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It’s almost test day! Hopefully, you’re excited to finally put all the GRE skills and knowledge you’ve acquired throughout your GRE prep to work. Of course, you may have been so focused on learning GRE content and strategies that you haven’t given much thought to the practical matter of what to bring to the GRE test center so that you can have the best test day possible.
In this article, we’ll give a checklist of the items you need to bring with you when you sit for your GRE, and the items you’ll want to bring with you.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
A Note About the Lockers
Although you can’t bring personal items such as a backpack, purse, wallet, or cellphone into the testing room with you, you will have the option of storing those and other personal items in a locker outside the testing room. Keep in mind that locker space at test centers is limited, and you won’t have access to your locker until the test is over. (Remember, the shorter GRE does not allocate time for a break, so you won’t be able to access your locker, anyway.) So, don’t go crazy packing everything but the kitchen sink into the bag you take to the test center. Test day is definitely a time to “pack light”!
TTP PRO TIP:
Locker space is limited at GRE test centers, so “pack light” on test day and bring in only those items you really need.
Before we review the items that you should bring to your GRE, let’s take a quick look at some items that you absolutely should not bring to a GRE test center.
What Not to Bring
There are very few items that you’re allowed to bring into the actual testing room with you, so anything else you carry into the test center will have to be stored in your locker. Electronic devices such as cell phones and watches, your travel mug or to-go cup of coffee, your water bottle, your sunglasses, even your pocket change and car keys — all of these items will have to be stored in your locker (or left in your car, if you drove to the test center). So, to reiterate, you’re better off bringing only those items you absolutely need into the test center.
Weapons
That said, items such as firearms and other weapons are strictly prohibited at test centers, both in the testing room and in your locker. Remove the Swiss army knife from your keychain and the scissors from your backpack. If you’re unsure whether a particular item would be considered a weapon, err on the side of caution and leave it at home.
Jewelry and Accessories
Except for wedding bands and engagement rings, jewelry is not allowed in the testing room. Your best bet is to remove any jewelry you’re wearing — earrings, bracelets, necklaces — the night before your exam, so that you don’t have to worry about doing so (and risk forgetting to) on the morning of your GRE. You’ll probably be asked to remove other accessories such as cufflinks, headbands, and barrettes before you enter the testing room, so best to leave those at home, too.
Likewise, before exam day, be sure to empty the pockets of the clothing you’ll be wearing and clean out the bag you’ll be bringing to the test center, so that you don’t inadvertently carry in a prohibited item and, consequently, get turned away from the test center. It’s also a good idea to double-check the test center regulations on ETS’s website to make sure you comply with the rules on personal items.
Friends or Family
Another “item” you definitely can’t bring with you to the test center is a buddy. Friends, family, and “plus ones” will not be allowed into the building with you; at best, they can wait in the car or at a nearby coffee shop until you are reunited after the test is over.
TTP PRO TIP:
Do not bring weapons, jewelry, or people to the testing center.
Now that we know what not to bring to the GRE test center, let’s take a look at the items you’ll need and want to have with you on test day.
What to Bring
One or Two Valid Forms of ID
Your ID is your ticket for entry into the GRE test center. For obvious reasons, ETS (the maker of the GRE) takes security very seriously, so during the check-in process at the test center, you’ll need to show a valid form of identification. Valid forms of ID documents cannot be photocopied or expired. An international travel passport, government-issued driver’s license, or government-issued national/state/province identity card is considered an acceptable form of ID.
Make sure that the first and last name on your identification exactly match the information you provided when you registered for the GRE, and that your ID contains a signature that matches your name and a photograph that is recognizably you. If the name on your ID doesn’t match the name with which you registered for the GRE, you won’t be allowed to take your exam.
If you have had a name change due to marriage, divorce, or other legal reason, be sure your registered name and the name on your ID match. And make sure you use the same name in your college applications as you use for your GRE registration!
It’s not a bad idea to bring a second, backup ID just in case the exam administrator has any issue confirming your identity. Although a second ID isn’t required for check-in, ETS states that “you are encouraged to bring at least two forms of acceptable ID each time you report to a test center,” so better safe than sorry, right?
TTP PRO TIP:
Although two forms of ID are not required for check-in at the GRE, it doesn’t hurt to bring a backup ID just in case.
Confirmation Email and/or Authorization Voucher
If you’re taking the computer-delivered GRE, you are not required to bring your test appointment confirmation email from ETS to your exam; however, there is really no reason not to bring it, just in case (and you will need it if you’re taking the paper-based GRE). When you’re headed to the airport, it’s good to have your flight information on hand, even though you don’t need it to board the plane, right? So, print your confirmation email to show the test administrator in the event that there is any confusion about your test appointment.
If you received a fee reduction voucher for your GRE, you do need to bring your Authorization Voucher with you to your exam, whether you’re taking the computer- or the paper-delivered GRE. For test-takers who haven’t received a test fee reduction or waiver, you don’t have to worry about this requirement.
TTP PRO TIP:
Bring your appointment confirmation email from ETS just in case there is any confusion about your testing appointment. If you have a fee reduction voucher, bring your Authorization Voucher with you.
Directions to the Test Center
This may seem obvious, but you don’t want to have to do guesswork about where you’re going on test day. If you’re relying on GPS to get to your test center, you may also want to print out directions, just in case technology fails you.
It’s never a bad idea to do a dry run of your trip to the test center before the big day, if possible. There is something to be said for having familiarity with your surroundings during your commute, rather than seeing everything for the first time on test day. You may be surprised at how much calmer your nerves are during your second trip.
Try to do your dry run at the same time of day and the same day of the week as your test, so you can get an accurate sense of how traffic might affect your travel time. You can even do a dry run of your commute on public transportation, if that is how you’ll be traveling to your exam. If your test center is far away or a dry run simply isn’t feasible, just be sure to review a map of your route before you get on the road.
Plan to arrive at the test center about 30 minutes before the start of your GRE, so you’ll have plenty of time to check in. If you’re raring to go for your exam and you get to the test center much earlier than that, grab a seat at a nearby coffee shop where you can pregame with some flash cards or practice questions (we’ll talk more about that later).
TTP PRO TIP:
Print out directions to the test center just in case your GPS fails you, and do a dry run of your commute before test day if possible.
A Playlist
Obviously, you won’t be able to listen to music during your GRE (and you likely wouldn’t want to), but making a playlist of some songs to get your mood and energy up during your commute to the test center is a great way to get pumped for your GRE. Even if you’re walking to your local test center, grab some headphones and get yourself psyched up and ready to go! You’ve worked really hard to prepare for this day — get ready to CRUSH IT!
A Warm Layer
ETS recommends that when sitting for the GRE, you “dress so that you can adapt to any room temperature.” The fact is, the temperature inside many GRE test centers can be pretty “brisk,” so you’re going to want an extra, warm layer that you can throw on if your teeth start chattering during your exam. That doesn’t mean that you should attempt to bring your giant puffy coat with a thousand pockets into the testing room with you, nor are hooded layers allowed, but a sweatshirt, cardigan, or other long-sleeve layer is a good idea.
Everyone has their own “ideal temperature,” and you have no way of controlling what the temperature at the test center will be, so do yourself a favor and don’t expect the “weather” inside the exam room to be the same as the weather outside.
Keep in mind that your photo will be taken during the check-in process at the test center, and ETS will attach that photo to the score report sent to your selected schools to confirm that you were in fact the person who sat for your exam. So, while you certainly want to dress for comfort on test day, you probably don’t want to look like you just rolled out of bed.
TTP PRO TIP:
Since you can’t control the temperature at the test center, bringing an extra, long-sleeve layer of clothing to your GRE is a smart plan. — just don’t wear anything with a hood into the exam room.
Prescription Eyeglasses and Medicines
You might be surprised by the things people forget when they’re anxious or in a rush, or their minds are preoccupied with, say, a major exam they’re about to take. While you generally can’t wear accessories in the testing room, you can wear your prescription eyeglasses during your exam, if you need to. Prescription medications can be stored in your locker and accessed if an emergency arises.
If there are other medically necessary items you need to have on your person during your GRE, such as an asthma inhaler or a hearing aid, contact ETS customer service to find out the protocol for bringing those. We recommend that you reach out to ETS well in advance of your projected or scheduled GRE test date, just in case you need to register as a test-taker with disabilities or health-related needs. Approvals for test accommodations take a minimum of one month and may take up to a few months.
KEY FACT:
Prescription eyeglasses are permitted in the testing room, but you should contact ETS if there are other medically necessary items you’ll need to have on you during your exam.
A Face Mask (Optional)
Testing centers do not generally require the wearing of face masks. However, if local conditions indicate a concern, any center can mandate that a mask be worn by those taking the GRE. Do note that if you have any health concerns, you are allowed to wear a face mask in the testing room. The mask may not cover any part of your ears.
TTP PRO TIP:
A mask is no longer required at testing centers unless local conditions dictate that masks be worn. However, you may wear a mask if you desire, as long as it does not cover any part of your ears.
A Few Practice Questions
Cramming on the day of your GRE (or in the week leading up to it) is not good idea, but doing a handful of practice questions right before you walk into the test center actually can provide a nice mental “warm-up,” reduce your level of anxiety, and help you get into test-taking mode.
Now, you don’t want to go overboard with a 20-question set of GRE problems — and certainly not a practice test — and burn yourself out before the exam begins. But if you’re feeling nervous about seeing that first question on the computer screen, or you simply need to perk up your brain a little bit, complete a couple of quant questions and a couple of verbal questions, so you don’t start your GRE completely cold. A mix of a few different types of questions should “limber up” your brain and get you into the zone for your exam.
TTP PRO TIP:
Completing a handful of quant and verbal questions right before you walk into the test center can provide a nice mental “warm-up” and help calm test anxiety.
A Mental List of Up to 4 Score Recipients
Assuming that you don’t cancel your GRE score at the conclusion of your exam, you’ll have the option to send, for free, either the score you just earned or all of your GRE scores to up to 4 schools or programs (you also have the option to not send any scores). Luckily, you do not need to memorize the school codes for your chosen score recipients; you can simply search by school name to look up the codes on your computer at the test center.
So, before test day, prepare your mental list of the schools to which you want to send your scores. If you’re really not sure where you want to send your score or you don’t have any schools in mind, you can send GRE scores after you leave the test center, using the ScoreSelect option, for a fee of $27 per recipient.
TTP PRO TIP:
Before test day, prepare a mental list of up to 4 schools to which you’ll send your GRE scores.
Your “A” Game!
There is a lot to be said for having a top competitor’s mindset on test day. If you’ve put in the time and effort to properly prepare for your GRE, and learned and practiced with study materials that result in GRE mastery, then you have every reason to walk into the test center with complete confidence that you will hit your score goal.
Bring your “A” game! You’re about to crush your GRE!
There is a lot to be said for having a top competitor’s mindset on test day.
Now that you know what to bring to the GRE on test day, you may want to check out these GRE test-day tips.
What to Bring: Key Takeaways
Here are the important items to bring with you to the GRE test center:
- One or two forms of identification
- Confirmation email and/or Authorization Voucher
- Directions to the test center
- A playlist
- A warm layer
- Prescription eyeglasses and medicines
- A face mask (optional)
- A few practice questions
- A mental list of up to 4 score recipients
- Your “A” game!
What’s Next?
Now that you know what to bring to the GRE on test day, you may want to check out these GRE test-day tips.
If you would like to read about the steps you can take to be successful on the GRE, read this article about how to study for the GRE.
