1. Higher education, as we know it, has undergone transformations by leaps and bounds in the past few years. Reflect on some of the significant transformations globally.

Ans. Covid-19 has undoubtedly changed the education framework of the world and forced us all to adapt. While many new trends have emerged over the last nearly two years, blended learning has opened new opportunities across the global education ecosystem. A mix of in-person lectures and virtual classes are gradually becoming the norm. There has been a widespread focus by governments on developing infrastructure and digital content to promote virtual education across the globe to ensure accessible and equitable means of delivering knowledge to students.

While the pandemic has stirred feelings of uncertainty, learners worldwide remain resolute. We observed this resilience when we introduced the GRE® General Test at home and received an overwhelmingly positive response from test takers and institutions worldwide, being the first assessment and learning organization to launch a remotely proctored test in the industry. Even though COVID-19 has brought about many changes, persistence among students and institutions has remained undeterred and we are confident it will remain so.

2. What drives students to pursue higher education overseas? Is it becoming a trend or its more than that?

Ans. India has the second highest number of students learning abroad — behind China — and its population of students leaving the country to pursue higher education is the fastest-growing contingent of outbound students in the world. This number is expected to continue to see dramatic growth. One of the most prominent reasons why Indian students study abroad is to pursue new opportunities.

Students prefer to study abroad and earn a degree from an international institution as it boosts their career prospects. Degrees from institutions outside of India are valued along with domestic degrees as companies look to continually diversify their workforces. Additionally, some countries also offer a stay back option on student visas which allows international students to search for employment after the completion of their degree. Studying internationally offers a wide variety of degree options, which also includes increased opportunities to conduct research and take part in skill-based training. This helps expand their horizons and introduces a world of new educational opportunities. 

3. Give us a little background about the GRE tests? Why it became so important.

Ans. Graduate schools, including business and law, often require admissions test scores because they rely on the scores as one of the only common, objective measures they can use to compare applicants from varied educational backgrounds and to confirm an applicant’s readiness for graduate-level course work.

GRE scores are accepted by more than 1,300 business schools around the globe, including Harvard University, the University of Chicago and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), for their master’s, MBA and other professional programs. GRE scores are also accepted by many graduate and doctoral business programs in India, including Indian Institute of Management(Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kozhikode, Udaipur)), International School of Business, SP Jain School of Management and Research, Institute of Management and Technology, and Xavier Labour Research Institute. 

GRE scores are valid for five years, giving students adequate time to think about their future direction, long-term plans and to leverage their test scores for a broad range of rich opportunities to pursue a master’s, MBA, Ph.D., or even a J.D.

4. What are the abilities & skills assessed by the GRE test?

Ans. The GRE General Test assesses verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking and analytical writing skills, the same skills students need to be prepared for the graduate-academic environment. Including GRE scores as part of an application to graduate school improves the ability of test takers to showcase their potential and graduate-level readiness to gain admission into some of the most highly regarded educational institutions across the globe.

5. Share with us your opinion/insights/predictions about the future of higher education as shaped by GRE tests.

Ans. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the globe, our team at ETS was working tirelessly to bring solutions to market that help students worldwide access learning tools and products trusted by educational institutions to assist them in their learning journeys. Specific to the GRE General Test, and to mitigate disruption caused by COVID-19, we launched the GRE General test at home in March 2020. Within a few weeks, thousands of students registered for this safe and convenient option. Spurred by this success, universities and education testing bodies around the world, including All Indian Management Association (AIMA) in India, have started implementing online and at home learning options. In observing these trends, we foresee that continued student-centric testing and learning options will be developed to ensure that the education journey of students does not become disrupted in the future.

In fact, the National Education Policy 2020, aims at transforming Indian education sector sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society by providing high-quality education to all. Our vision at ETS is in line with the Indian government’s objective and we are working in tandem with these efforts to make education an inclusive and accessible tool to all.

6. What are the advantages of taking the GRE for Indian students?

Ans. India has the second highest number of students learning overseas. Despite the pandemic, nearly 72,000 Indian students went abroad to study in the first two months of 2021 (MEA). To help these students achieve their dreams, the GRE expands opportunities for Indian students at well-regarded educational institutions abroad and domestically.  GRE scores are accepted by thousands of universities across many countries, including institutes in the United States, Canada, the UK, Australia and Ireland, which are some of the preferred destinations for Indian students.  While personal statements, resumes, letters of recommendation and transcripts are important elements of one’s application to graduate school, GRE scores can help applicants demonstrate their preparedness for graduate-level education.

7. What does the future look like for the GRE, now that students have both the options of taking the exam at home as well as at the test centre?

Ans. During the pandemic our main concern was to ensure that learners worldwide could continue to pursue their educational journeys without interruption. Because of this, we have determined the deep value the GRE General Test at home provides and we have made it a permanent part of our product portfolio. Test takers can continue to choose the test location that best suits their needs and where they are most comfortable. We are committed to continuing to look for ways to be innovative and offer student-centered resources to support and help students further their educational and professional goals