{"id":12787,"date":"2021-02-22T14:15:41","date_gmt":"2021-02-22T14:15:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/?p=12787"},"modified":"2021-02-24T18:42:46","modified_gmt":"2021-02-24T18:42:46","slug":"the-official-gre-can-now-be-taken-from-home","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.manhattanprep.com\/gre\/blog\/the-official-gre-can-now-be-taken-from-home\/","title":{"rendered":"We Took The GRE At Home. Here\u2019s What We Learned."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"GRE<\/p>\n

You\u2019re in luck\u2014everything you\u2019ve wondered about the GRE at home is here. Not only are we going to cover technical requirements, such as what to do before test day, and what to expect on test day, but we\u2019re also going to cover the experience taking the GRE at home from the perspective of a single person (\u201cStuart\u201d)\u2014during 2020, that is. Stuart told me about his experience and so I just want to make sure you know that <\/span>this isn\u2019t necessarily what your experience will be like. <\/b>Still, in case it might be helpful, we decided to report how it went down for one of <\/span>our teachers<\/span><\/a>. (Stuart isn\u2019t his real name.)<\/span><\/p>\n

To get started, what happens first? <\/span><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Your tech requirements<\/b><\/h3>\n

First, you\u2019ll have to install the ETS Test Browser as well as the appropriate web browser and extension (ProctorU recommends the Chrome browser). You\u2019ll also have to run the<\/span> ProctorU system check<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you\u2019re inside ProctorU, you have the option of filling out a Live Technician form to chat with a technician if you want to\u2014this is optional. It\u2019s straightforward\u2014you just give the technician access to your computer, and they can then see and hear you over your webcam. They can also take over your mouse (like they will during your actual test).<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have bad luck and experience a tech-related issue on test day that is so extreme that it prevents you from taking the test, all’s not lost. Yes, it\u2019s annoying, but you\u2019ll probably be given the option to reschedule your exam for free. I\u2019ll talk more about this momentarily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In general, be sure to carefully check out the technical requirements on the<\/span> ProctorU resource center<\/span><\/a> page and the <\/span>ETS At Home information<\/span><\/a> page prior to your test day. <\/span>You are allowed to take the GRE on a computer, but not a mobile device. As of this writing, you can use a PC or a Mac.<\/span> Oh, and ETS is now offering the GRE at home to test takers requiring accommodations, but be sure to confirm your accommodation with both ETS and ProctorU before your test to ensure that you\u2019re all set.<\/span><\/p>\n

Registration\/Scheduling\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n

You can register and pay for the exam <\/span>here<\/span><\/a>. After creating an ETS account, logging in, and locating the \u201cRegister\/ Find Test Centers, Dates\u201d button, you will select the GRE General Test. From here, you should be able to choose the \u201ctest at home\u201d choice. (Hover over the \u201cinfo\u201d icon for the essential requirements.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Before you can pick your test date and exact time, you\u2019ll need to both register and pay your fee of $205. <\/span>The at-home test is administered 24\/7 as of this writing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Finally, ETS will send you an order confirmation via email. You\u2019ll get a separate email with instructions for scheduling your test date and time, which you should receive within 24 hours. You\u2019ll be given an initial password, but, as always with initial passwords, our suggestion is to change it to a password that you\u2019ll easily remember. Finally, after doing all of this, you\u2019ll get your test reservation and see a countdown timer on your ProctorU dashboard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Rescheduling\/Cancellation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

According to the ETS website, the normal cancellation policy applies to the at home GRE\u2014you\u2019ll need to cancel <\/span>at least 4 days in advance<\/span><\/a> in order to receive a partial refund.<\/span> However, you can reschedule your test for free at any time before your appointment. Just go to your ProctorU dashboard. <\/span><\/p>\n

Getting ready for test day<\/b><\/h3>\n

As of this writing, the official website\u00a0FAQ page<\/a>\u00a0does not address accommodations.\u00a0However, several of our students have been told that accommodations are not being offered for the at-home option, and that test takers requiring accommodations will need to wait until testing resumes at test centers. It is possible this policy could change, and we will update this post as we learn more.<\/p>\n

Getting Ready for At-Home GRE Test Day<\/b><\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s the most important part: since you\u2019ll have to use a surface that you can erase on (like a white board that teachers use in classrooms) for scratch paper, you will need to buy one. If you order one online, be sure to allocate plenty of time for it to arrive. Deliveries are still delayed, so be generous about this time allocation!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You should watch the<\/span> Student Walkthrough Video<\/span><\/a> so that you know what the check-in process will be like. Be sure also to check out the <\/span>ETS At Home information<\/span><\/a> page as well as the <\/span>Pre Exam Checklist Video<\/span><\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n

What to expect on test day<\/b><\/h3>\n

Half an hour before your scheduled time (this is according to ETS, that is\u2014ProctorU doesn\u2019t actually tell you that you need to be early at all, so this is just playing it safe), sign in on your <\/span>ProctorU dashboard<\/span><\/a>. Your ProctorU exam link will become active just before your scheduled start time, and you\u2019ll be given some instructions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Make sure you have an government-issued ID on hand. Then ProctorU will screen share, access your video and audio, and take over your computer. Your proctor might be early or late\u2014if late, just hold tight; they\u2019ll get there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Once your proctor shows up, he\/she\/they will tell you what to do next. You\u2019ll probably be asked to place your phone out of reach (like across the room), and you\u2019ll probably ask to pan your camera around to show the proctor the four corners of your room. You\u2019ll also have the show the proctor what your erasable surface looks like (your whiteboard, or whatever you\u2019re using). Finally, the proctor will unlock your test, and you\u2019ll be free to begin!<\/span><\/p>\n

Our instructor \u201cStuart\u2019s\u201d experience taking the test<\/b><\/h3>\n

Mostly Stuart\u2019s proctor interacted with him through the chat rather than verbally, but a handful of times, she did hop on the mic. Before his test started, Stuart\u2019s proctor told him that he could use <\/span>both a whiteboard and the <\/span>Manhattan Prep GMAT yellow pad<\/span><\/a>. (Not everyone has been told this, however, so be aware that you may have a proctor who only allows you to use one erasable surface. Also, one person was asked to rip off the cover of the yellow pad because it had writing on it\u2014so be prepared possibly to have to do that if you\u2019re using a yellow pad\u2014you may want to have scissors nearby. Also note that, though the GMAT yellow pad can\u2019t be used for the GMAT Online.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Even though it was not ETS policy, Stuart\u2019s proctor also allowed him to have snacks on the table next to him, so that was interesting.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When Stuart asked the proctor if he could get up for a bathroom break during a section (as opposed to during the break), the proctor told him to ask verbally if he needed to leave the room. Stuart didn\u2019t end up needing to try this, but that\u2019s what he was told.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The only technical glitch Stuart had was during his essays section. There was an issue using his mouse, and so he tried to flag down the proctor but didn\u2019t get a response. He spent about three minutes trying to get the proctor\u2019s attention (of 30 minutes allocated for writing that essay) and ultimately decided to proceed with the section, never having heard from the proctor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until Stuart\u2019s 10-minute break (the only break during the test) that Stuart once again tried to communicate with the proctor. He spoke and waved and, getting no response, got up to take his break. When he returned, his break time hadn\u2019t expired, so he waited, eventually accessing the chat with the proctor through the Windows menu on his screen. The proctor then started the next section of the exam.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At the conclusion of Stuart\u2019s exam, he received his scores for the quant and verbal portions of the test, just like one does at a test center. (Note that your scores don\u2019t appear in your ETS account right away\u2014that takes a few days.)<\/span><\/p>\n

What to take away from Stuart\u2019s test-taking experience:<\/b><\/h4>\n