When should I take a GRE test

[BlackSoil]

Hi all,
I'm hoping to apply to grad school for 2015 Fall term, in which the applications are open on 2014 Fall (please correct me if I'm wrong).

I'm thinking of giving myself a second attempt in case I wouldn't do too well on the first. When should I take the GRE test? 

Thanks

[victorydance]

Early September is when I am planning on taking mine. Gives you an extra try if you screw it up, plus plenty of time to submit your scores in time for mid December deadlines.

[Gvh]

It depends if you want to give yourself time to re-take if all goes wrong. I've already taken it once and I don't plan to take a third time, so I will be taking it the 3rd week of October, which is  roughly 6 weeks before my first deadline. I also didn't want to take it TOO early so that I would have a finalized my school list to send my scores to. 

[DeepSaklani]

You have descent amount of time in your hand and you must prepare properly so that you do well in first attempt. Here are few tips which you can follow to prepare well for the exam.

 

Ø  Plan your schedule: Another aspect which is highly critical is to charter your preparation is your schedule and the way in which you have to go about it. Various training institutes provide software packages and tools that provide awareness on the test-taking strategies, simulated tests on all areas and much needed insight on the parameters governing the way a GRE test is scored. In addition to the preparation part, you have to include adequate sleeping hours during the prep days so that you do not reach a zombie state bereft of sleep. Also never put it too much of last hour cramming lest you might consider dozing off during the exam.

 

Ø  Know you exam: The GRE test has 3 sections which have to be given equal weightage. The aspirant would really do well to be aware of the exam format and the interface making sure he does not get a shock of his life the first time he attempts the GRE exam.

 

 

Ø  Focus on your weak areas of study: GRE requires you to have impeccable quantitative skills, immaculate reasoning ability and polished writing skills all of which does not come naturally to many. The aspirants have to identify the areas in which they are solid and those which require enhancement and specifically focus their preparation in that direction. They have to guard against laying more emphasis on their areas of interest in which they are traditionally strong while neglecting other comparatively weaker areas of study.  This invariably leads to a skewed level of preparation and below standard performance in the final exam.

 

Ø  Practice simulated tests: Apart from getting a real life experience of taking a simulated GRE test, it would also help you budget your time, and to pace and strategize the way you should take the exam. Every individual has his own way and should stick to it but should not forget small tricks of elimination, backward answering etc. that go a long way in ensuring a strong performance.

 

 

Ø  Be sure about the schools you are targeting:  One of the most critical facets of your GRE preparation is zeroing in on the list of schools you are targeting. With nearly all graduate schools in the United States requiring a GRE score for admission, it becomes vital to know the minimum test scores those schools consider as their minimum cut offs. That way, you can streamline your preparation on various specific areas and identify beforehand what exactly you need.  

 

There are many online resources available in the market for GRE® exam preparation and you can choose any of them based on your requirement. Apart from this, Mobile based learning can be another approach to prepare for GRE®. There are several mobile apps available in the market like Gradestack which offers comprehensive GRE® exam preparation course package. Mobile learning and better accessibility is the best advantage which mobile app offers. 

If prepared well, you will not have to retake GRE exam. However, if you still feel you want to try it twice, you should go ahead and do it.