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FAQ on Taking the Paper-Based General Test
in China (including Hong Kong)1)
Why is the computer-based General Test being suspended?

The GRE Board has determined that problems of test security in the computer-based GRE General Test have made it difficult for graduate deans and admissions committees in the United States to rely on test scores as an indication of potential success in graduate school. The computer-based General Test is being suspended in China (including Hong Kong); Taiwan, China; and Korea until test security can be restored. During this suspension, the General Test will be administered in paper-based format.

2) When is the paper-based General Test being administered?

Two paper-based administrations are scheduled in China (including Hong Kong); Taiwan, China; and Korea: November 23, 2002 and March 15, 2003.

3) How do I register for the paper-based General Test in China?

Information will be available by Thursday, August 8, 2002.

4) How do I register for the paper-based General Test in Hong Kong?

You must obtain a copy of the Bulletin Supplement for Hong Kong and a registration form which will be available on approximately August 23, 2002. Information and registration materials may be obtained from the Hong Kong Examinations Authority (HKEA) in Hong Kong.

Inquiries and registration materials:
Overseas and Professional Examinations Division
Hong Kong Examinations Authority
3/F San Po Kong Sub-office
17 Tseuk Luk Street
San Po Kong
Kowloon
Hong Kong
Tel: 852 2328 0061 or 852 2351 0869
Fax: 852 2351 3447
Email: oe4@hkea.edu.hk, www.hkea.edu.hk
Registration materials (only) are also available at:
Hong Kong Examinations Authority
12/F Southorn Centre
130 Hennessy Road
Wanchai
Hong Kong
Complete the registration form and return with payment as instructed in the Supplement

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5) I'm scheduled to take the General Test on computer before the test is suspended on October 1, 2002. What should I do?

Individuals scheduled to take the General Test in China (including Hong Kong); Taiwan, China; and Korea prior to October 1, 2002, have 3 options: (1) keep the appointment and take the test on computer, (2) transfer to the November 2002 paper-based administration of the test at no additional charge, or (3) cancel their test and get a full refund of their test fee. Individuals who would like to cancel their test or transfer to the November 2002 administration should contact ETS (see page 6 of the 2002-03 GRE Information and Registration Bulletin).

6) I'm already scheduled to take the computer-based General Test after October 1, 2002. What should I do?

Do not cancel your appointment. Your appointment will be cancelled by ETS and you will be sent a Bulletin Supplement, a registration form, and a letter explaining your options. Your options are: (1) transfer to the November 2002 administration at no additional charge or (2) get a full refund of your test fee. If you choose to transfer to the paper-based administration in November, you must complete and return the registration form by the registration deadline listed in the Supplement. You must include your CBT appointment number on the registration form in section #11, "Confirmation Number if Available", as confirmation of payment. If you would like a refund, contact ETS as directed in the letter.

7) What is the cost of the paper-based General Test?

The General Test in these areas will cost US $140.

8) Where are the test centers located?

Test centers are currently being identified and will be listed on the GRE Web site and in the Bulletin Supplements for these countries by approximately August 23, 2002.

9) Will the paper-based General Test contain the new analytical writing section?

The paper-based General Test will contain the same content as the computer-based General Test. The test will be composed of verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing sections.

10) What is the structure of the paper-based General Test?

The paper-based GRE General Test contains five sections. In addition, one unidentified pretest section may be included and this section can appear in any position in the test after the analytical writing section. Questions in this section are being pretested for possible use in future tests and answers will not count toward your scores.

Total testing time is up to 3 3/4 hours. The directions at the beginning of each section specify the total number of questions in the section and the time allowed for the section. The analytical writing section will always be first. The verbal and quantitative sections may appear in any order, including an unidentified verbal or quantitative pretest section. Treat each section presented during your test as if it counts.

Typical Paper-based GRE General Test Sections

Section Number of Questions Time
Analytical Writing 1 Issue task* 45 min.
1 Argument task* 30 min.
Verbal (2 sections) 38 per section 30 min. per section
Quantitative (2 sections) 30 per section 30 min. per section
Pretest** Varies 30 min.

*For the Issue task, two essay topics will be presented and you will choose one. The Argument task does not present a choice of topics; instead, one topic will be presented.

**An unidentified verbal or quantitative pretest section may be included and may appear in any order after the analytical writing section.

11) How will the sections on the paper-based General Test be scored?

For each section of the verbal and quantitative measures, a raw score is computed. The raw score is the number of questions for which the best answer choice was given. The raw score is then converted to a scaled score through a process known as equating. The equating process accounts for differences in difficulty among the different test editions; thus, a given scaled score reflects approximately the same level of ability regardless of the edition of the test that was taken.

For the analytical writing measure, each essay receives a score from two trained readers, using a 6-point holistic scale. In holistic scoring, readers are trained to assign scores on the basis of the overall quality of an essay in response to the assigned task. If the two assigned scores differ by more than one point on the scale, the discrepancy is adjudicated by a third GRE reader. Otherwise, the scores from the two readings of an essay are averaged. The final scores on the two essays are then averaged and rounded up to the nearest half-point interval. A single score is reported for the analytical writing section.

The primary emphasis in scoring the analytical writing section is on your critical thinking and analytical writing skills rather than on grammar and mechanics. (Scoring guides for each essay task are available on the GRE Web site at www.gre.org/descriptor.html)

12) When will my scores from the paper-based administration be reported?

Your scores will be sent to you and your designated recipients approximately 6 weeks following the date of the test.

13) How will the analytical writing section be administered?

The entire test will be administered in paper. For the analytical writing section, you will handwrite your essay responses on the answer sheets provided. For the verbal and quantitative sections, you will grid your answers on the answer sheet provided.

14) How do I prepare for the paper-based General Test?

The Practice General Test book contains information to help you prepare for the paper-based General Test. The publication includes practice questions with explanations, one actual test for the verbal and quantitative measures, and sample topics and essays for the analytical writing measure. This book will be sent to you if you register for the paper-based GRE General Test in Hong Kong. If you register for the paper-based GRE General Test in China, you can obtain a copy of this book from the same location as the registration materials (see Question #3). Beginning in August 2002, a downloadable version of this publication will also be available for free to anyone who visits the GRE Web site. In addition, you can view information about the analytical writing section on the GRE Web site at www.gre.org/pracmats.html. The materials available include information about the nature of the analytical writing section, directions for the two essay tasks, the entire pool of topics, scoring criteria, and samples of scored essays.

15) Is the paper-based version of my exam as good an indicator of my abilities as the computer-based version?

The scores on both types of tests are equally valid. Both versions are acceptable to colleges and universities.

16) I've just taken the General Test. How will graduate schools view my scores?

You should check with the institutions to which you are applying to see how they will view scores. The GRE Board is encouraging score users to adhere to the GRE Board guidelines on the proper use of GRE scores, especially the guideline regarding the use of multiple criteria in admissions decisions. If a score user has reason to question the validity of any test score, it is critical to closely look at other information in the admissions folder that corroborates or fails to corroborate the test score.