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Last Updated on May 1, 2023
If you’re applying to graduate schools that require test scores, figuring out when to take the GRE test will be a key aspect of your overall admissions strategy. Take the test too soon and you may not get the results you’re hoping for. Wait too long and you may end up spreading yourself thin trying to study for the GRE and complete your grad school applications at the same time. Even the time of day when you sit for your exam can affect your performance.
So, in this article, I’ll give you 6 essential tips for determining when to take the GRE for grad school. I’ll also discuss whether to take the GRE in college and how to decide the best time of day to take the GRE.
Here are the topics we’ll cover:
- When Can I Take the GRE?
- When Should I Take the GRE?
- Should I Take the GRE While I’m Still in College?
- What Is the Best Time of Day to Take GRE Exams?
- Key Takeaways
- What’s Next?
To start, let’s review some important policies regarding when test-takers are able to sit for GRE exams.
When Can I Take the GRE?
The GRE General Test is administered year-round in both test centers and online. Many of the same rules regarding when you can take the GRE apply regardless of whether you’re sitting for the test in-person or online. However, the availability of testing times differs depending on which test you take.
So, let’s review the policies related to both of those points. (Note that we’ll focus on the GRE General Test in this article. For information about GRE Subject Tests, which are administered only 3 times per year and only in person, visit the ETS website here.)
How Often Can I Take the GRE?
Regardless of whether you take the online GRE at home or the in-person GRE at a test center, you can sit for the exam no more than 5 times within any continuous 365-day period.
Furthermore, if you want to retake the GRE, you must wait at least 21 days after your last test attempt.
Keep in mind that in-person and at-home GRE exams are tallied together. So, mixing and matching in-person and at-home exams doesn’t allow you to exceed the limit of 5 attempts per year.
Additionally, canceling your score doesn’t cancel that test attempt from your annual tally. Regardless of whether you keep your score, any time you sit for the exam, that test attempt counts. (One possible exception could be a technical issue with the exam’s functionality. In that case, if you were prevented from completing your exam, that test attempt may be invalidated.)
Of course, if you cancel a scheduled test appointment, that canceled appointment does not count toward your tally. Simply scheduling a GRE does not count as a test attempt; you have to actually sit for the exam.
Although there is a limit on the number of times in a rolling 12-month period you can take the GRE, there is no lifetime limit on test attempts. So, technically, you can retake the GRE as many times as you’d like, provided you do so no more than 5 times every 12 months. (Learn more about GRE retake policies here.)
KEY FACT:
Regardless of whether you take the online or in-person GRE, you can sit for the exam no more than 5 times within any continuous 365-day period.
What GRE Testing Times Are Available?
One big benefit of taking the at-home GRE is that test appointments are available 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. So, you could conceivably take the GRE online any day of the year, any time of day. You also could conceivably sit for your online GRE as little as 24 hours after registering for the GRE.
In-person GRE exams are not quite as flexible with testing times. For one, you must register for the in-person GRE at least 2 days before your desired test date.
Secondly, depending on where you live, there may not be many test centers nearby, or there may be only one. Alternatively, there may be several test centers, but they may fill up quickly because of high demand. Either way, there could be a limited number of seats available at times that work for you.
Furthermore, test centers are not open 24 hours a day. So, while taking the GRE at 10 p.m. is an option at home, you probably won’t have that option at test centers.
KEY FACT:
At-home GRE appointments are available 24/7, whereas test center appointments vary by location and are not available 24/7.
Now that we know when it’s possible to sit for the GRE, let’s discuss when you actually should.
When Should I Take the GRE?
Just because you can take (or retake) the GRE, doesn’t mean you should. In actuality, there are numerous factors to consider when deciding whether it’s the right time to sit for your GRE. Have you given yourself enough time to prepare for the test? Are you sure you’ll use your test scores before they expire? Do you have other components of your grad school applications left to complete?
Let’s dig into all those questions and more, starting with the number 1 piece of advice I give GRE students.
#1: Make Sure You’re Hitting Your Score Goal on Practice Tests
If you’re not hitting your score goal on practice tests, taking the GRE will most likely be a fruitless endeavor. After all, why would test day go differently?
So, amid all the other factors we’ll discuss related to deciding when to take the GRE, the main thing to keep in mind is that, in an ideal world, you should take the GRE only when you’re truly ready to hit your score goal.
The way you know whether you have a solid shot at hitting your score goal is by taking full-length, official practice tests toward the end of your GRE prep. If you’re hitting your score goal on those exams, you know you’re ready for the real deal.
If you’re not hitting your goal on official practice tests, then hitting it on test day is a real gamble. Chances are, you’re not ready to take the actual GRE, and you should take more time to study.
If you’re not hitting your goal on official practice tests, then hitting it on test day is a real gamble.
Of course, you need to have a goal in mind in order to know whether you’ve reached it. Let’s discuss that next.
#2: Know Your Deadlines
When considering when to take the GRE, first research the grad school application deadlines at your desired programs. You’ll want to know the dates when applications are due, so you don’t end up missing a deadline. If you don’t have an exact list of desired programs yet, keep in mind that grad school application deadlines tend to fall between October 31 and January 15.
Working backward from the date your first application is due and accounting for other factors we’ll discuss, such as time to retake the test and transmit scores, you’ll arrive at a sensible test date. Of course, the date you arrive at could be too soon for you to adequately prepare for the test. In that case, you may want to reassess your timeline for applying to graduate schools.
Remember, it’s important to balance your application deadlines with the score improvement you need to reach your score goal. In doing so, you’ll give yourself a realistic amount of time to study. You don’t know how many GRE students I’ve encountered who focus only on application deadlines, without regard for the score gains they need. Thus, they end up taking the GRE too soon and not hitting their goals.
The reality is, achieving a 10-point increase in 2 weeks, or a 25-point increase in a month, etc., is not realistic for the vast majority of students.
TTP PRO TIP:
Balance your application deadlines with the score improvement you need in order to ensure you don’t take the GRE too soon.
#3: Consider the Time You Need to Complete Applications
As we’ll discuss more later, it doesn’t hurt to start the GRE process sooner rather than later. If your applications are due in the fall, you don’t have to wait until, say, summer to start studying and take the test. Even if a summer start would give you enough time to achieve your score goal, unless your schedule prohibits starting earlier, why wait?
One of the main reasons to start sooner rather than later is to have plenty of time to work on the other aspects of your grad school applications. You could set yourself up for a lot of stress if you map out a study timeline such that you’re trying to write personal statements and complete your GRE prep simultaneously.
And what if your test prep doesn’t go as smoothly as planned? Or what if you don’t hit your score goal and you need to retake the GRE? You may wish you had gotten your GRE out of the way earlier in the year, so you could focus on completing your applications without the added stress of hitting your score goal hanging over your head.
So, consider scheduling your GRE studies and exams for a time period when you won’t also be working on the other aspects of your applications.
TTP PRO TIP:
It doesn’t hurt to start the GRE process sooner rather than later, so that you’re not attempting to complete application essays and GRE prep simultaneously.
#4: Build in Time to Retake the Test
Having confidence in your abilities is an important aspect of performing well in a high pressure situation such as preparing for and taking the GRE. That said, you don’t want to be caught unprepared if, for whatever reason, test day doesn’t go as planned.
So, before you select a test date, account for the fact that you may need time to retake the test. Test-takers are required to wait 21 days between exams. Furthermore, if your score on your first GRE is much lower than your goal score, you may need more than 21 days to improve your score, so you can avoid a third go at the exam.
TTP PRO TIP:
Build time to retake the GRE into your schedule when you plan your studies and select an initial GRE test date.
Additionally, you’ll have to factor in the time it takes to transmit your scores to schools. Let’s discuss that now.
#5: Leave Time to Transmit Your Official Scores
Unless you’ve received confirmation from the programs to which you’re applying that you can submit unofficial GRE scores with your applications, you’ll need to build into your testing schedule the time it takes to transmit official scores.
It takes approximately 10 to 15 days after your test date for schools to receive your official test scores (the same amount of time it takes for your scores to post in your online account). So, regardless of whether you’re taking the GRE at home or at a test center, you’ll need to make sure that your final test date is at least 16 days before your application deadlines.
In fact, I would say that the absolute minimum amount of time before your deadlines that you should take the GRE is 3 weeks. For one, if something goes wrong with transmitting your scores, you’ll have an extra cushion.
Secondly, if you want to submit scores to schools other than the 4 you can select on test day, you’ll need to purchase Additional Score Reports once your official scores are available. Transmitting ASRs takes another 5 days, on top of the 10-15 for official scores to become available. So again, a minimum of 3 weeks makes sense.
It’s important to reiterate that 3 weeks is the minimum window to allow. Given the other factors we’ve discussed, a smart play is to schedule your first GRE for 2 to 3 months before your deadline in order to avoid a time crunch. And if possible, you can plan to take your exam even earlier than that. Let’s discuss.
TTP PRO TIP:
Schedule your GRE for no later than 3 weeks before your application deadlines and preferably at least 2 to 3 months before your deadlines.
#6: Start Sooner Rather Than Later
We’ve already discussed one of the big reasons to start the GRE process sooner rather than later: to be able to focus on your applications as deadlines approach.
Additionally, you want to avoid a do-or-die situation in which you have only one shot — or even two — at hitting your score goal before your deadlines.
Now, I realize that not everyone can take the GRE multiple months in advance of their application deadlines. That said, when thinking about when to take the GRE, ask yourself whether there is really any reason to wait.
For instance, perhaps you could take the GRE 3 months before your deadlines and have time for a retake and time to focus on applications. However, if you can be ready to take the GRE 6 months before your deadlines, what does waiting get you? For all the reasons we’ve discussed, unless you have to, there’s no point in pushing your luck. After all, your score is valid for 5 years. So, getting the GRE out of the way early isn’t going to hurt anything.
So, even if you can wait to take the GRE, ask yourself whether you have a solid reason to. If your reason for waiting is simply that you’re dreading starting the process, then you, especially, should get started now! Trust me, you’ll dread the process just as much down the road — and you’ll be even more stressed about it.
TTP PRO TIP:
Getting the GRE out of the way sooner rather than later isn’t going to hurt anything and may reduce your stress down the road.
The flipside of giving yourself a nice buffer of time between your test date and your application deadlines is taking the GRE too far in advance of grad school. Let’s discuss that now.
Should I Take the GRE While I’m Still in College?
Many students planning to pursue graduate school wonder, when should the GRE be taken if I’m still in college? Is it better to take the GRE while I’m a college student, and if so, what year of college should I take it? Should I wait until after I graduate?
There are plenty of college students who take the GRE, generally in their junior or senior year. That said, there is such a thing as taking the GRE too early. For instance, say you’re a freshman in college. Are you absolutely sure that if you take the GRE now, you’ll use your score in the 5-year validity window? Perhaps the graduate programs you’ll apply to will want students to have some post-college work experience. In that case, your GRE score may expire before you have a chance to use it.
Alternatively, although going to graduate school may seem like a given right now, a lot can happen over the course of your college career. By the time you’re closer to graduation, grad school may no longer be your goal. In that case, you’ll have put time, energy, and money into taking the GRE for no reason.
Of course, there are plenty of reasons why taking the GRE while in college makes sense for many students. (You can read more about the pros and cons here). I would just caution against sitting for the GRE in your freshman or sophomore year of college unless you’re certain you’ll use your GRE score soon after you graduate.
TTP PRO TIP:
Make sure your graduate school plans are fairly certain before you commit to studying for and taking the GRE while in college.
What Is the Best Time of Day to Take GRE Exams?
A final consideration that many GRE students have when thinking about when to take GRE tests is what the best time of day is to sit for an exam.
While it’s true that the time of day you take your exam can affect your performance, there is no one “best time” to take the GRE.
The truth is, the best time of day to take the GRE varies from one test-taker to the next. The important thing is that you schedule your test for a day and time when you’ll be well-rested and at ease. For example, if you’re not a morning person, don’t force yourself to take your test at 9 a.m. Similarly, if you’re a college student, don’t schedule your GRE on a day when you have classes. Instead, opt for Saturday time, when your mind will be fresh.
In fact, you should try whenever possible to take full-length practice GREs at your ideal time as well. Doing so helps ensure that you get an accurate gauge of how you’re likely to perform on test day. Additionally, you get the added benefit of making the actual GRE feel even more like just another practice test. Even if you take only your last couple of practice tests at your “best time,” doing so is still beneficial.
TTP PRO TIP:
Take full-length practice tests on the same day of the week and time of day that you’ll take your actual GRE.
Key Takeaways
Remember the following in deciding when to take the GRE for grad school:
- Schedule your GRE for no later than 3 weeks before your application deadlines and preferably at least 2 to 3 months before your deadlines.
- Schedule your test for a day and time when you’ll be well-rested and at ease, and take full-length practice tests on that same day of the week and time of day.
- To arrive at a sensible test date, work backward from the date your first application is due and account for time to retake the test, transmit scores, and work on applications.
- Even if you can wait to take the GRE, ask yourself whether you have a solid reason to.
- If you’re still in college, make sure you don’t take your GRE so early that you run the risk of not beingable to use your score before it expires.
- It takes approximately 10 to 15 days after your test date for schools to receive your official test scores. Additional Score Reports take 5 days to send once your scores are posted online.
- Test-takers are required to wait 21 days between GRE exams.
- If you’re not hitting your score goal on official practice tests, you likely aren’t ready to hit your goal on the actual GRE.
What’s Next?
Now that you know when to sit for the GRE, check out this guide to calculating how long you may need to study for the GRE.
Just beginning your GRE prep? These 5 steps for success will help you get started on the right foot.
