GREandApplyingtoGraduateSchoolInformationSessionAURORACRUZ-TORRES,M.S.

MCBACADEMICADVISOR

GRE:GraduateRecordExamination

GRE:GraduateRecordExaminationqMostcommonlyrequiredadmissiontestforgraduateschool

q Supplementsyourundergraduaterecords,recommendationletters,andotherqualificationsforgraduate-levelstudy

q Availableonpaperorcomputer

q Allowsyoutoskipquestionswithinasection,gobackandchangeanswers,andtacklethequestionsyouwanttoanswerfirst.

q Youcanchoosewhichscorestosendtograduateschoolprograms

q Assessmentofthefollowing:◦ CriticalThinking◦ AnalyticalWriting◦ VerbalReasoning◦ QuantitativeReasoningSkills

ComputervsPaper-Based

Computer-AdaptiveVersion• Testadaptsthedifficultylevelofitsquestionseverytimeyousubmitananswer

• Includeson-screencalculator

Paper-based• Takesmoretimetofinish• Calculatorprovidedattest-center.

ProfessionalSchoolsRequiringtheGRE:q GraduateSchool– DoctoralandMaster’sProgramsinmath,science,orresearchmethodologyq BusinessSchool(MBA)q VeterinaryMedicineq PhysicianAssistantSchoolq SomeLawSchoolsq SomePharmacySchoolsq SomeDentalSchools

GREGeneralTestvsGRESubjectTest

GREGeneralTest• Standardwaytocomparecandidatestoeachother.

GRESubjectTest• Highlightyourstrengthsinaspecificsubjectarea(Biology,Chemistry,Biochemistry,CellandMolecularBiology,Math,Physics,LiteratureinEnglish,andPsychology,).

• Recommended,notrequired– couldgiveyoucompetitiveedge.

MainSectionsoftheGREVerbalReasoning(30questionsin30minutes)

QuantitativeReasoning(28questionsin45minutes)

AnalyticalWriting(Twosections:45and30minuteseach)

TotalTestTime~3hoursand45minutesplusshortbreaks

VerbalReasoningq Analyzeanddrawconclusionsfromspecificreadings

q Identifyauthor’sassumptionsand/orperspective

q Understandmultiplelevelsofmeaning

q Selectimportantpoints:q Distinguishmajorfromminororrelevantpointsq Summarizetextq Understandthestructureofatext

q Recognizerelationshipsamongwordsandconcepts:q Understandthemeaningofwords

TypesofVerbalReasoningQuestions

MultipleChoiceQuestions

SelectinPassageQuestions

TextCompletionQuestions

SentenceEquivalenceQuestions

RecommendedCourses

QuantitativeReasoningq Understand,interpretandanalyzequantitativeinformation

q Solveproblemsusingmathematicalmodels

q Applybasicskillsandelementaryconceptofarithmetic,algebra,geometryanddataanalysis

TypesofQuantitativeReasoningQuestions

QuantitativeComparisonQuestions

MultipleChoiceQuestions

NumericEntryQuestions

DataInterpretationSets

RecommendedCourses

AnalyticalWritingq Articulatecomplexideasclearlyandeffectively

q Supportideaswithrelevantreasons

q Examineclaimsandevidence

q Sustainawell-focused,coherentdiscussion

q UnderstandstandardwrittenEnglish

TypesofAnalyticalWritingQuestions

AnalyzeanIssue(45min)Assessesyourabilitytothinkcriticallyaboutatopicofgeneralinterest

andtoclearlyexpressyourthoughtsaboutitinwriting.

AnalyzeanArgument(30min)Assessesyourabilitytounderstand,analyzeandevaluatearguments

andtoclearlyconveyyourevaluationinwriting.

RecommendedCoursesAnycoursesthatcombinecriticalthinkingwithwriting:Philosophy,Ethics,ResearchMethods,LogicandReasoning,WorldReligions,CoursesonRacialandDiversityIssues,CreativeWriting,ComparativeandWorldLiterature,andmanyothers.

GRETestCentersandDatesØ Computer-DeliveredGeneralTest- offeredyear-roundatPrometrictestcenters.

Ø Paper- DeliveredGeneralTest– specificdatespostedontheGREwebsite.

Ø GRESubjectTests– offeredyear-roundatpaper-deliveredtestcenters.

Youcanfindallthetestcentersanddateshere:https://www.ets.org/gre/subject/register/

Scores

ü Averagescoreis150-152fortheVerbalandQuantitativeReasoningSections.

ü Averagescoreis3.7forAnalyticalWritingSectionü Anythingbetweenacombinedscoreof250-330isconsidereda

goodGREscore(MBAprogramsmightrequirehigher)ü ScoreSelect Option– letsyoudecidewhichtestscorestosendto

theinstitutionsyoudesignate.ü Takes10-15daysforinstitutionstoreceiveyourscore

RetakingtheGREq Computer-deliveredTest– retakeonceevery21days,uptofivetimeswithinanycontinuousrolling12-monthperiod.q Paper-deliveredTest:retakeasoftenasitisoffered.

FreeResourcesAvailable:

Youcanfindtheseandotherresourcesat:https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/fees/

ApplyingtoGraduateSchool

ApplyingtoGraduateSchool–Requirements1. Bachelor’sDegreeorrecognizedequivalentfromanaccredited

institution- Transcripts

2. Usuallyminimumgrade-pointaverageGPAof3.0ona4.0scale

3. Undergraduatetrainingtodograduateworkinyourchosenfiled(RESEARCH)

4. EnglishLanguageProficiencyTest– TOEFL

5. GREscores– consultschoolstoconfirmyouneedtotakeit

6. LettersofRecommendation- atleastthree

7. PersonalStatement/StatementofPurpose

ApplyingtoGraduateSchool–Preparation(May-July)ü Startresearchinggraduateschoolsearly– mosthaverollingadmissionsbutothershavespecificdeadlines(usuallyinthefall).ü TaketheGREpracticetesthttps://www.princetonreview.com/business/gre-practice-test#!practiceü Thiswillhelpyoudeterminehowmuchpreparationyouwillneedfortherealone.

ü Requestinformationfromschoolsthatinterestyou.ü Askgraduatestudentsandprofessorstorecommendgoodprogramsandevenhelpyoumakesomeconnections.

ApplyingtoGraduateSchool–Timeline(August-December)Ø August:taketheGREGeneralTest– ifyouarenothappywithyourscores,itwillgiveyoutimetotakeitagain.

Ø September:Contactyourlettersofrecommendationprovidersandbegindraftingyourpersonalstatement.

Ø October:requestofficialtranscriptsfromyourundergraduateinstitutionandfollowupwithlettersofrecommendation.

Ø November:havesomeoneinthefieldorTheCareerCenterreadoveryourpersonalstatementandmakesureyourGREscoresarebeingsenttoschools.

Ø December:completeandsubmitallgraduateschoolapplicationsandverifyyourrecommendationshavebeensent.

ApplyingtoGraduateSchool

ALWAYSCONSULTWITHTHEGRADUATESCHOOLPROGRAMOFYOURCHOICEREGARDING

REQUIREMENTSANDDEADLINES!!!!

Questions?q VisitTheCareerCenterforhelpwithpersonalstatementandmockinterviews.https://www.careercenter.illinois.edu/

q VisitMCBAdvisingforundergraduateresearchopportunitiesandplanningyourclasses.https://mcb.illinois.edu/undergrad/advising/

q Contactmeforadditionalinformationortorequestthispresentation:tacruz@illinois.edu