Taking the Test at Home
When this book lands in your hands, the at-home GRE test option may still be available. You will have to submit proof that you’re not set up to cheat. ETS provides detailed requirements when you sign up, but anti-cheat measures include taking a video of your room and using software that ensures no other app is open on your computer. This may be invasive, but ETS has to make sure you’re not stealing an advantage with your at-home setup.
Some students prefer the testing center so that there are no home-based distractions (such as family, dog, or phone notifications). On the other hand, at-home testing ensures that you can grab a time that works best for you, rather than selecting from the remaining open time slots at the testing center. Give it some thought, and hopefully at-home testing is still an option.
HANDLING UNIQUE CIRCUMSTANCES
If you have a special circumstance or need, the GRE powers-that-be are usually accommodating as long as you give them a heads-up. For example, if you have a learning disability, you may be able to get additional testing time. Following is a brief list of special circumstances and how to obtain assistance for each:
Learning disabilities: These disabilities refer to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and other related or similar conditions. To find out whether you qualify for accommodations or a disabilities waiver of any sort, contact ETS Disability Services, Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6054, Princeton, NJ 08541-6054; phone 866-387-8602 (toll free) or 609-771-7780 (Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time), TTY 609-771-7714, fax 609-771-7165; website www.ets.org/gre, email [email protected]. Qualifying for accommodations is an involved process that takes time, and gathering the required documentation may require significant effort on your part. If you have a qualifying disability, act sooner rather than later to find out what’s required and when you need to submit your request and documentation.
Physical disabilities: ETS tries to accommodate everyone. Folks who need special arrangements can get Braille or large-print exams, have test-readers or recorders, work with interpreters, and so on. You can get the scoop about what ETS considers to be disabilities and how the disabilities can change the way you take the GRE in the Supplement for Test Takers with Disabilities. This publication contains information, registration procedures, and other useful forms for individuals with physical disabilities. To get this publication, send a request to ETS Disability Services, P.O. Box 6054, Princeton, NJ 08541-6054. Or better yet, head to www.ets.org/gre and click the Test Takers with Disabilities or Health-Related Needs link. Voilà! All the info you need to know, along with contact information if you have questions or concerns.
Financial difficulties: Until you ace the GRE, get into a top-notch graduate school, and come out ready to make your first million, you may have a rough time paying for the exam. However, fee waivers are available. Note that the waiver applies only to the actual GRE fee, not to miscellaneous fees such as the test-disclosure service, hand-grading service, and so on. Your college counselor can help you obtain and fill out the appropriate request forms. (If you’re not currently in college, a counselor or financial aid specialist at a nearby college or university may still be glad to help you. Just call for an appointment.)
Training Physically and Mentally for Test Day
Taking an intense four-hour exam is challenging both mentally and physically. Most people aren’t used to concentrating at this level for such a long time. To meet the challenge, your brain needs a good supply of oxygen and nutrients, and it gets those from an active, healthy, and alert body primed with nutritious foods and beverages. The following sections provide guidance on whipping your body into shape for test day.
Staying active
You can’t just be a bookworm for the months leading up to the exam: You need to stay active. Exercise helps all parts of the body and leads to clearer thinking by increasing oxygen to the brain, so get moving! You don’t need to train for a marathon. Walking, swimming, jogging, yoga, Pilates, basketball, or doing anything active, especially outdoors, gets your body in motion and increases your overall health and circulation.
Eating well
Certain foods and beverages affect your cognitive ability, so avoid highly processed foods and foods high in sugar, starch, or fat. These foods tend to make you feel sluggish or result in bursts of energy followed by prolonged crashes. Lean more toward veggies — especially green, leafy veggies — and foods that are high in protein. When it comes to carbohydrates, go for complex over simple. Complex carbohydrates are typically in fresh fruits, veggies, and whole-grain products. Simple carbohydrates (to be avoided) are in candy, soda, anything made from white flour, and most junk foods, including chips. And forget those energy drinks that combine huge amounts of caffeine and sugar to get you to a state of heightened tension.
Relaxing
Relaxation comes in different forms for different people. Some folks are relaxed with friends; some read books and play music; and some do yoga, meditate, or paint. The only requirement when choosing how to relax is making sure your brain isn’t running 100 miles an hour. The whole purpose of relaxation is to give your brain a rest. So find a relaxing activity you enjoy, thank your brain by telling it to take some time off, and recharge.
Mastering the Computer Part
Sure, you know computers, but do you know this particular app — the GRE? Probably not, but it’s easy to learn. Just make sure that you learn the ins and outs before taking the actual exam. Don’t risk making a mistake that kills your score, such as getting stuck on a question because you forgot that you can skip it and go back.
To gain experience with the computerized GRE, take it for a test drive using the free practice exams from ETS. At the time of this writing, the practice exam package is web-based and features two actual GRE computer-based practice exams for you to become accustomed to the format of the real thing. Find it at www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/powerprep/.
The ETS practice exams look and feel exactly like the real thing, except that they don’t hold your life in the balance. Most of the buttons are self-explanatory, but these deserve special attention:
Mark: