GREGraduate Record Examinations (GRE General Test)

GRE got significantly shorter in September 2023. The new test runs about 1 hour 58 minutes including a 10-minute break, down from 3 hours 45 minutes. It has Quantitative Reasoning (47 minutes, 27 questions), Verbal Reasoning (41 minutes, 27 questions), and one Analytical Writing essay (30 minutes, 1 task instead of the old 2).

Both Verbal and Quant sections are computer-adaptive between sections, not within sections. Your performance on the first Verbal section determines the difficulty of the second; same for Quant. Older prep materials still teach within-section adaptive — make sure your study books are dated late 2023 or later.

Scores arrive within 8 to 10 days. Both centre-based testing and at-home testing are available. Both formats use identical content and scoring.

Prometric in Kathmandu (Sanepa, the same centre that runs TOEFL) hosts GRE. There are typically 2 to 3 slots per week. Slots fill 3 to 6 weeks in advance during the August to November application peak.

GRE at Home (online proctored from your laptop) is widely used by Nepali candidates because the centre slots fill quickly. The format and scoring are identical. The main constraints are a stable internet connection (test runs for 2 hours, disconnections lose progress) and a strict private-room rule with no other people in the room.

Fee is USD 232 via international card. ETS occasionally offers a 50 percent fee reduction for candidates with demonstrated financial need, but the qualification criteria are narrow and few Nepali candidates qualify.

Most US CS, engineering, and statistics Master's programmes went GRE-optional after 2020, and many remain so. Stanford CS, MIT EECS, CMU, UC Berkeley CS, GeorgiaTech OMSCS — none currently require GRE for Master's admission. If you are applying to Master's only and your target programmes are GRE-optional, do not waste time on GRE prep unless your GPA is below 3.2.

PhD programmes are different. Most US biology, chemistry, physics, and economics PhDs still require GRE. Top humanities PhDs (literature, history) often require GRE with a strong Verbal score. Engineering PhDs are split — about half still want it.

Some business schools (MIT Sloan, Yale SOM, MBA programmes that accept GRE as a GMAT alternative) want GRE if you are not taking GMAT. For Nepali candidates aiming at top MBAs without prior GMAT, GRE can be the right path.

If your GPA is below 3.2/4.0, a strong GRE (320+ with Quant 165+) can offset that weakness for many admissions committees. This is the main strategic reason GRE-optional candidates still take it.

Quantitative score is what matters most for Nepali STEM applicants. Q165+ is competitive at top programmes; Q170 is what top-5 schools see from international applicants. Q160 is workable for mid-tier ranked schools. Below Q160, you should retake.

Verbal scores from international applicants are weighted differently. V155+ is strong; V160+ is competitive at any programme. Humanities and social science PhDs care about Verbal more than Quant — for English literature PhD, V165+ matters.

Analytical Writing scores 4.5 or higher are competitive. Below 4.0, some admissions committees will assume your writing is weak and prefer not to admit you. This is harder to fix than the multiple-choice sections.

Top business schools that accept GRE want at least a 320 (Q160+ V160+) for serious consideration. Stanford GSB and HBS look at 330+.

Official ETS materials: the Official GRE Super Power Pack (USD 60, includes books and software) is the only practice material that uses real retired questions. Take the 6 official PowerPrep tests under timed conditions.

For Quant, Nepali engineering students usually do not need much specific prep — the math content is high school plus basic statistics. The trap is the question style (data interpretation, complex word problems) more than the math itself. About 4 weeks of targeted practice from Manhattan Prep 5lb book (NPR 1,500 in Kathmandu Bhotahity bookshops) is enough.

For Verbal, Nepali candidates usually have the biggest gap. The vocabulary tested is academic and idiomatic; Magoosh GRE vocabulary lists or Manhattan Vocabulary Builder give you the right scope. Build a personal word list of 500 to 1,000 hard words over 8 to 12 weeks; reading The Economist, The Atlantic, and academic blogs helps both Verbal and Writing.

Writing: practice the Analyze an Issue task with 30-minute timers at least 6 to 8 times. Get your essays reviewed (paid feedback from a US-trained editor on Fiverr costs USD 15 to 30 per essay). The biggest improvement comes from following the standard 5-paragraph structure and using concrete examples.

Scores are valid for 5 years from the test date. That is longer than IELTS or TOEFL (2 years), making GRE a useful one-time test.

You can retake GRE 21 days after each attempt, up to 5 times in any 12-month period. ETS's ScoreSelect lets you choose which of your past scores to send to each university — you do not have to send all of them. Most universities accept either single-test scores or your highest single-test score, not Verbal-from-attempt-1 + Quant-from-attempt-2.

On test day, you get 4 free score reports to universities. Additional reports are USD 35 each. Choose the free 4 carefully — these go out as soon as scores are confirmed (a few days after the test), so you cannot reverse the decision.