in the first paragraph — not a vague "it depends" opener
• Uses concrete, specific examples (historical events, scientific findings, personal observations) rather than abstract generalizations
• Acknowledges and genuinely engages with counterarguments rather than dismissing them
• Employs varied sentence structure — mix of simple, compound, and complex sentences
• Uses sophisticated but precise vocabulary — not for decoration, but to say exactly what you mean
• Maintains logical flow between paragraphs with effective transitions
• Avoids clichés ("since the dawn of time," "it goes without saying")
• Has a conclusion that does more than restate — it adds a final nuance or qualification

GRE Scoring Explained

Score scales

How scaled scores are calculated

Raw scores (number of correct answers) are converted to scaled scores through a statistical process called equating. Equating adjusts for minor differences in difficulty between test forms and between adaptive sections. Because the second section you receive may be harder or easier than average, two test takers with different raw scores on different forms can receive the same scaled score.

This is why chasing "how many right to get X score" tables is unreliable — the conversion depends on which second section you received, which is not knowable until scoring is complete.

ScoreSelect policy

ETS's ScoreSelect option gives you control over which test scores are sent to programs. When sending scores, you choose one of three options:

• Most Recent: Sends scores from your most recent test administration only.
• All: Sends all GRE scores from the past five years.
• Any: Lets you hand-pick which specific test date(s) to send.

ScoreSelect gives you genuine flexibility if you retake the GRE. However, some programs require all scores to be sent regardless of ScoreSelect — always check each program's stated policy before assuming you can hide a lower score.

Additionally, four free score reports are included with your registration fee — you can designate up to four programs before you see your unofficial score (immediately after the test). Additional score reports cost $35 each.

Score validity

GRE scores are valid for five years from the test date. This is longer than IELTS (2 years) and TOEFL (2 years), giving you more flexibility about when to take the exam relative to your application timeline.

Percentiles and Program Benchmarks

Percentile ranks tell you what percentage of test takers scored below a given score. These shift slightly year to year; the table below reflects approximate current percentiles from ETS data.

Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning percentiles

An important pattern to note: a 160 Quant is approximately the 78th percentile, while a 160 Verbal is approximately the 85th percentile. This reflects the fact that the Quant section is on average slightly harder to score high on for most populations. For competitive STEM programs, a Quant score below 160 is often at a disadvantage.

Score expectations by program type

GRE vs GMAT — Which Should You Take?

If you are applying to MBA programs, you face a meaningful choice between the GRE General Test and the GMAT Focus Edition. Both are accepted by essentially all top business schools worldwide. The decision should be driven by your strengths, not by which test is perceived as "easier" or more respected.

Decision framework

Choose the GRE if: You are applying to both MBA and non-business graduate programs (using one test for multiple applications is a major practical advantage). You have strong vocabulary skills or an English literature background. You perform better on the GRE in diagnostic practice than on GMAT.

Choose the GMAT if: You are applying exclusively to MBA programs and want a test specifically optimized for that audience. You are strong in quantitative reasoning, particularly logical/analytical reasoning. You find the GMAT Critical Reasoning format more natural than GRE vocabulary-based questions.

The single most reliable decision method: take a full-length free practice test for both and compare your percentile results. The test where you score in a higher percentile relative to the target audience is almost always the right choice.

Study Plans by Timeline

The right study plan depends on your starting point (take a diagnostic first), your target score, and your available time per week. Below are realistic frameworks for the two most common preparation windows.

3-month study plan (intensive, ~15 hrs/week)

6-month study plan (steady pace, ~8 hrs/week)

The 6-month plan allows a more sustainable pace with deeper learning. Use months 1–2 for conceptual foundations and vocabulary building (no time pressure). Months 3–4 for targeted practice by question type and section. Month 5 for full-length practice exams at a rate of one every two weeks with detailed error analysis. Month 6 for consolidation, addressing remaining weak spots, and test simulation.

The key advantage of a 6-month timeline is vocabulary depth — learning 800+ GRE words with true retention takes at least 4 months of consistent daily practice. A 3-month plan forces compromise on vocabulary breadth, while a 6-month plan allows genuine mastery.

Preparation Strategies

Official ETS materials

The single most valuable GRE preparation resource is official ETS material. ETS publishes two free PowerPrep practice tests (downloadable software), two paid PowerPrep Plus tests, the Official GRE Super Power Pack (contains five official practice books), and free PDF practice question sets by question type. Official material is uniquely valuable because it is written by the actual test authors and calibrated to actual test difficulty — no third-party material can fully replicate this.

Vocabulary building approaches

There is no shortcut for GRE vocabulary. The most effective approach combines:

• Spaced repetition software (SRS): Apps like Anki, Magoosh Vocabulary, or Quizlet with GRE decks use algorithms to surface words you are forgetting before you forget them. 20 new words and 20 review cards per day, consistently, is enough to build a strong GRE vocabulary over 3–4 months.
• Reading in context: When you encounter an unfamiliar word in your academic reading, look it up, add it to your deck, and note the sentence where you found it. Contextual learning builds stronger retention than isolated memorization.
• Word roots: Learning Latin and Greek roots (e.g., "bene-" = good, "mal-" = bad, "-voc-" = voice/call) lets you decode unfamiliar words on the test. Approximately 60% of English academic vocabulary has Latin or Greek roots.
• Contextual sentences: For each word you study, learn one sample sentence that illustrates its meaning precisely. GRE vocabulary is full of subtle distinctions (censure vs. reprove, equivocate vs. prevaricate) that are only clear in context.

Quantitative strategy: algebra vs. plugging numbers

Many GRE Quant questions can be solved either algebraically (setting up equations) or by plugging in numbers (substituting specific values for variables). Neither approach is universally superior:

• Plug in when: the question asks which value "must be true" or "could be true" for a variable-based expression; when the algebra would be long and error-prone; when the answer choices are specific numbers you could work backwards from.
• Solve algebraically when: the question is straightforward and has a unique numerical answer; when the algebra is faster than testing multiple values; when the question explicitly requires finding the value of something.
• Backsolve (work backwards from answers) when: the answers are numbers and substituting them into the problem is faster than setting up the equation.

Writing practice approach

The most effective writing preparation: write timed 30-minute essays from the ETS Issue Pool, then score them yourself against the rubric, then read ETS's published sample essays for score levels 4, 5, and 6 to calibrate your judgment. Aim for at least 8–10 full practice essays before test day. Reading high-quality essays helps you internalize what sophisticated argumentation and language look like in practice.

High-Yield Tips Per Section

Verbal Reasoning tips

• Always predict the blank before looking at answer choices in TC and SE questions.
• For SE, confirm both selected answers produce sentences with the same core meaning — not just similar words.
• In RC, re-read the question stem carefully before the passage; it tells you exactly what to look for.
• For "author's attitude" questions, correct answers are almost always measured — eliminate extreme choices first.
• For "all that apply" RC questions, evaluate each choice independently against the passage. Never compare choices to each other.
• Do not spend more than 2 minutes on any single Verbal question. Mark it and move on; you can return.
• For select-in-passage questions, read the question first to know exactly what function to identify.
• In TC, if you are torn between two choices, look for the one that is more precisely supported by the passage, not just generally appropriate.

Quantitative Reasoning tips

• For QC: before choosing (D), verify that the relationship actually changes by finding two specific values that give different results.
• GRE geometry figures are not to scale — never assume angles look equal or lengths look equal. Work from stated values only.
• For word problems: underline the question asked, then underline the numbers given. Set up your equation before computing.
• The on-screen calculator is slow to use; mental estimation is faster for many problems. Use the calculator for DI arithmetic only.
• For "must be true" questions, test extreme values (very large, very small, negative, zero) to eliminate wrong answers.
• In Data Interpretation, read graph titles, axis labels, and footnotes before questions — units matter enormously.
• If you see "x is a positive integer," start with x = 1. If "x is a real number," test x = 1, x = –1, x = 0, x = 1/2.

Analytical Writing tips

• Spend the first 3–4 minutes planning: write your thesis and 2–3 examples before typing a single sentence.
• Your examples do not need to be historically verified to be effective — hypothetical but well-developed examples can earn high marks.
• A concrete example from science, history, or policy is always more persuasive than a vague general claim.
• Variety of sentence structure (not just long complex sentences) is a visible marker of language command.
• Counterargument paragraphs demonstrate sophisticated thinking; genuinely engaging with the opposing view scores higher than merely acknowledging it.
• Aim for at least 450–550 words. Essays under 350 words rarely score above 4, regardless of quality of argument.

Test Day Guide

At a test center

Arrive at the Prometric testing center at least 30 minutes before your appointment. Bring a valid, unexpired government-issued photo ID (passport is strongly recommended; driver's license is accepted in most countries). Your ID must exactly match the name on your GRE registration — middle name policies vary by country, so check ETS's current ID requirements.

You will complete a check-in process: palm vein scan, photo, and signature. No personal items are allowed in the testing room — not even your phone or a watch. You will be provided with erasable scratch paper (or an erasable notepad) and a pencil. Request additional scratch paper from the proctor if you run low.

The test begins with the Analytical Writing section. After Writing, you will see the Verbal and Quantitative sections in random order, interspersed with any unscored section. A 10-minute break is provided after the third section. One-minute breaks are available between other sections.

GRE at Home

The at-home option uses a live remote proctor via ETS software. Requirements include: a quiet private room (no one may enter during the test), a reliable internet connection, a desktop or laptop computer (no tablets), a working webcam and microphone, and a clean desk (only your computer, keyboard, mouse, and a single piece of scratch paper are permitted).

The proctor checks your environment before the test begins. You cannot use your own scratch paper — the proctor monitors your desk via webcam. ETS provides a whiteboard function on-screen for notes. If your internet drops, the test pauses and the proctor attempts to reconnect you.

Pacing strategy

Use the Mark and Review feature to flag uncertain questions and return to them. Never leave a question blank — there is no penalty for incorrect answers on the GRE, so a guess is always worth more than a blank. With 30 seconds left in a section, answer any remaining blank questions with your best guess.

Unofficial scores and acceptance

Immediately after completing the last section, you are given the option to report or cancel your scores before seeing them. If you report (most people do), your unofficial Verbal and Quantitative scores are displayed on screen. Official scores, including your Analytical Writing score, are available in your ETS account within 10–15 days.

If you cancel your scores at the test center, you have 72 hours to reinstate them online for a $100 fee. A canceled score is not reported to schools and does not count as a retake attempt.

Score Sending Strategy

Deciding when and which scores to send is a strategically important decision. Here is a systematic approach:

Before the test: designate four free recipients

On test day, before you see your unofficial scores, you can designate up to four programs to receive your scores for free. Once you see your unofficial scores, the free window closes. This means if you are confident in your performance, you save $35 per recipient by designating them before viewing scores. If you are uncertain, wait — paying $35 per additional report is a small cost relative to the risk of sending a bad score to your target programs.

Check each program's score reporting policy

Some programs allow ScoreSelect (you choose which scores to send). Others require all scores from the past five years. Most programs publicly state their policy on the admissions website. Before retaking the GRE, verify whether your target programs will see both attempts regardless. Many competitive programs explicitly state they "consider the highest score from any test date" — in those cases, retaking with no downside is a rational strategy.

Superscore vs. single-sitting policy

Some programs "superscore" — they take the highest Verbal from one sitting and the highest Quant from another. Others only consider scores from a single test date. Superscoring is more common at US schools than international ones, but it is increasingly prevalent. If a program superscores, retaking the GRE to improve one section with no downside on the other is a very effective strategy.