Studying for an exam or a test can be a daunting task for so many, but the real frustration comes when you realize that the test you spent late nights studying for and getting a good score is going to expire whether you have made fair use of the result or not.
Sitting for long hours taking a test and finally getting a good score is an outstanding achievement to a lot of people, and putting an expiration date on their result can be discouraging. Hence, the question, “How Long Are GRE Tests Scores Valid?” This question bugs the minds of many, particularly those who do not want to sit for the same test twice. This piece will serve as a guide to answer that question and also give information about the GRE test template, how the test can be taken? When to expect the results after taking the test, what to do after the result expires, reasons why the test result expires and solutions to the validity rules of the test result.
The Graduate Records Examination is a necessary test, and a good score on the test can almost get you into any graduate school of your choice, and a low score can limit your options. The GRE aims to test your knowledge and skills in different fields.
The results of the test can be sent directly to the graduate school you are applying to or can be mailed to your private address. Although, many students prefer to get a copy of their result before sending it to their school of choice as it helps to know whether the score is good enough. One thing to note is, as crucial as this test is, the results are not valid forever.
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GRE Test Template
The GRE test is divided into three separate sessions: quantitative reasoning, analytical reasoning and verbal reasoning. The quantitative reasoning session is based on arithmetical equations and tests your general knowledge with numbers. The analytical session of the GRE test presents different questions and requires essay answers to those questions. The verbal reasoning session tests your ability to read and understand and generally test your vocabulary.
How Can the GRE Test Be Taken?
Based on the information from the Educational Testing Service, the GRE test can either be taken as a computer-based test or as a paper test. The test is not a collective one, which means it is not usually taken as a group. The test taker schedules a time and location to take the test and pays the cost of taking the test.
When to Expect the Result
After taking the test, it takes about a few days for the results to be released. The amount of time taken results to be released depends on the method through which the test was taken; this could be computer-based or paper-based. The result of a computer-based test takes about fifteen days to be released. In contrast, that of the paper-based test takes up to six weeks for the results to be sent.
For How Long Are GRE Tests Scores Valid?
According to the Educational Testing Service, the results for GRE are stored for five years after the date the test was taken. For example, if the GRE test were written on November 10, 2014, the test score would be valid only up to November 10, 2019. The test scores can be requested for from ETS anytime within the five years validity of the test result.
What Next After the Test Result Expires?
When the GRE test results have expired, they are deleted from the ETS database, and they can no longer be retrieved, and the copies can no longer be sent to any school. However, if test results were submitted to a school before they expire and the admission has not been granted before the results expire, the school can still make use of the result, but this is independently based on the school’s prerequisites.
Reasons Why GRE Test Result Expires
There are several reasons why there is an expiration date for GRE test results. However, the primary reason is that knowledge changes after five years of no or more practice. The competency achieved in 2015 would be different from the one gotten in 2020.
A person’s skills and knowledge on a particular subject matter can increase or depreciate over five years, depending on what the person does within those five years. Someone who teaches quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning or analytical reasoning is expected to increase in knowledge for the GRE test over five years than someone who learnt fashion over the same five years.
Another probable reason is that when scores expire in five years is because it makes it easier for ETS to revise the test. An additional reason for why the GRE test results expire could be because it provides a tremendous demand for GRE tests. If the test results do not expire, someone would only need to take the test once and use the same product for as many schools and as many graduate programs as possible, but because the results expire, there is a lot of importance attached to it, and it is only taken by those who are ready to use the result in five years.
The Solution to the GRE Test Result Validity Rule
Before taking the GRE test, it is vital to consider taking the test in the same year you plan to apply for graduate school or at most one year earlier. In a situation where you plan on taking multiple graduate programs, you may have to retake the test. Another option is to take the test at a convenient time, preferably fresh out of college to get a good score and then prepare to apply for graduate programs before the next five years. Either way, proper planning is required so as not to lose out on your career journey.
It might seem like a daunting task, but it is not. Prepare to the best of your ability and you should be fine.
