Retaking the GRE – for some it is more like a luxury that they want to pursue with the hopes of improving their chances at the top schools or go some additional funding, and for others it is a necessity because they desperately are looking to improve their scores.

If yous belong to one of these ii groups, and specially the latter, then it is possible that you lot're full of questions. It'due south non uncommon to spend a few sleepless nights thinking:

Should I consider retaking the GRE? 😏

Is information technology worth the extra fourth dimension, money and try? ⏲️💰😪

Volition I be able to ameliorate my score significantly? 🤔

Should I study on my ain or join an online course? 💻

And what if I score even lower than earlier? 😱

Whoa, now that'southward a question to keep you awake last night, isn't it? 👀

You're not alone in this

Peradventure you didn't get the score you wanted. Perchance you're sure you lot didn't report at all the final fourth dimension and want to requite information technology another go. Maybe your score does not run across your target university'southward standards.

But whichever may be the reason, it is perfectly alright to call up of retaking the GRE. Considering while you might think you're the simply one retaking the GRE in the entries globe, that is not true.

Because according to this latest ETS survey, more than one in every iv people around the world takes the GRE more than than once. 😲

Fascinating, isn't it? Then yous're not alone. While you might think you're the only one who couldn't attain their target GRE score, residue bodacious that there are at to the lowest degree 100,000 more like yous around the world.

At least 25% of test takers around the world take the GRE more than once!😲

ETS Survey

And more chiefly, the vast bulk of those who retake the GRE test actually run across an improvement in their scores!

So, if y'all're not happy with your current score, and if you lot're wondering whether retaking the GRE examination is the correct thing to practise, then this guide should assistance you lot decide.

Should y'all go for a retake?

Of course, whether or non to take the test in one case again is a subjective question, and the answer might differ from 1 person to the other. However, this brief guide is an attempt to ask you the correct questions so you can make up one's mind it for yourself.

The GRE comes with a motive of testing your aptitude, belittling thinking, and exact reasoning skills. Despite what many high scores might want y'all to believe, retaking the GRE is no piece of cake.

Except for a minor minority of test takers, most students stop upwards getting scores that are beneath their targets. And so, it is of import to remember that even if you lot are putting your best efforts, you lot might sometimes not be able to reach it at one go.

But if your scores are not up to the mark, then exercise not worry; In that location tin be a lot of reasons why you did not perform well on the GRE in the past. But yous e'er have an open window to improve your test scores, all you need is to buckle upwards for some other month or two, and only retake the GRE test!

Having said that, retaking the GRE is retaking not an easy chore. You'd have to do everything that y'all've already done, once again – the written report plans, the late night practice sessions, the 4-hour full-length tests, the vocabulary flashcards, the in-depth reviews, the painful hard-hitting realities, and all of the other things that you endured just a while ago.

Ugh. Seems similar a nightmare, doesn't it? No wonder why many test takers make this decision rather grudgingly.

disappointed baby GIF

Nosotros all know that GRE test tin be difficult to score for a lot of people for diverse reasons. And that is why ETS has a provision that allows retaking the GRE test upward to five times a year, so that you have multiple chances to improve your scores.

Retaking the test does non touch on your applications to your dream university equally you can decide which score you would like to submit in your application. While you are however in the mode of studying, you can retake the GRE later 21 days and work on your weaknesses immediately; and in a year you can take the test 5 times.

Consider These Earlier Retaking the GRE

Taking the GRE test was quite a piece of work. Only when you retake the GRE, along with the hard work, yous might demand a different approach to scoring well. To make things easier for you lot to understand, here are a few things to consider before you lot retake the GRE. This can be a small checklist for you while you programme your way through.

#1: Purpose of retaking the GRE

Retaking the GRE test means going through the aforementioned or even more difficult work all over again. It demands you to invest a whole lot of time and patience in it. Hence, if you want to retake the test, you have to be very articulate of your purpose to do then.

You must first empathise if you lot actually need a retake. You lot have a target score to reach according to the universities yous are applying for. Now what'south a good GRE scoremay be relative to your goals, but it is important that you aim really high.

For example, y'all want to pursue a Master's degree in the pinnacle 50 universities across the US that demand a good GRE score, and then your target should be effectually 325.

But in some other cases where institutes are non that concerned nearly the GRE score, a 300-310 would be a skillful score.

If yous haven't achieved a "good score" at your first endeavor, you should consider retaking the examination. But, information technology is completely harmless if yous are a little ambitious and you desire to score more than. To add to the benefits of a meliorate score, you can even become a scholarship for farther education.

If the purpose is clear enough in your mind, it becomes a lot easier for yous to further excel in the test. You finer understand what areas you need to work on and how to fix appropriately.

Hence, the first stride is agreement the demand for retaking the GRE.

#2: Pros and Cons of retaking the GRE

If you are still in a set in deciding whether or non to requite the exam over again, here is another tip. To make it easier to sympathise if yous demand to retake the GRE, you tin make a listing of pros and cons

Here is a general list of pros and cons of retaking the exam. Yous can add your ain pros and cons to the list based on your experience or situation.

Pros:

  • You become another chance to improvise if you couldn't exercise the test due to reasonable circumstances.
  • With the opportunity, you tin score amend.
  • If you lot accept taken the test multiple times, with ScoreSelect, you can decide which score to ship out in your applications.
  • Retaking GRE does not have a major consequence on your application.

Cons:

  • The test costs a lot. If you accept a financial hardship, you need to be very certain if it is worth.
  • You might have a time limitation. If in that location is a crisis in a deadline of applications, you lot might want to reconsider taking the test.
  • Information technology is of no use if yous are not prepared enough for the exam. Hence, you have to make sure that you lot study well earlier giving the exam again.
  • Giving a retest once is harmless, simply giving it multiple times might bear on your application.

#3: Financial Aspects

In the above points, we mentioned a few limitations of retaking GRE. But as every trouble has a solution, in that location is ever a fashion to overcome the cons.

It is certain past now that retaking GRE needs to exist well planned with a articulate goal.

When it comes to the fiscal demands, y'all demand to pay the fees of the same amount as you paid while giving information technology for the first time. Currently, the GRE sets you back by $205. Having said that, that amounts to nothing, compared to what you will be incurring during your Master's degree.

Moreover, think of this as a teeny tiny investment you're making in yourself to become into a much better college, and eventually get a much college paying job than y'all would have otherwise. It'south no wonder most people who retake the GRE feel similar it is the best decision they take always made. So you lot tin never go incorrect. 🙂

#four: Fourth dimension Management

Understanding the timelines for retaking the GRE is very crucial. We are now enlightened that nosotros can echo the test afterward 21 days. However, you need to bank check whether or not it is well before your applications borderline. If information technology is, you can get for a retest without whatever worries. Merely if y'all get the retest slot a few days earlier the applications borderline, go for it only if information technology is really needed.

When it comes to time management, we sometimes tend to fail how much time we need for the preparations.

Plan a sufficient amount of time to ready before the retest.

This can allow you finer ameliorate on your scores. To make up one's mind how much fourth dimension you volition need you tin checklist a few factors below;

How far are you from your target score?

How well did you score in your practice test?

Which areas do yous need to better?

How much fourth dimension practise you demand to ameliorate based on your studying capacity?

Past answering these questions y'all might get a tentative idea on how many days you volition demand to prepare. Accordingly, yous can utilize and volume your slot for the retest. If you tin can't decide how much time you need to set up, yous can plan out your preparation by referring to "Plan to accomplish your goal" below.

#5: Expectations when retaking the GRE

Now that you lot have registered and got an appointment, it'southward fourth dimension for you lot to start preparing. Before y'all start with your studies, it is always good to come upwardly with a plan and go along small targets that can help y'all prepare for the ultimate exam. In the case of the retest, the start step is to understand which places require improvement.

You can start past checking how far are you from your target score. You then subject your score to categories of belittling thinking, maths, and vocabulary. You volition now understand which category requires more attending.

Some other easy way to analyze your previous test is by simply using the GRE Diagnostic Service. The diagnostic tells yous:

  • which questions you answered are right or wrong.
  • Each question in GRE is designated a difficulty level from 1 to 5. The diagnose tells you lot how many difficult questions you have answered correctly.
  • how much time you have spent in answering a certain question.

With this detailed analysis, information technology is super easy for you to figure out where you need to improve. However, this service expires after six months of the test. In instance you are too late, yous can get assistance from the comprehensive analysis at CrunchPrep.

#vi: Plan to attain your goal

By now it will be articulate to y'all what areas you demand to focus and improve on.

With your targets clear, you can make your report schedule hands.

Since you have given the test before, you can beginning figure out what topics y'all are well-versed with. You tin can go along these topics to study while you lot are revising or giving practice tests.

First, outset by studying the topics y'all are not prepared with at all.

When yous are creating a schedule, make sure that it is comfortable for you and y'all are giving sufficient time for each topic.

While y'all are studying, pay close attention to what topics yous are able to understand and what topics are difficult for y'all. If your ideal ways of studying are not working, try out some new ways to sympathize those topics.

If y'all feel that you have studied well yous tin can go ahead with practice tests. With these tests, y'all volition understand your speed, and how prepared are you lot. In this way, you can go along improving, hence, perform well.

You should also consider having a different approach towards studying. Here is a very useful 80-xx method you can try out to score better.

#7: Relax and Be Confident

Retaking the GRE exam can be really hectic and put a lot of pressure on you. Stressing too much might affect your training and performance in the exam. Just don't permit panicking have your toll.

Initially, information technology is difficult to sit in one place and study. While y'all are preparing, there volition be times where you neglect to commit to your schedule. But information technology'southward completely fine, every bit long as you make up for it the next day. If you lot fail to understand a certain topic, you can always motility to the next one and become back to it later.

Your persistence and dedication would work like magic for scoring better.

For a smooth grooming, avoid final moment hassles as it might result in a bad upshot.

If you lot are prepared for the test, you don't need to worry well-nigh anything.

All you demand to do is relax and exist confident while giving the exam. Yous are sure to achieve your target score.

Next step: Applying for a Retake

If you lot have thought about it long plenty and have considered all the factors mentioned in a higher place, you can go ahead with applying for a retest.

This process is uncomplicated and very similar to applying for GRE for the starting time time. The only difference is y'all tin employ the same account on ETS rather than making a new 1. We've explained this in greater particular in our post nearly booking a GRE date.

But before you book your adjacent GRE retake appointment, it would be adept to understand if you lot're at that place, getting the scores y'all're targeting. And the all-time mode to practise that is to have a practice test.

We'd unremarkably recommend that you lot accept the free ETS PowerPrep tests, simply considering that you lot might have already wearied those gratuitous tests, nosotros recommend you lot to take a costless GRE practice test that gives you lot equally accurate results. Luckily, we have one gratuitous test for you at CrunchPrep, so go ahead and take it before you take the big plunge.

At present It'southward Your Plow

At that place tin can exist a lot of reasons for y'all to retake the GRE exam. It's true that retaking the GRE doesn't have any negative impact on your application. However, it needs to be well idea of and well planned if you intend to retest. The factors mentioned above are like a guideline and the basic factors to call up of before you go ahead and employ for a retest. Of these, the most essential role is played in agreement your goals for the retest. But information technology is equally important for y'all to be patient and calm for the same.

And so, those are some things you should proceed in mind before you plan on retaking the GRE examination. And as ever, if yous accept whatever other interesting considerations in mind, do allow the states know in the comments below!

Good luck with your GRE test! May the scores be with yous! 😉