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The GRE is a Section Adaptive Exam

As a GRE student, you must be fully aware of the grading mechanism of the GRE test. It is not based on simple correct vs incorrect answers.

As a GRE student, you must be fully aware of the grading mechanism of the GRE test. It is not based on simple correct vs. incorrect answers. It’s a bit more complicated. Let’s see how ETS grades GRE test takers now as well as in comparison to the old GRE.

The Old GRE was question adaptive.

Before 2011, the old GRE test adapted after each question. At the beginning of each section, every student was given an average level question. This carried an assumption by the ETS that every test taker was an average level. If the test taker answered a question correctly, the computer would adjust the next problem with a more difficult one – and vice versa.

The Revised GRE is section adaptive.

After the GRE changes in August 2011, the revised GRE has become section adaptive, i.e., the computer adjusts the next section now after you are done with all the questions in the respective section.

The next question is not determined by your answer to the previous question. Your performance in the first section will determine the level of the next section you get. You start with a mid-range level section, and depending on how you do on it; you get the net one. Unlike previously, now you can also work backward or forwards within each section at your will.

The difficulty level of question within each section is random now.

In old GRE, the difficulty level increased with each correct answer. However, now since the test is now section adaptive, you’ll get randomly difficult questions within each section. The first question can be the hardest, and the last question the easiest.

Each question carries the same marks, and there is no negative marking.

Since each question carries the same weight, it does not unnecessarily spend a lot of time on a particular problem since it will not get you more marks. Similarly, there is no negative marking, so mark the answers for all questions even if you are not sure or don’t know.

Conclusion

The Revised GRE is section adaptive, and hence the difficulty level of questions does not change after every question.

Each question carries the same marks, and there is no negative marking.

Each section has a random mix of both easy and challenging questions.

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