The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is a standardized test that is part of the admissions process for many graduate schools in the United States and Canada.  and a few other countries. The GRE is owned and administered by Educational Testing Service. The test was established in 1936 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. According to ETS, the GRE aims to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking skills that have been acquired over a long period of learning. The content of the GRE consists of certain specific data analysis or interpretation, arguments and reasoning, algebra, geometry, arithmetic, and vocabulary sections. The GRE General Test is offered as a computer-based exam administered at testing centres and institution owned or authorized by Prometric. In the graduate school admissions process, the level of emphasis that is placed upon GRE scores varies widely among schools and departments. The importance of a GRE score can range from being a mere admission formality to an important selection factor. The GRE was significantly overhauled in August 2011, resulting in an exam that is adaptive on a section-by-section basis, rather than question by question, so that the performance on the first verbal and math sections determines the difficulty of the second sections presented (excluding the experimental section). Overall, the test retained the sections and many of the question types from its predecessor, but the scoring scale was changed to a 130 to 170 scale (from a 200 to 800 scale).The primary function of the GRE is to provide a standardized measure of a candidate's readiness for graduate-level academic work. Because applicants come from various undergraduate institutions with different grading systems, the GRE provides a common metric for comparison. In some cases, GRE scores may also be considered when awarding fellowships and scholarships. It allows admissions committees to compare applicants from diverse educational backgrounds. More than 1,300 business schools worldwide welcome GRE General Test scores for admission to some or all of their MBA programs. In addition, there are many specialized master's and doctoral programs in business that accept GRE General Test scores.

The cost to take the test is US$205, although ETS will reduce the fee under certain circumstances. It also provides financial aid to GRE applicants who prove economic hardship.  ETS does not release scores that are older than five years, although graduate program policies on the acceptance of scores older than five years will vary. Once almost universally required for admission to Ph.D. science programs in the U.S., its use for that purpose has fallen precipitously.

List of top universities accepting the GRE General Test

• Stanford University
• University of Virginia
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Dartmouth College
• University of California, Los Angeles
• Other University

Fees for the GRE General Test

• Standard Test Administration for GRE General Test

• Special Handling Request