For those dreaming of studying in America, there are few exams as important as the GRE. However, recent changes to the formats of the TOEFL and GRE have introduced an element of doubt and difficulty into the admission process. Performing well on these exams is seen as a pre-requisite for procuring admission to top US universities.

• GRE Verbal: Change is for the better

The Graduate Record Exam is offered domestically and internationally, administered by the American company ETS. Last month, it announced the most significant changes to the exam in its 57 years history. The design has been altered to:

• Make the GRE more test-taker friendly.
• Reduce the security risk arising from too much exposure to test questions.
• Make the Verbal section easier and Quantitative section challenging in order to balance their levels of difficulty.
• Ensure better and more accurate measurement of graduate skills.

Hence, the focus should shift towards gradually acquiring skills and away from cramming and memorisation. However, preparation for the exam may be fruitless unless one understands the evaluation parameters and, most importantly, the evaluation scale. The new scoring scales are as follows:

• The New GRE: What happens to Quant?

~ 3-digit scores

The overall GRE score will be in 3 digits. It will no longer be out of a possible 1600 (800 each in Quantitative and Verbal Sections).

~ New score range

The new sectional scores range between 130* and 170*. The purpose of this is to bring the average score per section near 150*. The older scale suffered from clustering of the Verbal score around 470* and of the Quantitative score near 593*.
(* Taken from the ETS web site)

~ Score increments

The score will increase with 1-point increments compared to the 10-point increments of the existing format.

~ Score validity

There has been no change in the validity of scores. The score will still be valid for 5 years. In order to protect the validity of the existing GRE score, a concordance table will be available in November 2007 at the ETS Web site.

~ Percentiles

In addition to the individual score, the GRE now offers percentile scores for initial administrations. This will aid both students and destination institutions interpret the score. Additionally, score equivalents will be offered in order to demonstrate the difference between the current and new scoring system.

~ AW score scale remains unchanged

The Analytical writing score scale is left unchanged, but written responses will now be available to universities so they are able to compare a candidate's written answers with his or her personal information. This will constrain candidates from outsourcing admission information (SOP) through private professional bodies.

~ Availability of score scale

The new scale will be available to students in fall 2007 after the first three administrations of the test.

A format of the new score report (format adopted from ETS web site) IS as under:

**Hypothetical test dates 

-- The author is a Project Manager at Top Careers and You, an organisation that prepares candidates for leading competitive examinations like CAT, GRE and GMAT.