As a student who is looking to pursue their Masters/PhD, a question that one often encounters is: When do I take theGRE? The GRE can be taken at any point throughout the year, depending on the availability of the slots in a particular centre. There is no clear-cut answer to the question of when to write the GRE, but Jamboree would like to give you a few pointers to help make your decision.
Asking the following questions will give you a deeper insight into your preparation for the GRE exam and how it fits into your plans. Go step by step, and make sure you consider all factors before making a decision.
How prepared are you?
As a test-taker, you need to gauge your level of preparedness and make sure you are giving your best shot at the GRE.You can take diagnostic/sample tests and practice questions which will help you evaluate whether you are exam-ready. After all, there is no point in writing an exam when you are not adequately prepared.
The GRE tests your critical thinking, quantitative reasoning and language skills. Thus, based on your strengths, you will need to work to improve your math, vocabulary and/or writing abilities. Often, students find the GRE vocabulary difficult, and spend too much time on learning new words. At Jamboree, however, we believe in working smart: Our GRE prep method focuses on building your strengths and helping you with strategies to crack the GRE questions in a less time-consuming manner.
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When do you plan on pursuing your masters?
Most Indian students think about taking the GRE during the final year of their undergraduate studies. Remember that GRE exam scores are valid for a period of 5 years. This means that if you do well, you can even gather 2-3 years of work experience and apply to the University of your choice.
At Jamboree, we understand that students come from different backgrounds and therefore have different aspirations. While some students prefer to do their masters immediately after their undergraduate course, others like to wait and gain some work experience before delving into the more complex world of Masters’ degrees. Neither approach is better than the other, but students should factor in their plans towards prepping for the GRE:
Students who prefer the option of studying immediately after their undergrad like to continue their education primarily because they believe in momentum--- they do not want to have a stop-start in their education.
Students who take the route of experience first like to muster more practical and on-ground knowledge before they go for their master's program.
Either way, the GRE scores are valid for a period of 5 years, therefore, the timing of your master's program and when you take the exam is absolutely critical.
When are the application deadlines?
Application deadlines are listed on every university website; students need to research the college-specific application requirements and deadlines well in advance. Most universities have their application deadlines set in December or in January but do remember that this might vary from institution to institution.
There are different components to a complete application, which include the Statement of Purpose, Letters of Recommendation, transcripts etc., along with your GRE score. The process of creating a completely rounded application takes time and requires intensive and rigorous preparation.
Let us assume that you are looking to secure admissions into a university in the fall of 2025. Your application deadlines would be somewhere between December 2024 and January 2025. This means that you should plan on completing your GRE latest by November 2024. You also need to bear in mind that if you do not score well in your first attempt, you would need to retake the examination and the GRE can be taken only once every 21 days.
In order to give yourself enough time to prepare, take a diagnostic test and understand where you stand. This will give you enough time to plan ‘backwards’, and schedule your test with enough time for your applications.
How much time do I have to prepare for the GRE?
There are different kinds of test takers who attempt the GRE. A few of them are college students, while others just take the test to add to their professional qualifications.
Here, we focus on only those students who take the GRE as a part of their university application process. Now, for those who are either working professionals or parents, you will need to plan your preparation schedule around your work and other personal commitments, which might be a really demanding task. If you are a college-going student, you might have more time to attend GRE classes and integrate test prep into your schedule. Either way, ensure that you plan well in advance. Prudence is well advised: Lots of applicants miss deadlines due to an unplanned schedule. As we have already mentioned, planning backwards is the key to your success story.
The decision of when to take the GRE is completely dependent on the student. A student must be aware of factors that are personal, subjective, and those parameters which cannot be ignored; the requirements set by the university. A combination of subjective and objective factors should be key determinants for you to plan your journey.
Jamboree is probably the best institute I've come across for GMAT coaching. The faculty at Jamboree provides the students with the best resources and the best teaching. The time management strategies and tips given are class apart. I would recommend students to join jamboree if their primary goal is to crack GMAT with a 700+
Vedant Rawat
Choosing the right counselling service is a key to unlock my dream of studying abroad which wouldn't have been a dream come true if my counselling services wouldn't have been Jamboree. There are tons of options for counselling services right around the corner, but has always been a difficult task for one to choose the right one. The only differentiating factor I came across was the fact that how well you can sync up with your counselor and how well they understand my requirements to accomplish my goals. After the demo, I realized Mr. Sumit Verma has proved to be just the right key to unlock my dreams and turn them into reality. Jamboree has an excellent counselling services and editorial work. My counselor, has redirected my thoughts and helped me find my very own loop holes throughout my tenure with him and even helped me in overcoming them. Apart from this, he also helped me in shortlisting the universities which are the best fit for my career preferences. I was constantly guided about ways to enhance my profile and also was presented by a fair idea about the chances of admission in my dream University. Thus, he has helped me find my real potential and where do I need to strain upon to accomplish my goals and expectations.
Mansi Sarda
I am really thankful to my counselor Shagun Kansal right from day 1, as she handled my profile very patiently with strategic application to various universities for my MS program. She is really friendly, kind, polite and yet thorough professional. Thank you Jamboree Education for providing me an excellent counselor!
Caroline Xavier
Took coaching for GMAT at the Adyar branch over the course of a month during weekdays. The staff is supportive and help you brush up on all the concepts necessary to prepare for GMAT. The material provided is also comprehensive and helpful, and in addition to it, students are also provided with mock tests to put their learning to the test, helping to prepare them in a better way to take the GMAT. All in all, for anyone who is just starting out their GMAT preparation and needs good mentoring as well as relevant study material, Jamboree is a good bet.
Vrinda Kanvinde
With a time constraint of a month and a half to prepare for GRE, I needed complete and comprehensive prep assistance. At Jamboree, they provide an in depth understanding of strategies and concepts needed to master the GRE. The faculty were very patient and ensured that all concepts were thoroughly clear. The strategies taught in verbal can help solve seemingly impossible questions. In quant, concepts are taught based on their application in questions which really helps. Faculty were really forthcoming with doubt clearing sessions, even coming to the centre on a holiday in order to accommodate me. The staff were very warm and helpful. With a huge question bank, mirroring the type that come in GRE, and comprehensive coverage of topics in both their books, Jamboree really gave me an edge while attempting the GRE. Their well equipped lab and website, containing several mock tests, really helped get an understanding of the actual test experience, causing me to be less nervous on test day. Scores of 169 in verbal, and 159 in quant, making an overall score of 328 are really due in a huge part to the team at Jamboree.
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