If you're aiming for graduate, business, or law school, there's a good chance the GRE General Test is on your radar. This standardized exam plays a crucial role in admissions decisions across thousands of institutions worldwide. Designed to evaluate your readiness for advanced academic work, the GRE assesses skills in verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and analytical writing.
But what many students don’t realize is that the GRE isn’t just any test- it’s developed and administered by one of the most respected educational organizations in the world: ETS (Educational Testing Service).
This comprehensive guide explores everything you need to know about ETS and its role in the GRE General Test. From how ETS develops the GRE, to its test structure, scoring systems, and official prep resources, we’ll cover the essentials- and introduce you to EverTutor, a powerful study tool to help you prepare effectively.
Educational Testing Service (ETS) is the official organization behind the GRE General Test. Based in the United States, ETS is a nonprofit institution founded in 1947 and is one of the world’s most trusted names in educational assessment.
Each year, ETS administers over 50 million standardized tests across more than 180 countries. Its reputation for fairness, accuracy, and commitment to academic integrity makes it the global leader in educational measurement.
When it comes to the GRE, ETS is responsible for:
Beyond the GRE, ETS is known for other major tests like the TOEFL, TOEIC, and the Praxis exams. With a mission centered on advancing quality and equity in education, ETS plays a critical role in shaping the future of millions of students each year.
Understanding ETS’s role gives you a clearer picture of what to expect from the GRE—and how to prepare for it using the most reliable resources.
You can explore official GRE details directly on the ETS GRE website.
The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) General Test is a standardized exam required by many graduate programs around the world. Created and administered by ETS, the GRE measures:
The test is adaptive in nature—meaning your performance in one section influences the difficulty of the next. The GRE is offered both in-person and online (at-home), with flexible scheduling and global availability.
Learn more about the test on the ETS GRE Test Content page.
The GRE test is made up of the following sections:
Total test time is approximately 1 hour and 58 minutes, making it shorter than previous versions of the GRE.
You can find more about the format on the ETS Test Structure page.
A strong GRE score can boost your chances of admission to competitive graduate programs. Since it is administered and scored by ETS, schools rely on it as a standardized measure of academic potential across applicants from different educational backgrounds.
The GRE is also flexible:
Scores remain valid for five years.
Each GRE section is scored as follows:
ETS uses both human raters and its E-Rater AI scoring system to assess your essays. If the human and AI scores differ significantly, a second human grader is brought in. The final essay score is the average of the two human scores (or human + E-Rater score if there’s close alignment).
You can review the scoring process on the ETS Scoring and Score Use page.
ETS provides a suite of official GRE preparation materials, including:
These materials are designed by the same organization that writes and scores the GRE, making them some of the most reliable resources you can use.
You can order the Official GRE Prep Tools here.
While ETS offers official resources, many students benefit from personalized, AI-enhanced platforms like EverTutor.ai, which provides:
EverTutor complements official ETS prep with personalized tools to make your study sessions more effective.
Understanding ETS and its critical role in administering the GRE can help you approach the test with greater confidence. While ETS provides excellent official resources, using intelligent platforms like EverTutor can supercharge your preparation.
Be strategic. Use the best tools available. And most importantly, start early.
Yes, an on-screen calculator is available during the Quantitative Reasoning sections.
A score of 160+ in Verbal or Quant, and 4.5+ in Writing is considered strong for top-tier schools.
The GRE costs $220 globally, though fee reduction programs are available through ETS. See ETS Fee Reduction Info.
There is no pass/fail score. Your performance is evaluated relative to your target schools' requirements.
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