GRE Physics paper varies by country?

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thunderflash
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2016 9:14 am

GRE Physics paper varies by country?

Post by thunderflash » Sun Oct 30, 2016 1:12 am

Hey guys, so I did the Physics GRE in Hong Kong, while one of my friends did his in Malaysia, on the same day, Oct 29th 2016. But after we discussed, we found out that our papers are not similar...and one of the papers seemed considerably easier than the other...how is this a standardized test? Is this a common practice of ETS? I would like to know if anyone has a answer to this question, as even the curves would be affected since it would be location-dependent.

Qwaps
Posts: 36
Joined: Mon Mar 14, 2016 9:21 am

Re: GRE Physics paper varies by country?

Post by Qwaps » Sun Oct 30, 2016 11:24 am

The different papers would be graded differently, each with their own curve (say, cut-off for 990, among other things).

thunderflash
Posts: 3
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2016 9:14 am

Re: GRE Physics paper varies by country?

Post by thunderflash » Sun Oct 30, 2016 11:40 am

That is ridiculous. How is that a standardized test? Ridiculously unfair.

hanxx
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2016 4:38 pm

Re: GRE Physics paper varies by country?

Post by hanxx » Sun Oct 30, 2016 4:41 pm

You may get 990 with a raw score of 80 if the test was difficult and you may only get 900 with a raw score of 80 if the test was easy.

TakeruK
Posts: 941
Joined: Mon Jan 02, 2012 3:05 pm

Re: GRE Physics paper varies by country?

Post by TakeruK » Sun Oct 30, 2016 5:28 pm

This is why ETS no longer publishes the raw score. Instead, the scaled score (out of 990) accounts for the difference in tests from one place to another. Also, although maybe between the two of you, the questions that you remembered/discussed made it appear that one test is easier than another, that doesn't mean it's objectively true!



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