Is it safe to take the GRE test at home??
THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM:-
ETS has been canceling many GRE scores which are taken from the home. The worst part is that they DO NOT mention the exact reason for the said cancellation. Most of the time, it could be because of intended malpractice during the test. But there could be cases, where your test scores might be canceled due to technical faults (like VPN fault, alternating tabs by mistake, faulty cache, and so on).
That being said, you are investing a huge amount of time and money in your abroad education, if your GRE scores get canceled after you have completed your entire application process(which itself costs a lumpsum amount), and even worse, if they are canceled after you have secured your admits and paid the deposit, this could become your worst nightmare.
So, choose wisely. Think about the pros and cons. Decide if taking a home-based GRE is absolutely necessary for you.
Having said that, What are the factors that determine your choice of taking the test at home or waiting for centers to become operational?
There are many questions that need to be considered before opting for a home-based GRE.
Q1: Do you have computers, connectivity, and an ambiance that meet GRE home requirement?
The requirement is not uncommon.
Computing Requirement: Any good laptop that runs Windows 7 or 8 or 10 should be sufficient. Conversely, if you have a desktop PC, you should have access to an external microphone, webcam, and a speaker.
WFH with office laptops: If you have taken your work laptop home for WFH, visit GREβs website and check whether you are able to install the ETS browser. In many companies, the sysadmin would have disabled the ability to install any external software on the official laptops. Check and verify that you will be able to use the software on your machine before registering for the GRE.
Connectivity Requirement: Any decent broadband connection should do the job. If you have a 2 MBPS plus broadband connectivity that is usually stable, it should tick the box as far as connectivity goes. However, if you live in a place where wired broadband is not available and you depend on mobile Internet, I will recommend that you find an alternative. It could be getting wifi access from a neighbor who has wired broadband for the duration of the test. If such an alternative is not possible because you have moved back to your hometown (during lock down) where decent broadband is not available, wait for the test centers to become operational. Or, at least, wait till you get back to your college or workplace where connectivity is better.
Ambiance: Do you have a reasonably silent room that is clutter-free with a desk and chair to take a 4-hour exam? If so, the home-based testing will work for you. On the other hand, if you live in a shared paying guest accommodation, you should probably not think about taking the GRE at-home version.
If you live in a comfortable house with an independent room for yourself, I think you should complete your GRE at home before the test centers open up and the option to take the GRE at home ceases to exist. You are unlikely to get any better ambiance in any test center that matches your own independent room.
Q2. Are there any game-changing differences between the two formats?
Yes, there are a few differences in the test administration process based on which format you choose. However, the fact is that there is not a single game-changing difference in the way GRE has opted to offer the GRE at home.
You still have to complete two sections each of Analytical writing, verbal, and quantitative reasoning in the home-based version. You get to do all calculations either on a transparent paper and a marker or on a whiteboard with a marker (you need not choose the whiteboard option). So, to that extent the test experience is almost the same as you will find in a center - only made better without any potential annoyance from another test taker next to you.
You have the option to take a retest should the first attempt result in a lower score. So, I do not see any point in not opting for the GRE at home if you checked the boxes about the system and ambiance requirement.
That's it, folks!
Hope this article helped you.
All the very best for your application process!
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