old GRE being accepted Fall 2012 admissions cycle?

[gracietiger]

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This is a really really good time for me to study for and take the GRE, and I prefer the old GRE to what I have seen of the new one. I know there are a lot of other people trying to get in the old one before the transition.

However, I am really concerned that the scores from the old GRE will not be accepted in the Fall 2012 application cycle if a person is rejected or chooses not to apply this cycle.

I spoke to a couple of the schools I am interested in, and they all said that the five-year rule should still apply, even for the old GRE scores, but one school also said, "things can always change."

Change?!?!? That is the last word I wanted to hear!

Is anyone else concerned about this? Taking the old GRE now and then having to study for and retake what seems to me to be a really different test (again, could just be me) if you're rejected this cycle and only new GRE scores are accepted the following application cycle?

 

[HelloNello]

Is anyone else concerned about this? Taking the old GRE now and then having to study for and retake what seems to me to be a really different test (again, could just be me) if you're rejected this cycle and only new GRE scores are accepted the following application cycle?[/QUOTE]


Thats one of my biggest fears right now. I am literally putting my life on hold to study for the GRE because I want to do well on it. I cannot imagine if they wont accept it in the future :/ My GRE teacher says they need to honor the 5 year rule and that ETS wants to make it easy for schools to compare the new and old GRE because they want schools to make applicants take the test. Only time will tell I guess. I just hope I get in this cycle.

 

[gracietiger]

I am SUPER worried about this!!! Now is the best time for me to study for the test, but i am not really sure that I will be applying until fall 2012. My plan was to study from now until mid-June quite intensely and then take the old test in June. However, if I were to study now for the new GRE, I would not be able to take the test until the end of August. Seems unwise to study now for the new GRE. But, there's really no other great time for me to study for it. So taking the old test in June sure seems like the way to go, especially given the opportunity I have now to really study well for it.

However, given my uncertainly about applying this admissions cycle, I am also incredibly nervous about studying for and taking the old GRE now, only to find out next year that I am required to have new GRE scores.

This from Iowa State's webpage:
Those applying next year (2012-2013 admissions cycle) will need to have taken the new revised GRE....


Iowa State is not a school I am considering, but this is an example of what I am worried about. Though, shouldn't a school know at this point that it will be requiring fall 2012 applicants to take the new GRE? Or is it totally feasible that they could change their requirements from now until then?


Another thing I wonder - if a person were to take the new GRE when it is first offered, like August or Sept - are admissions committees going to factor in the fact that it's a brand-spanking new test, preparatory material is not nearly as strong as the old test, or even as strong as the materials that will be available for those who take the new test in later months prior to fall 2012 admissions? How can they compare? Are ad coms more likely to "overlook" the new GRE scores so they don't have to deal with all of the confusion that comes along with a transition like this one? If a person has a rockin' GPA and does not perform so well on the new GRE, do you think ad-coms may be more likely to assume it was due to a new test, not the applicant's abilities? Or is this just major denial and wishful thinking?

This darned GRE has me really stressed. The new GRE does not look like my cup of tea. I think I would fare a lot better on the old one, especially given the time I have to invest in it now. But I sure as heck don't want to have to take the new GRE down the road if schools start requiring it for fall 2012 admissions. So it's a huge gamble as to which one to take, it seems.