Happy Schools Blog

Following the successful introduction of the GRE revised General Test, the GRE Program is now introducing the ScoreSelect option as one more enhancement to its more test-taker friendly platform. With the ScoreSelect option, GRE test takers can decide which test scores to send to the institutions they designate, so they can send the scores they feel reflect their personal best.

The ScoreSelect option, available starting in July 2012, builds on the momentum that started with the 2011 launch of the test-taker friendly GRE revised General Test, which test takers worldwide responded to with great enthusiasm. “The ScoreSelect option focuses on helping test takers succeed on the road to an advanced degree because they can approach test day with more confidence,” says James Wimbush, Dean of the University Graduate School and Professor of Business Administration, Indiana University, and 2011–2012 GRE Board Chair.

“Adding enhancements, like the new ScoreSelect option, to our test-taker friendly platform helps people feel good about making a move toward graduate and business school, and that is what’s most exciting about this announcement,” says David Payne, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Higher Education Division at ETS. “Anytime we can make changes that improve test takers’ testing experience and confidence to succeed, we create more opportunity for all students.”

Test takers can now select from several options.

On test day, when viewing their scores at the test center*, they can select the:

• ScoreSelect Most Recent option — Send their scores from their current test administration (FREE).
• ScoreSelect All option — Send their scores from all administrations in the last 5 years (FREE).

Test takers can decide which option to use for each of their 4 FREE score reports.

After test day, test takers can send Additional Score Reports for a fee and select:

• ScoreSelect Most Recent option — Send their scores from their most recent test administration.
• ScoreSelect All option — Send their scores from all administrations in the last 5 years.
• ScoreSelect Any option — Send their scores from one OR many test administrations in the last 5 years.

Scores for a test administration must be reported in their entirety.

“The ScoreSelect option for the GRE tests is an extension of ETS’s long-standing strong commitment to enabling ever more individuals, both minority and majority, to take the next step towards graduate or business school, giving them invaluable additional opportunities for their future,” says Michael Sullivan, Executive Director, STEM, Hispanic Research Center, Arizona State University.

The new ScoreSelect option will be available for both the GRE revised General Test and GRE Subject Tests, and can be used by anyone with reportable scores from the last five years. For more information on this new option and other GRE program offerings, including free test prep, visit www.ets.org/gre.

Here’s the answer to yesterday’s practice question, thanks for sending in all of your answers!

Brand loyalty plays a(n) (i) _________ role in many consumers’ buying habits. Market research shows that consumers are likely to spend more on a product they grew up using than they are to try a generic brand that offers the same (ii) __________ at a lower price. The question is, just how much more are shoppers willing to spend for (iii) __________?

(C) appreciable, (D) constituents, and (G) nostalgia are the credited responses.

The key terms are “loyalty”, “grew up using”, “generic”, and “how much more”.

Blank (i)

(C) appreciable means enough to be measured. Since the market research has undertaken quantitative analysis to determine the effect of brand loyalty on consumer buying habits, appreciable is the best fit for this context.

(A) speculative means not based on fact or, in some cases, risky. The second sentence claims that market research has demonstrated that brand loyalty factors into consumers’ buying habits, so speculative is an inappropriate choice.

(B) quotidian means mundane. If brand loyalty increases the sale of one product over another, is unlikely to be considered banal. Quotidian is not logical here.

Blank (ii)

(D) a constituent means a component or element. Generic products typically offer the same or similar components as their brand name counterparts; thus, constituent is a good match.

(E) an accolade is an award or honor. It is not likely that a generic brand will have achieved the same level of recognition as a brand name product.

(F) an idiosyncrasy is a peculiarity of character. This term does not make sense here because an idiosyncrasy is typically a human trait rather than that of an inanimate object.

Blank (iii)

(G) nostalgia is a longing for something of the past. This word relates to consumers’ brand loyalty to products from their youth and is the best fit for this sentence.

(H) paranoia is fear of persecution or danger. This word is inappropriate because the context does not suggest that consumers exhibit brand loyalty out of fear.

(I) quality is a good distractor here because brand names are often compared against generic ones based on questions of quality. It is not, however, the best fit because the preceding sentence suggests that consumers are loyal because of tradition or sentimentality.

Helpful Hints

Don’t skip over a seemingly straightforward component of the sentence simply because its language is less difficult. In this case, “a product they grew up using” is essential in solving for the final blank.

Video Explanation

Check out our Text Completion page for more tips!