|
|
GMAT Club Daily Prep
Thank you for using the timer - this advanced tool can estimate your performance and suggest more practice questions. We have subscribed you to Daily Prep Questions via email.
Customized
for You
Track
Your Progress
Practice
Pays
Not interested in getting valuable practice questions and articles delivered to your email? No problem, unsubscribe here.
QuantumVoyager
05 Nov 2024, 22:30
Kudos
Bookmarks
Hi everyone,
I'm deciding whether to take the GRE at home or at a test center and was wondering if anyone has experience with both options. Is one better in terms of convenience, comfort, or even test difficulty? Does the format or type of questions differ depending on where you take the test?
I’d appreciate any insights or advice. Thanks in advance!
I'm deciding whether to take the GRE at home or at a test center and was wondering if anyone has experience with both options. Is one better in terms of convenience, comfort, or even test difficulty? Does the format or type of questions differ depending on where you take the test?
I’d appreciate any insights or advice. Thanks in advance!
06 Nov 2024, 20:00
Kudos
Bookmarks
You will get largely the same test and experience.
The online version is a bit more hassle and your score may be delayed due to verification process or in some rare cases even canceled.
Most of the people in the US prefer the online test however, as you can take it at almost any time GMAT at least (I assume GRE is the same way for scheduling and timing). However, many folks outside of the US still prefer the test-center based test to avoid lag during the test moving question to question and also the proctor hassle - it can be more stressful.
The online version is a bit more hassle and your score may be delayed due to verification process or in some rare cases even canceled.
Most of the people in the US prefer the online test however, as you can take it at almost any time GMAT at least (I assume GRE is the same way for scheduling and timing). However, many folks outside of the US still prefer the test-center based test to avoid lag during the test moving question to question and also the proctor hassle - it can be more stressful.
mcelroytutoring
Expert
Tutor
Joined: 10 Jul 2015
Last visit: 19 Mar 2026
Posts: 1,206
Own Kudos:
Given Kudos: 282
Status:Expert GMAT, GRE, and LSAT Tutor / Coach
Affiliations: Harvard University, A.B. with honors in Government, 2002
Location: United States (CO)
Age: 45 (10 years and counting on GMAT Club!)
GMAT 1: 770 Q47 V48
GMAT 2: 730 Q44 V47
GMAT 3: 750 Q50 V42
GMAT 4: 730 Q48 V42 (Online)
GRE 1: Q168 V169
GRE 2: Q170 V170
Expert reply
20 Dec 2024, 18:21
Kudos
Bookmarks
I have taken both multiple times, and in my opinion the test-center GRE is more likely to result in a satisfactory test-taker experience (and a valid score) than is the at-home version.
While the GRE at home is undeniably convenient, and a great option for those who do not live nearby a test-center, there are just too many things that can go wrong: the proctor shows up late or not at all (happened to me twice), your power and/or wifi signal drops, the technology doesn't work, crashes, and/or lags (happened once), et. cetera.
In addition, Prometric / ETS exam security may flag or even cancel your at-home GRE score for running background software (whether unintentional or not), for talking to yourself, for covering your mouth, or for going / looking off camera (yes, even briefly!)--and for a variety of other reasons, including suspiciously high score improvements, and suspected Analytical Writing plagiarism.
For these reasons, I would estimate that at-home GRE scores are 2-3 times more likely to be cancelled than are test-center scores. The at-home test is undeniably easier...but it's also a bigger risk.
Happy Holidays,
-Brian from McElroy Tutoring
While the GRE at home is undeniably convenient, and a great option for those who do not live nearby a test-center, there are just too many things that can go wrong: the proctor shows up late or not at all (happened to me twice), your power and/or wifi signal drops, the technology doesn't work, crashes, and/or lags (happened once), et. cetera.
In addition, Prometric / ETS exam security may flag or even cancel your at-home GRE score for running background software (whether unintentional or not), for talking to yourself, for covering your mouth, or for going / looking off camera (yes, even briefly!)--and for a variety of other reasons, including suspiciously high score improvements, and suspected Analytical Writing plagiarism.
For these reasons, I would estimate that at-home GRE scores are 2-3 times more likely to be cancelled than are test-center scores. The at-home test is undeniably easier...but it's also a bigger risk.
Happy Holidays,
-Brian from McElroy Tutoring
