Educational Testing Service is planning to eliminate the "paper and pencil" Graduate Record Exam by 1999, instead using only the Computer Adaptive Test.

The GRE is an adaptive test that students must take before being admitted into graduate school. It is the first major exam of its kind to shift to a computerized format, according to Kaplan, a company specializing in test preparations.

"The Computer Adaptive Test is a better measure of the student's ability," said Tom Ewing, of Educational Testing Service. "The test adapts to each student, personalizing it instead of 'one size fits all.'"

The computerized adaptive exam bases the difficulty of each question on the level of aptitude displayed in the student's response to the previous question.

"The paper and computer formats are very different in a number of respects, and students should familiarize themselves with both formats before making a decision about which exam to take," said Robert Levy, director of graduate programs for Kaplan Educati onal Centers.

The cost of the computer adaptive GRE test is $96, compared to the paper and pencil GRE cost of $64.

Computer test-takers receive scores immediately after the test and schools receive the scores within two weeks. Pencil and paper test-takers and the schools both receive test scores four to six weeks after the test is taken.

The computer test is given in a private booth, while the paper and pencil test is given in groups of up to 100 test-takers.

"Most of the people who have taken the computerized test have liked it because they can go at their own pace, versus testing with a large group in which everyone must start and stop at the same time," said Missy Bagaloff of Sylvan Learning Center, where t he computer test is administered.

Computer test-takers who answer fewer then 80 percent of the questions in a section do not receive a score. One must answer at least 23 out of 28 math questions to receive a score - with no mistakes, a student can answer 23 questions and get a perfect score of 800.

In the pencil and paper test, all test-takers receive a score for every section, no matter how few questions are answered, but cannot expect to receive a perfect score by answering only 23 questions.

The computerized adaptive test is offered during the first two weeks of every month, Monday through Saturday.

"The computer test availability is extremely open. Most of the time, a student could call one day and take the test the next day," Bagaloff said.

The pencil and paper test is offered only three times a year - on April 13, Oct. 12 and Dec. 4.

"This is good news for students planning to attend graduate school in the fall of '97 and wishing to take the paper test," Levy said. "The October test date affords such students enough time to meet most application deadlines."