GRE is conducted by the Educational Testing Services and has its examination all throughout the year. The test taker
has to know some basic guidelines and follow them before booking a test date to get better acquainted with the
pattern of the examination. The GRE examination is taken up by many test takers who wish to enroll themselves into
the premier business and graduate schools in the United States.
About GRE
The Graduate Record Examination or more popularly known as GRE is a test which is taken by students all over the
world for getting admission in the reputed grad schools. The GRE general test is a standardized test which is taken
to verify whether the student possesses the essential language skills required to undergo the graduation course
or a business related course irrespective of the field they choose. It includes testing the underlying mathematical
concepts, verbal reasoning capabilities and logical reasoning capabilities of the test taker
GRE general test checks the overall ability of the student by splitting the test into three major parts.
- Analytical writing
- Verbal reasoning
- Quantitative reasoning
The test dates become very important from the candidate’s point of view because the GRE exam date has to perfectly
line up with the application process of the colleges that the candidate is interested in enrolling taking into
account sufficient time for retakes.
GRE Registration
ETS is the official organizer of the GRE tests. Therefore, in order to register for the GRE test you need to have
an account in the official portal of ETS. Once you sign up for an ETS account you would be able to register for
the GRE test, view your official GRE scores, ask for excess GRE score reports and receive every critical notification
regarding the GRE test.
Why do you need an ETS account?
The ETS account also helps a test taker to choose their test dates according to their preference. Moreover, if there
is any emergency, you can even cancel your test date 4 days before the test day and reschedule your GRE test on
a different day according to your convenience.
If you have not already registered with ETS and gearing up for your GRE registration, then the URL’s provided below
will help you with the registration process. Make sure that before you start your registration, you are perfectly
aware of the test fees and the ID requirements. After you finish your GRE registration, you would get a confirmation
email stating the details of your registration. It is a matter of safety to carry a printout of this document to
the test center. The GRE test is conducted in two formats
- Computer based test
- Paper based test
Computer based test
The computer based test is mostly preferred by the test takers of GRE as it is conducted throughout the year and
the candidate has the flexibility to appear 5 times for the test with 21 days of time interval in a 365 day calendar.
So retaking the test becomes even more convenient through the computer based test. Even though the test is frequently
conducted throughout the year, the seats are filled on a first come first served basis. Therefore, it is better
registering as early as possible to be sure you get the most convenient center on your preferred dates. Sometimes
when registering at the last moment, you might not be able to get seats at your convenient test locations. Also,
this might result in appearing for GRE in an inconvenient location which might cause psychological stress and unnecessary
travel expenses. Hence, registering for GRE as soon as possible is always advised. You can check the seat availability
without signing up. However, to book your seat, you would have to register. You can check the seat availability
through the link below;
https://ereg.ets.org/ereg/public/workflowmanager/workflow?workflowItemId=tcAvailability
Registration can be done by online or by means of phone. To know more about computer based GRE test registration,
click the link below;
https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/register/computer/
Paper based test
Paper based test is conducted only in places where the computer based test is not available. Paper based tests are
conducted only three times a year. So, early planning and registration are of the need of the hour for the test
taker. The rules and regulations of registration in the paper based test are a bit from the conventional online
examination, and hence the test taker must keep that in mind while registering for the same.
Here is a link below with the list of places where paper based GRE test in and outside the United States of America
are conducted.
https://www.ets.org/s/gre/pdf/gre_pbt_center_lists.pdf
The online registration process is same as the computer based test registration. Apart from online registration,
mail registration is also available. To know more about paper based GRE test registration, click the link below;
https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/register/paper/
Monday Testing and Supplementary Centers
Monday Testing: Monday test dates are allocated to candidates whose religious faith prevents them from testing
on Saturday.
Supplementary test center: Candidates, who do not have a GRE test center within the radius of 125 miles, can
apply for a supplementary center.
The Registration deadlines for Monday testing and supplementary centers for 2018-2019 are given below:
| Test Dates | Registration Deadlines | Scores Available | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Deadline | Late Deadline¹ | Supplementary Test Center and Monday Administration Deadline² | Online | Approx. Score Report Mailing Date | |
| 10/06/18 | 08/31/18 | 09/07/18 | 08/17/18 | 11/03/18 | 11/16/18 |
| 11/10/18 | 10/05/18 | 10/12/18 | 09/21/18 | 12/08/18 | 12/21/18 |
| 02/02/19 | 12/28/18 | 01/04/19 | 12/14/18 | 03/02/19 | 03/15/19 |
Source:
https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/register/centers_dates/
GRE Score select option
The GRE scores are valid for five years, and there is no restriction on the number of times retaking the test. So
this option gives you a chance of gaining experience and scoring the best in a period of time, if not in the first
attempt. The GRE score select option is highly beneficial for the test takers who have taken the test multiple
times. The GRE score select option provides you the flexibility of sending your best score to the score recipients.
That means you can send any of your preferred score in the last five years or the latest score to the graduate
colleges.
In the context of choosing a preferred test date, there is an important thing which you should remember. Choose
your test date in such a way that you have sufficient time to prepare for the test and time to meet the deadlines
of your desired grad schools. Even if for any reason you do not score as per your expectation, you should have
sufficient time to sit again for GRE before the deadline of the universities.
In the next context to be mentioned, there are two types of scores for GRE in case of the computer-delivered test.
The scores you receive at the test center just after the completion of examination is the raw score. You can send
these scores to grad schools from the test center itself. Moreover, the score you receive in your ETS account after
4 to 5 weeks is the official score. The score report is a report where your official GRE scores are depicted.
You can send the raw scores to four desired score recipients on the test day itself for free of cost. You can also
wait and send your GRE test score after the test date; But for each additional scorecard ordered, you would have
to pay $27.
Prometric and Non-Prometric testing centers
There are two types of testing centers for GRE, and they are called Prometric test centers and non-Prometric test
centers. Prometric testing locations are those where you can appear for GRE throughout the year. On the other hand,
non-Prometric test centers are those where the GRE test takes place on some specified dates.
GRE Test Fee
The GRE general test happens in two modes, paper based mode and computer delivered mode. The fees for both of these
modes of tests are $205 in all the US and all the other countries. However, the fees for GRE test in Australia,
Nigeria, and China are $230, $220 and $220.70 respectively. If for any reason you want to change your test center,
you need to pay $50. Alternatively, for changing your test dates, the charge is $53.90 in China and $50 in other
countries of the world.
GRE search service
The reputed graduate schools around the world look for deserving students through a database named GRE search service.
If the requirements of these grad schools match with your profile and academic background, then they would send
you every detail regarding the courses they offer. They also provide information related to the scholarships offered
and fees. If you have an ETS account, you can add the GRE search service to your profile. It does not require any
additional charges by adding this option to your profile you can directly get a mail or call from reputed grad
school.
How many times can you take the GRE test?
As stated above, there are two modes of GRE general tests. The computer based GRE test takes place throughout the
year. You can appear for this test five times in a year or 12 months. And between any two of the tests, it is essential
to keep a time gap of 21 days. This condition is applicable even in that situation where you have canceled the
scores of test which you have taken previously. On the other hand, the paper based GRE test takes place only thrice
a year and in October, November, and February. Out of these three times, you can take this test as many times as
you prefer.
Here we are providing the URLs to let you know about the test dates of the computer based and paper based GRE tests
conducted in 2018;
https://www.prepscholar.com/gre/blog/gre-test-dates-2017-2018/
How a test taker should choose test dates on the basis of application deadlines?
It is essential to choose your GRE dates in a planned way or else you may fail the application deadlines of your
desired universities. The test dates should be picked in such a way that an applicant receives his or her scores
before their application deadlines. The chosen test date should have sufficient time, such that if a test taker
is not satisfied with his test scores and decides to retake the GRE test, he must still be able to meet the application
deadlines of his/her desired grad schools. Hence, if you go by the popular rule, then it is suggested that you
register for the test three to four months prior to your application deadline. Surveys show that most of the test
takers sit for GRE in the summer or fall season. That is because most of the grad schools keep their application
deadlines at the end of the year and the students get enough time that way. Apart from this factor, some other
factors should also be considered to select the GRE test date like;
- You should ensure that there won’t be any personal commitments at the time of your test as that may disturb your
performance. - In case you want to take the test one more time, there should still be enough time left for you to apply for your
desired grad schools. - Finally, your confidence level with respect to your preparations.
When to sit for GRE for fall 2018 deadlines?
You can take a time of six weeks which would include 4 weeks of prep time and still there would be two weeks left
for registration. That is because ETS would reveal your test dates only after 10 to 15 days of your registration.
When to sit for GRE for spring 2018 deadlines?
If you’re preparing to take GRE in the spring of 2018, then don’t forget to consider the fact that you might have
to retake the GRE test if the scores are not up to the mark, before scheduling your test date.
If you are thinking of sitting for GRE in the fall of 2018, then you have much time left. So you can register
six months prior to your test date.
While concluding, we’re providing the URLs to GRE subject test dates;
https://www.ets.org/gre/subject/register/centers_dates/
And the GRE subject test score reporting dates;
https://www.ets.org/gre/subject/scores/get/
While concluding, all we wish to tell you is to choose your GRE test dates wisely.
