I goofed - I missed the GRE. Where to go from here?

[themefromthebottom]

So, here I was, on December 13, prepared to submit what I was confident would be a series of strong applications. I had great letters, a good writing sample, various awards, and excellent grades. I was going to be taking the GRE the next morning. This was just about as late as one could possibly take it, but I felt prepared.

I got up on time - 7:00 on the dot - and went about my usual morning routine. I made coffee, got dressed, and went down to the library for a long day of grading. Note that I did not get in my car and drive to the GRE test center. Inexplicably, I completely forgot about the GRE until early this afternoon. It never even crossed my mind.

Now, I've looked, and there's nowhere within a 100 mile radius where I can take the GRE in time to send it to schools. So I can't apply to grad school this season. I have multiple statements of purpose written and applications filled out. One of my recommenders has already sent his letter. But I can't apply, because there is just no way that I will have a GRE score. This is what I get for leaving the GRE until December, I know. But where do I go from here? Obviously, my recommenders and adviser need to know that I won't be applying. But what can I possibly say to them? I don't want to admit that I missed my GRE date, and thereby look like the worst kind of student. But I have to say something.

Now, while I was feeling quite confident about my application, this isn't a huge blow. I had been considering a gap year anyway, and was prepared to take next year off to work on my application in case I didn't get into a top program. But I'm just not sure what to say to to people between now and the end of the month.

Has anyone here had anything like this happen to them? Any advice you may have would be much appreciated. I'd even take consolation at this point.

[pecado]

You can apply to programs that do not require GRE. Also, if you have money, you could apply to programs abroad, specially in Europe. They are good, and better than many in the USA, although you will probably have to apply to the master level first, then to the doctorate.

[kaykaykay]

I had a similar issue (well my scores did not arrive thanks to ETS) so I did not apply to a lot of places for one season. Later my profs told me that schools accept GREs arriving after the deadline ))))): . major blow. So try to ask your programs maybe you can still make it!

[thatsjustsemantics]

4 hours ago, themefromthebottom said:

So, here I was, on December 13, prepared to submit what I was confident would be a series of strong applications. I had great letters, a good writing sample, various awards, and excellent grades. I was going to be taking the GRE the next morning. This was just about as late as one could possibly take it, but I felt prepared.

I got up on time - 7:00 on the dot - and went about my usual morning routine. I made coffee, got dressed, and went down to the library for a long day of grading. Note that I did not get in my car and drive to the GRE test center. Inexplicably, I completely forgot about the GRE until early this afternoon. It never even crossed my mind.

Now, I've looked, and there's nowhere within a 100 mile radius where I can take the GRE in time to send it to schools. So I can't apply to grad school this season. I have multiple statements of purpose written and applications filled out. One of my recommenders has already sent his letter. But I can't apply, because there is just no way that I will have a GRE score. This is what I get for leaving the GRE until December, I know. But where do I go from here? Obviously, my recommenders and adviser need to know that I won't be applying. But what can I possibly say to them? I don't want to admit that I missed my GRE date, and thereby look like the worst kind of student. But I have to say something.

Now, while I was feeling quite confident about my application, this isn't a huge blow. I had been considering a gap year anyway, and was prepared to take next year off to work on my application in case I didn't get into a top program. But I'm just not sure what to say to to people between now and the end of the month.

Has anyone here had anything like this happen to them? Any advice you may have would be much appreciated. I'd even take consolation at this point.

Hi,

 

I believe the following schools do not require the GRE for admission or funding: Cornell, UM Ann Arbor, U-Madison Wisc

Moreover, there are a lot of schools that will accept unofficial scores until they receive the official ones at a later time; the point is that you could take the GRE soon, record your unofficial scores for application deadlines coming up, meanwhile sending your official GRE scores to all of your schools even though you will not receive them for a few weeks; For example, UNC Chapel Hill accepts unofficial scores during th admission process until tey arrive a few weeks later, I bet:

[themefromthebottom]

Thanks, @thatsjustsemantics. That's good advice. I'll start looking at programs that don't require the GRE. It'll probably be impossible to schedule a GRE before early January - so, in all likelihood, I won't even be able to get unofficial scores to schools.

Anyone have any thoughts on what to say about this?

[ExponentialDecay]

Contact the admissions offices of all the schools you applied to, describe your situation (briefly), and ask what you should do. It's not a 100% chance of success, but emails don't cost you any money. Schools accept late LORs and late writing samples. Perhaps at some of them, a late GRE isn't a big deal either.