GRE Score Sending Options: A Complete Guide

For many South Asian students preparing for graduate studies abroad, knowing how to choose GRE scores strategically can make a significant difference in their applications. The good news is that yes, you absolutely can choose which GRE scores to send to universities. However, the extent of your choices depends on when you plan to send these scores.

Score Sending Options on Test Day #

After completing your GRE examination, whether at a test center or through the at-home online version, you’ll face an important decision point. Assuming you decide to keep your GRE scores (rather than canceling them), you’ll have the valuable opportunity to send your scores to up to four programs completely free of cost.

At this stage, you’ll encounter two distinct options:

1. Send Your Most Recent Score: With this option, your designated universities will only see the scores from your current attempt. They won’t have any information about your previous GRE attempts or scores.
2. Send All Scores: Choosing this option means the selected programs will receive a comprehensive report of all your GRE attempts from the past five years.

Expanded Options After Test Day: Additional Score Reports (ASR) #

Your score-sending flexibility increases significantly after your test day, though it comes with a fee. Through Additional Score Reports (ASR), you can send your scores to as many programs as you wish. More importantly, you gain an additional powerful option beyond the two available on test day.

When sending ASRs, you can choose from:

1. Most Recent Score: Similar to the test day option, only your latest GRE attempt is shared
2. All Scores: A complete record of your GRE attempts from the past five years
3. Any: This is where things get interesting – you can selectively choose scores from one or multiple tests taken within the five-year validity period

Understanding Your Options Through a Real-World Example #

Consider this scenario that many Indian students face: you’ve taken the GRE multiple times with different results:

Test 1: Verbal 152, Quant 160 (Total: 312)
Test 2: Verbal 148, Quant 168 (Total: 316)
Test 3: Verbal 158, Quant 162 (Total: 320)

With the “Any” option in ASR, you have several strategic choices:

• You could send only your Test 3 score of 320, which is quite competitive for many programs
• Alternatively, you might choose to send both Test 2 and Test 3 scores. This approach showcases your peak performances: a strong 158 in Verbal (Test 3) and an impressive 168 in Quant (Test 2)

This flexibility allows you to present your best academic profile to admissions committees.

Important Limitations to Remember #

While the score-sending options are quite flexible, there are some important restrictions to understand. You cannot request ETS to mix and match sections from different attempts. For instance, using our previous example, you cannot combine the Verbal score (158) from Test 3 with the Quant score (168) from Test 2 to create a “super score” of 326.

Many Indian students ask about this possibility, but it’s important to understand that each test attempt stands as a complete unit. While you can choose which complete test scores to send, you cannot cherry-pick individual sections across different attempts.

Making Strategic Decisions #

When deciding which scores to send, consider your target programs’ requirements and your overall application strategy. Some programs may prefer to see all attempts as it demonstrates persistence and improvement, while others might focus solely on your highest scores.

If you’re working with application consultants or preparing with coaching institutes like Wizako, discuss your score-sending strategy with them. They can provide valuable insights based on their experience with successful admissions to your target universities.

Remember that score sending is just one component of your application strategy. While it’s important to present your best GRE performance, make sure to balance this with other crucial elements of your application, including your statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and academic records.

This flexibility in score reporting is designed to help you present your strongest academic profile to admissions committees. Use it wisely as part of your overall application strategy to maximize your chances of admission to your dream graduate programs.

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GRE Score Sending Options – FAQs #

Here are some relevant FAQ questions and answers that may GRE test takers have when choosing and sending GRE Scores:

GRE Score Report Basics #

Q: How long are GRE scores valid for score sending purposes?
A: GRE scores are valid for 5 years from your test date. After this period, you cannot send these scores to universities, and they will no longer appear in your ETS account.

Q: How much does it cost to send Additional Score Reports (ASR)?
A: Each Additional Score Report costs $35 or INR 2900 if you are from India (as of 2024). Remember that sending scores to four institutions on test day is free, so use those wisely.

Q: How long does it take for universities to receive GRE scores?
A: For the free score reports selected on test day, universities typically receive scores within 10-15 days after your test. Additional Score Reports usually take about 5 business days to process and deliver electronically.

Score Visibility and Privacy #

Q: Can universities see if I canceled a GRE score?
A: No, universities cannot see canceled scores. If you choose to cancel your scores immediately after your test, that attempt will not be visible to any institutions.

Q: If I send “All Scores” to a university, will they see my canceled attempts?
A: No, even when you choose to send all scores, universities will only see the scores you chose to keep after taking the test. Canceled scores are never included in score reports.

Q: If I take the GRE again after sending scores to a university, will they automatically receive my new scores?
A: No, universities will not automatically receive new scores. You would need to send an Additional Score Report if you want them to see scores from any new attempts.

Strategic Score Sending #

Q: Can I send different score combinations to different universities?
A: Yes, when using Additional Score Reports, you can choose different score sending options for each university. For example, you could send only your most recent score to one university while sending the second and the most recent scores to another.

Q: Do universities prefer to see all my GRE attempts?
A: This varies by university and program. Some admissions committees appreciate seeing improvement across multiple attempts, while others only consider your highest scores. Check with specific programs about their score evaluation policies.