Many returning students sign up to take the computer-based GRE test with no prior computer skills - possibly because computers weren't widely used during their last time in school! The computer-based GRE is designed to require only the most basic computer skills, and features an untimed tutorial before the test that will allow users to practice necessary computer skills. The timed sections of the GRE will start after you've finished your tutorial.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 30 minutes to 1 hour
Here's How:
- Access the GRE Computer Tutorial at Home: Test day isn't the best time to go through the tutorial - you'll be nervous enough without having to learn how to navigate through the GRE. To access the tutorial ahead of time, click this link to reach the free GRE PowerPrep software and download it. Or, if you've already registered to take a computer-based GRE test, you can also wait for ETS to send you this preparation software as a CD. Once you install the program, you'll be able to access the authentic computer tutorial that you'll see on test day as well. Read on to learn the highlights of the GRE computer tutorial!
- Learn to Click and Point the Mouse: The GRE requires only the most basic mouse skills. For example, you need to be able to move the mouse to direct the pointer to certain icon boxes. You will proceed from page to page through the GRE test by clicking once on arrow icons. The rule here is one click and release - no double clicking.
- Learn to Answer Questions: For multiple-choice questions, you'll see a question followed by a list of blank ovals and possible answers. To choose an answer, simply click once on either the oval or the words of the correct response - that will fill the oval. If you change your mind, you can easily change the answer by clicking on the oval or words of another response. Another option is to click your selected answer again to erase the oval, then click a different answer.
- Practice Typing: If you don't use computers often you may be a slow typer, and that will impact your ability to write GRE essays within the allotted time. Thus, it's a good idea to practice typing until you are able to type with all fingers and quickly type your ideas. You need to feel comfortable in your ability to find letters, capitalize, and punctuate properly.
- Learn to Use the Cursor: In the GRE Analytical Writing section, you'll use the mouse to place the pointer at the point where you want to insert text. The pointer will appear as a blinking vertical line - the cursor. Once you click inside the typing box where you'll write your essays, you'll see the cursor. You can move it to a different location either by moving the mouse or using the arrows on the keyboard to move it left, right, up, or down. In this way, you can easily navigate through your essay to insert text and correct what you've already written.
- Learn the Essential Keys on the Keyboard: For the GRE Analytical Writing section, the most important keys you'll need to use are backspace and delete. The backspace key allows you to delete the characters to the left of the cursor, and the delete key allows you to delete the characters to the right of the cursor. You'll find these keys on the top-right of any keyboard.
- Learn to Highlight Text to Move It: This function can save you precious time as you write your essays! If you've written a good paragraph or sentence but want to move it elsewhere in the essay, you don't have to re-type it all. Simply move the mouse to point directly before the first letter of what you want to move, then click and hold. While holding the button down, move the pointer to the end of the text that you want to move. This highlights the text; everything that you want to move should be highlighted. Release the button once you've highlighted what you want. Click anywhere to undo highlighting.
- Learn to Cut and Paste: The GRE test features "Cut" and "Paste" buttons to the right of the text box. Once you've highlighted what you want to move, click the Cut box and that text will disappear. To place the text elsewhere, simply move the pointer to the place in the essay where you want to insert the text. Click there to insert the cursor, then click on the Paste box. The text should appear right where you want it! Remember that you can only cut and paste one thing at a time.
- Learn to Delete Blocks of Text: You can also highlight a block of text that you want to delete. Simply follow the regular highlighting procedure, then press the Delete or Backspace keys on your keyboard. This doesn't allow you to move that text, but if you change your mind after deleting, click on the Undo button on the screen to undo the very last action you've done.
- Learn to Undo: You can click on the Undo button anytime you want to change the very last action you've done. But clicking it twice won't undo your past two actions - the first click will undo your very last action, then the second click will redo that very same last action.
- Learn to Scroll:
Sometimes GRE questions are too long to fit on the screen at once, so the material continues below the screen. To see it, you'll need to use the scroll bar on the right side of the screen. There are 3 ways to scroll up and down the screen:
1. Click the pointer on the up or down arrow to move up or down by one line, or click on the arrow and hold to move up or down continuously.
2. Click the pointer on the scroll box inside the scroll bar, hold, and move your mouse to drag it up and down.
3. Click your pointer in the space between the scroll box and arrow to quickly move the screen up or down. - Remember That You Can't Return to Questions Once You Move On: On the GRE computer-based test, you can't return to a question once you've moved on to a new question. So be careful not to proceed to the next question until you've finished the current question.
- On Test Day, Use the Tutorial and Help Button: On the day of your test, you can work through the computer tutorial for as long as you need to feel comfortable with the computer - it doesn't cut into your actual testing time. Once you've started the test itself, you can still find help by clicking on an icon that says "Help" under a bold question mark icon. This button will open a list of Help topics including the directions for the section you're working on, the computer tutorial, and other information. But be careful - accessing the tutorials during the test cuts into your test time!