When should I take the gre?

[environmentalhopeful]

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I'm planning on applying in about 3-4 years (I have two years of college left now and also want to work for a year or two before I apply). I am doing an internship at my state health department this summer but have a lot of free time still so I was thinking I could maybe study for the GRE this summer but wasn't sure if that's a waste to take it my junior year if I'm probably not applying for three years. Do the test scores expire after a certain time? Should I wait until after I graduate to take it? I want to make sure I leave time to take it at least twice if I don't do well the first time. When would you guys recommend taking it?

 

[Fedaykin]

ETS considers GRE scores valid for five years but most schools only accept them within the last three. Considering you won't know at exactly what point in time you're going to apply to a grad program, I would recommend taking it no sooner than two years before Spring (May-ish) of the academic year in which you'll apply. In other words, if you expect to apply in the 2017-2018 school year, don't take the exam sooner than May of 2016.

 

[environmentalhopeful]

Thank you so much!