Gre How Long to Wait Until You Take the Test Again

What is the GRE and When to Have the GRE

The Graduate Record Examination, or GRE, is oftentimes a necessary requirement to apply for graduate school. While not all schools require information technology, those that do have their own set deadlines. In order to know when to have the GRE, there are certain factors to consider. To make the process easier, we volition go into depth virtually everything yous need to know nigh taking the GRE and how to be prepared.

What is the GRE?

The GRE is a standardized exam that helps graduate university admissions teams to assess your application. It is too considered by almost MBA programs for admissions.

The examination is multiple choice and taken on the computer. Past now, yous're probably wondering, "What is on the GRE?"

The GRE is broken up into three categories and given scores every bit follows:

Analytical Writing – 0-6
Exact Reasoning – 130-170
Quantitative Reasoning – 130-170

The tests works in sections and is considered multi-phase.This means that your operation on the kickoff section volition determine how difficult the side by side section becomes.

Things to Know about the GRE

Before taking the examination, you should review the following data so y'all are fully prepared.

ane. Exam Length:

The GRE is taken at a testing center. You can wait the procedure, including exam-taking and breaks to accept 4 hours. Exam time is three hours and 45 minutes. Information technology is recommended to show upwards at to the lowest degree 30 minutes before your exam fourth dimension.

ii. Scoring:

According to Kaplan, the average score for Verbal Reasoning is 151 and the average for Quantitative Reasoning is 153. Analytical Writing has a mean score of iv.0.

3. Examination-Taking Times:

The test is administered on well-nigh days yr-round via Prometric test centers. You tin can find exam days and test times here. Seating is granted on a beginning-come up, first-serve basis.

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Timeline: When to Take the GRE

The number one consideration to know when to take the examination is to check your prospective graduate schoolhouse'due south application deadline. Some programs require submission upward to a year earlier school starts. Some schools permit you lot to use on a rolling footing, meaning year-circular. This means that you have more opportunities to take the GRE.

On the other hand, other schools may only requite you 1 chance per year to employ. This means that missing a borderline could delay your application by a whole year. Therefore, you must take the GRE at least a calendar month, preferably more than, before the schoolhouse's deadline! If yous have to retake the GRE, you have to expect 21 days to retake it. Also, you must factor in that it takes 10-xv days to process results.

Therefore, it'due south best non to assume that test dates are available when y'all want them. Rather, try to plan ahead and expect to take the exam with enough time for a retake, should you demand one. This is highly important. Leaving a GRE test appointment until the last minute tin can finish up potentially costing you admission into your graduate school of choice or delaying your outset engagement.

Photograph by Alejandro Escamilla on Unsplash

Extensive Timeline

1 style to determine when to schedule the GRE is to understand the following points and then backtrack from when your application deadline is.

1. Time for scores:

As mentioned, information technology generally takes 10-xv days to procedure scores and send them to your institution of choice. It's best to give yourself time for at least one retake. Since you have to wait 21 days to take the test again, give yourself at least one calendar month for each retake.

two. Figure out goal score:

Discover out the average score range that your schools seek in applicants. Take a practise test and see where yous state. To increase your goal score, here'south an estimate of how much time you'll need by points:

5 points – 40 hours of studying
10 points – fourscore hours of studying
20 points – 160 hours of studying
xxx points – 240 hours of studying

Of course, these are roughly estimated ideas of the time you will need. Everyone differs and some people may exist able to improve their scores more quickly with the help of a GRE tutor.

3. Get to goal score:

Ask yourself how much time you lot will need to study to reach your goal score. And then, allocate some fourth dimension per week and figure out how many weeks that volition be. Add to it the 10-fifteen days of score processing time, besides as fourth dimension for 1-2 retakes (1-2 months). Now, you have your ideal test date.

In general, it is advisable to give yourself one to iii months to study for the test and dedicate at least 100 hours to studying.

Extra Tips

Like for whatever kind of test, in that location are general rules to live by to help you do your best. These include:

1. Schedule early:

Register for the test as early equally y'all can and then you are not stressed and cannot run the take a chance of missing deadlines or spots filling upward.

2. Understand retakes:

Well-nigh people retake the test ane-ii times. There's no shame in taking the GRE more than once. However, you tin can only take the GRE up to 5 times in a 1-year menstruum and information technology costs $l to retake the test. When yous schedule a retake, ensure that there's still fourth dimension for the scores to be processed and sent to your schools of pick.

3. Fourth dimension management:

It should be clear that everything involved in the process of figuring out when to take the GRE relies on time management. Y'all should have a business firm grasp on how much time y'all have to study and how much fourth dimension you need to study. Chiefly, the factors outside of your control like admissions deadlines can play a huge part in helping you create your timeline.

FAQ Virtually Taking the GRE

The GRE may feel overwhelming, only it'due south useful to remind yourself that it'southward just a exam. It doesn't exist to scare y'all. Here are some important facts to know about the test:

1. Importance of the score:

The value of the score varies by institution. Some schools weigh it heavily, whereas others may prioritize your grade load and GPA instead. Contact your school of choice or perform research online to see how much it matters. However, it is important to annotation that, in the The states, a GRE score can touch on the amount of financial aid you receive.

ii. Score cancellation:

Y'all can abolish your GRE score if y'all want to. But this must be done right after the test and without knowing your score. Furthermore, institutions will see that you canceled your score.

3. How to know if you're ready:

Try a do test and see how you experience. Your results will be sent to you upon completion of the exam.

four. Cost of GRE:

The test costs $195 and retakes cost $50.

five. Subject tests:

Some graduate schools may crave specific GRE bailiwick tests. These tests are given three times a year in eight subjects, namely: biochemistry, biology; cell and molecular biology; chemical science; literature in English language; mathematics; computer science; physics; and psychology. Yous can only accept these subject area tests in November, Dec, and April. They are not digital tests.

Next Steps

By devising a timeline backwards from application deadlines, you lot can easily figure out when to take the GRE.

But, before you do all this piece of work, do make sure that your desired institutions require the examination. For instance, the Academy of the People does not crave the GRE for admission into its master's programs.

Furthermore, only you know when y'all're actually prepare to take the GRE. The good news is that it is non frowned upon to retake the test. Plus, if yous start early, you can accept a lot of time to report and set up for the GRE. With free resource, online tools, and the option for tutors, yous will exist able to succeed on the GRE!

For more information, you tin can check out www.gre.org.