The GRE general test is an admissions test used by thousands of graduate and professional schools worldwide. Its role is unique and valuable when used as intended, as just one piece of information about an applicant during a fair admissions process. The test assesses critical thinking skills in three areas:

• verbal reasoning;
• quantitative reasoning;
• analytical writing.

These skills are requisite for success in today's demanding graduate programs. GRE scores indicate an applicant's academic readiness for graduate-level work and represent just one facet of everything an applicant can bring to a particular program. Assessments like the GRE test can serve as a common, objective measure to compare applicants who may have had very different life experiences and educational opportunities. No other part of the application serves this purpose.

Without GRE scores, decision-makers must rely on measures that aren't directly comparable, like GPAs, which may be scaled differently across institutions and subject to grade inflation. Or letters of recommendation, which may hold more weight based on the status of the author. Without a common, objective measure, students from underrepresented groups can be at a disadvantage. The practice of using cut scores to whittle down an applicant pool may also prevent quality applicants from being considered. Test scores are best used as one piece of information that can contribute toward a full picture of an applicant's skills and attributes.

Since each part of the application has benefits and limitations, a holistic process inclusive of GRE scores helps mitigate bias and can be a door opener for applicants.

Weighing the BENEFITS
Admissions including the GRE score	Admissions without the GRE score
The GRE - General Test’s three distinct scores provide evidence of verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and analytical writing skills. These are valuable data to be reviewed along with other applicant information.	Holistically, the admissions process includes all relevant information about an applicant. So making decisions with less information — in this case, three fewer data points — isn’t holistic.
The GRE test is the only part of the application with evidence backing its validity, reliability and fairness.	Removing GRE scores inflates the value of subjective information that is not proven to be valid, reliable or fair
As a standard measure, GRE scores put those from lesser-realized undergrad schools and lower financial foundations on additional equivalent balance with their more advantaged peers, which can help increment variety.	Unconscious bias is likely to creep into the admissions process as reviewers will be restricted to information highly influenced by applicants’ socioeconomic background, e.g., the status of the undergraduate school and recommenders
Undergraduate grades and test scores are better predictors of graduate grades when used in tandem, then either is alone	There is little research about the ability of any other components of the application to predict graduate grades or other measures of student success
Recorded in a secure, proctored environment, applicants’ GRE Analytical Writing responses are reliable and trustworthy, and often the best or second-best predictor of graduate grades	Programs are unable to ascertain an applicant’s actual writing ability, as personal statements and other writing samples are often coached and edited by others.

The GRE score encompasses three scores thanks to the admissions decision-makers have clear evidence of critical thinking and other important skills through Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, and Analytical Writing.

• The Quantitative Reasoning assessment measures a candidate’s ability to reason quantitatively, including the ability to:
  
  - Understand, interpret and analyze quantitative information;
  - Model and solve problems with quantitative methods;
  - Applying basic math concepts such as geometry, algebra, data analysis in an efficient way.
  
  
• The Verbal Reasoning assessment measures an individual’s ability to comprehend and synthesize written material, including the ability to:
  
  - Analyze and conclude discourse; reason from incomplete data;
  - Identify the author’s assumptions and/or perspective;
  - Main Idea of the reading, making a difference between major and minor points. I.e., make a difference between what is important and what is superfluous or not relevant;
  - Understand the meaning of words, sentences, and entire texts, understanding the relationships among them: stated and unstated.
  
  
• Analytical writing skills are critical for success in almost every graduate discipline. The Analytical Writing assessment consists of two separately timed tasks:
  
  - Take a position on an issue and develop an evidence-based argument supporting that position;
  - Evaluate the logical soundness of someone else’s argument.
  - Sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion;
  - Control the elements of standard written English.