Is My GRE Mail-In Registration Processed?

[ope211]

Not sure if this is the right place, but I'm desperate. I mailed a paper registration for the Physics GRE since I need to take it on Monday. I mailed it in awhile ago and have heard nothing about whether or not it was received or processed and there's nothing on my bank account statement to say the payment was processed. For all I know it got lost or something. They have to receive it tomorrow or I can't take the test. Please, has anyone here registered by mail? How long did it take for you to get some word? Did they send you an email? I'm starting to panic a little, I've been calling and calling them but they are incredibly unhelpful.

 

[Fervent Freyja]

I doubt it. My Kaplan Book says that the application form for the voucher should be mailed so that 4 weeks are allowed for processing before they can send you a voucher back in the mail. When you receive the voucher, you can schedule an appointment then. Either that or pay for another voucher by phone, which may allow you to take it on Monday (if you can arrange the appointment). Maybe you don't need to take the test just yet, you don't seem very prepared for it...

 

[ope211]

I doubt it. My Kaplan Book says that the application form for the voucher should be mailed so that 4 weeks are allowed for processing before they can send you a voucher back in the mail. When you receive the voucher, you can schedule an appointment then. Either that or pay for another voucher by phone, which may allow you to take it on Monday (if you can arrange the appointment). Maybe you don't need to take the test just yet, you don't seem very prepared for it...

The Monday testing arrangement is for those (such as myself) whose religious convictions prevent them from testing on Saturdays, which is the only day the Physics Subject Test is offered. My understanding is that making an appointment is for the general GRE, which can be on any day of the week. The Subject Tests are only offered three days a year. I do not have the Kaplan book and that information is not on the website, I have been using Conquering the Physics GRE for prep. I'm not sure what you mean by a "voucher." On the paper registration form I included my credit card information as my payment method. I have called the GRE customer service before and after mailing in the registration and got several different responses in regards to this issue. On the phone I was quoted the 4 weeks figure as being how long it would take to receive information about the testing center I had been assigned (those with Monday testing accommodations do not select a test center on the registration form.) Someone told me that I would receive a confirmation email. Another person said it would take 7-10 days to "process" and then didn't seem to know what processing meant.

So, maybe you can see that I might be a bit hurt by your last comment? It's a bit unfair, you can't possibly know my situation or the research and preparation I've done.

 

[Fervent Freyja]

I cannot see how I hurt your feelings considering that many schedule the appointment months in advance. I've seen recommendations for one year ahead. Doing everything that you can to prepare, especially tying those small things up far ahead of time will lessen your stress and improve the outcome of the test results. This is an important exam. Why should I feel bad for you? Many people will never have the opportunity to receive a college education- would they have embraced the challenge and been better prepared? Being in a panic like this with less than 72 hours before this exam might not be a good idea. I'm just being honest about it, not trying to hurt your feelings.

 

[ope211]

I cannot see how I hurt your feelings considering that many schedule the appointment months in advance. I've seen recommendations for one year ahead. Doing everything that you can to prepare, especially tying those small things up far ahead of time will lessen your stress and improve the outcome of the test results. This is an important exam. Why should I feel bad for you? Many people will never have the opportunity to receive a college education- would they have embraced the challenge and been better prepared? Being in a panic like this with less than 72 hours before this exam might not be a good idea. I'm just being honest about it, not trying to hurt your feelings.

I'm sorry, maybe I made my situation unclear. I'm not TAKING the exam in 72 hours! I'm talking about the paper registration I mailed in for the Physics subject test exam in September. https://www.ets.org/gre/subject/register/centers_dates/ The deadline for sending in a registration for Monday accommodations for the September exam is tomorrow, that's what I meant. I sent in my registration awhile ago, I just haven't gotten any sort of confirmation that it has been received, and I wanted to hear from people who had been in this situation, where they couldn't register online and had to mail their registration, and I wanted to know how long it took for ETS to send word that the registration was received.

Again, scheduling an appointment is for the General GRE, I'm sure of it, as I've completed that process as well, and the registration for the subject test looks different.

 

[Fervent Freyja]

You didn't say anything about the online GRE account. Have you checked to see if you can sign in with your email account that they were supposed to sent confirmation to? If not, try logging in with that email or signing up again. Try this link: https://mygre.ets.org/greweb/login/login.jsp

 

[ope211]

You didn't say anything about the online GRE account. Have you checked to see if you can sign in with your email account that they were supposed to sent confirmation to? If not, try logging in with that email or signing up again. Try this link: https://mygre.ets.org/greweb/login/login.jsp

Yeah, I've been checking my myGRE account, nothing. :( Also been checking my credit card online statements to see if I'd been charged for it yet, and nothing. They've been very unclear on the phone about how I'll know that everything went through, but I as far as I can tell there's supposed to be a confirmation email, and then they send information such as the testing center via mail.

 

[Fervent Freyja]

Ah, I see "take it in", I thought you meant taking it on Monday! I don't see them giving you any issues about it then, if the envelope is postmarked it should be acceptable (it is considered technically valid)! Everything will be alright. Now, you can see why I responded that way. I wouldn't wish anyone to do poorly here. Good luck for when you do take it!

 

[Fervent Freyja]

Yeah, I've been checking my myGRE account, nothing. :( Also been checking my credit card online statements to see if I'd been charged for it yet, and nothing. They've been very unclear on the phone about how I'll know that everything went through, but I as far as I can tell there's supposed to be a confirmation email, and then they send information such as the testing center via mail.

The date that the post office received the envelope is usually considered technically valid. The legal system accepts postmarked dates as date received in some circumstances, you should be alright as long as it was marked by the application deadline date!