The GRE (Graduate Record Examination) is a widely-used entrance exam at universities in the U.S. for students applying to post-baccalaureate programs. It’s now used by some law schools as a replacement for the LSAT (you can find the list of law schools here). ETS does not have an appeals process; the company claims accommodation requests may not be immediately granted due to insufficient documentation, but will be granted once sufficient documentation is provided.
Give yourself plenty of time.
The entire process from when you begin gathering materials for the accommodation, to receiving your score will take at least 10 weeks under the best circumstances. If you have the option to plan ahead, consider any delays you may encounter– getting your diagnosis paperwork, writing a statement of need, ETS processing the paperwork, and possibly supplying additional documentation.
Apply for accommodations first.
According to the ETS website, there is a 4-6 week documentation review window for accommodations, with another 2-4 weeks if additional documentation is required. The GRE Disabilities and Health-Related Needs website states that prospective test takers must wait until their accommodation request is approved to register for computer-based tests. However, test takers are considered registered for paper-delivered tests when they receive their authorization letters.
Consider additional time to re-test or supplement your accommodations request.
Are you applying for a specific semester start? When can you take the test that will allow you enough time to study and possibly retake the exam if you choose to do so? The GRE General Test can be taken at any time on a computer; but GRE Subject Tests that cover chemistry, mathematics, physics, and physiology are only offered three times a year (in September, October, and April). The full scores for the GRE General Test are available 10-15 days after the test date. Scores for the GRE Subject Test are available about 5 weeks after the test date. Plan accordingly, because re-testing may also be an opportunity to supplement your accommodations request with additional time or a paper-delivered exam.
If you need assistance preparing your GRE accommodations for submission to the Education Testing Service, contact the Ginsburg Legal Services team for support. Our accommodations team is here to help.