when should i take the GRE?

[rohchris]

Hi,
I am trying to apply for vet schools this year. I am not sure, but UCD required ONLY the GRE score before june or something that is directly sent to the college from the GRE center.. if this is true, do all schools require GRE scores at different times?

but the admission process for UCD says:
ADMISSION PROCESS: All applicants must apply through
VMCAS. Academic and nonacademic criteria are used in the
evaluation process. Transcripts and GRE scores must be sent
directly to the college starting July 1, 2011. Three letters of
evaluation are required and sent directly to VMCAS.

I am confused..

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[Trematode]

To answer the title of your post, take the GRE as soon as you feel ready. If you wait until the last minute for schools and do not like your score, there is a 60 day wait period until you can take it again.

 

[Katie8]

Hi,
I am trying to apply for vet schools this year. I am not sure, but UCD required ONLY the GRE score before june or something that is directly sent to the college from the GRE center.. if this is true, do all schools require GRE scores at different times?

but the admission process for UCD says:
ADMISSION PROCESS: All applicants must apply through
VMCAS. Academic and nonacademic criteria are used in the
evaluation process. Transcripts and GRE scores must be sent
directly to the college starting July 1, 2011. Three letters of
evaluation are required and sent directly to VMCAS.

I am confused..

To add clarification: you can take the GRE anytime. You just have to have those scores sent to the school by their required date. Yes some schools have diffferent dates they require scores by, so it is important to have taken the GRE by the time the first school requires the score. Keep in mind it takes a least 3 weeks to get your official score report. Your test score will "expire" for most schools 5 years after the original test date. Keep in mind what Trematode said, you have to wait 60 days before retaking.

 

[Emiloo4]

To answer the title of your post, take the GRE as soon as you feel ready. If you wait until the last minute for schools and do not like your score, there is a 60 day wait period until you can take it again.

Since when? Is that a new rule for the new GRE? I took mine on June 17th and July 21st of 2011. Just curious. I know there is a 5 times in 12 month rule, but I didn't hear anything about a 60 day rule.

 

[wildcatj]

Yeah they changed it for the new test. At least 60 days apart and no more than 5 times in a 12 month period.

 

[Emiloo4]

Yeah they changed it for the new test. At least 60 days apart and no more than 5 times in a 12 month period.

Oh wow! That's kind of silly. Glad I never have to take that stupid thing ever again!!! Twice was enough for me! And to the OP, start brushing up on some material, and don't wait until last minute (like I did). I literally took the last test possible for the old GRE and LUCKED OUT at getting a good score. Give your self room and time for improvement, and good luck!

 

[wildcatj]

I took the GRE in January (I'm applying my first time this year), and I'm really happy I took it so early. I lucked out and did really well the first time so I don't have to take it again. But the earlier you take it the less stress you're going to have. If you end up having to rush at the end and the last opportunity to take it ends up being your only shot, you're going to be kicking yourself. Definitely take some time to prep (I'd say give yourself 2-3 months), but then take it so you have time to retake it if need be.

 

[OH Bunny Girl]

I literally took the last test possible for the old GRE and LUCKED OUT at getting a good score.

I did the same thing!

Does anyone know if schools are still accepting the old GRE or only the new one? Not that I will ever have to take that stupid test again (4th time was the charm!) but I was planning on (maybe?) selling my test prep books.

 

[Emiloo4]

I did the same thing!

Does anyone know if schools are still accepting the old GRE or only the new one? Not that I will ever have to take that stupid test again (4th time was the charm!) but I was planning on (maybe?) selling my test prep books.

Each school is different. Some will accept it until it expires (after 5 years) and some are requiring only the new one... which is SO annoying to me. I mean, I don't ever have to take it again, but that is just cruel!

 

[wildcatj]

I did the same thing!

Does anyone know if schools are still accepting the old GRE or only the new one? Not that I will ever have to take that stupid test again (4th time was the charm!) but I was planning on (maybe?) selling my test prep books.

They aren't offering the old GRE anymore, so the only option is the new gre. Your books might still be useful to someone since they cover the same types of things, just the scoring is different, you can go back and forth between questions on the screen and you get a calculator. Otherwise it's all the same.

 

[rohchris]

ok, another question. when i send the score directly to schools, don't they also look at every GRE scores that I take? then that means they look at my bad ones and good ones also.. isn't that bad?

 

[Emiloo4]

ok, another question. when i send the score directly to schools, don't they also look at every GRE scores that I take? then that means they look at my bad ones and good ones also.. isn't that bad?

There is no avoiding it, and it doesn't really matter because they will take your highest score from one sitting (they don't combine the highest scores from each section). Well, some schools might, but none of the 12 I applied to did lol.

 

[twelvetigers]

Some schools do combine. Purdue averages all. Most take the highest of one sitting, though.

 

[wildcatj]

Another piece of advice: Make sure you go into your exam knowing what schools you want to send your scores too. You get 4 free score reports sent to schools but only if you do it at the time of your exam. If you try to do it afterwards you have to pay for all of them.

 

[OH Bunny Girl]

And make sure you send your scores to the correct campus! One year, I accidently sent my scores to IU Springfield instead of IU Champaign (or vice versa?) and had to pay to have them sent to the other campus. Bunch of BS

 

[rohchris]

thank you guys for help!

 

[LaRue]

This is more of a timing question. If I want to start vet school the fall of 2014, then when a deadline says October or November for the GRE to be received, does that mean the GRE scores are due by October 2013 or November 2013?

Also, when they say the application deadline is October 2nd (for example), that does mean October 2nd 2013 right? Sorry,...I'm a major newb and I wanted to make sure.

Thanks

 

[T_Rose]

Hey. Just so everyone knows, they are changing the wait rule to 30 days rather than 60 days starting July 1st. And they are changing it so that you can select which scores you send to graduate schools if you take the GRE more than once.

 

[Fly Racing]

La Rue, you are correct. You apply the fall before you want to starts, so October 3rd 2013 will be when your app is due.

 

[Fly Racing]

I believe the "wait rule" is to prevent people from memorizing the test questions and patterns. More for the people that are working for the study book people. Not so much because they think a student will pay for and sit through a bagillion tests! The test becomes invalid when too many people can out smart it.

 

[sarah1029]

The 60 day rule will be changing. From ETS site:

*Effective July 1, 2012, you can take the GRE revised General Test (computer-based and/or paper-based) once every 30 days, and no more than five times within any continuous rolling 12-month period. This applies even if you canceled your scores on a test taken previously. If you take only the paper-based GRE revised General Test, you can take it as often as it is offered.

http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/register

 

[LaRue]

La Rue, you are correct. You apply the fall before you want to starts, so October 3rd 2013 will be when your app is due.

Thank you!