GRE Date/Will Schools Receive My Scores In Time

[killerparties]

I plan on retaking the GREs in early November.

Do you think schools with early-mid December deadlines will receive my new scores in time? Will only the four schools I choose on the test day receive my scores? I'm really worried about this. Any feedback is welcomed! Thanks.

[torakichi]

The ETS website says:

"Official Verbal, Quantitative, and Analytical Writing scores will be sent to you and the score recipients you designated within 10 to 15 days after you take the test. Allow sufficient time for mail delivery from Princeton, New Jersey, USA."

It sounds like a month (early Nov to early Dec) would be enough for them to determine the score (10-15 days) and for the report to make it to the 4 grad schools you select on that day (7-10 days at most?).

For additional reports they say:

"Score reports will be mailed to you and to your designated institutions approximately five business days after your request."

So, add 5 days to the previous calculation to find out the time it may take them to get there (at most 15+10+5=30). Still feasible, but it seems like a good idea to choose the schools with the earliest deadlines as the 4 freebies.

[solefolia]

I would do the preliminary/"day of" report of scores to the schools with the earliest dates.

I think most graduate schools realize that sometimes things get delayed or lost in the shuffle, so even if things do show up late, as long as you let them know the scores are on the way (and you had them sent well in advance), I'm sure they'll understand.

[rising_star]

One thing to consider is that ETS does regular mailings of scores on CD/DVDs to the schools. Scores from multiple dates are grouped together before they're sent out, which could cause a delay in when it's sent out. That said, do you really think the grad admissions office is going to be opening mail and sorting through things Dec 22-Jan 2? Because I highly doubt they'll be well staffed then...

Oh, and FWIW, I took the GRE the first week of November when I applied. No reported problems of not receiving my schools, including the fact that I decided to apply to schools that I hadn't listed when I took the test. All of my deadlines were Jan 1 or later though.