Preparing for GRE and TOEFL Exams: Registration, Test Format, and Resources

[Septim]

Greetings,

I am going to receive my bachelor's degree in science the next year and I have registered for the two GRE exams. Regarding the admission procedure and the exams, I have a few inquiries:

1) While registering for the GRE subject test I was asked to select which institutions to send my results to; however, during the registration of the GRE general test I was not asked such a question. Does this mean that both test results will be sent to the same institutions?

2) Are both GRE tests computer based? If there are two options, how can I check if mine is paper based or computer based?

3) Could you provide me some resources so that I can prepare for these exams?

4) My objective is to study physics in one of the most renowned universities in the US. How much do their admission procedure depend on the results of these standardized tests and GPA. Unfortunately I did not have a first class education so I am a bit worried.

Thanks

 

[wotanub]

1) No, you have to pay for each test separately for each institution you want them to be sent to.

2) Subject test is on paper, General is mostly computer based, but I think they still use paper in very few locations in coutries where computers are not accessible. There's no way you'd get an option to choose paper or computer.

3)
General:
http://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/prepare/powerprep2 Only use this for serious trial runs since it is the best representation of the test. Use books or whatever else for your "testing the waters" runs. Try to get a perfect on quant... you can do it with a little work.

Physics:
http://www.physicsgre.com/
http://www.hcs.harvard.edu/~physics/gre-resources/
http://www.physics.ohio-state.edu/undergrad/ugs_gre.php
http://grephysics.net/
http://www.physicsgreprep.com/

4) Generally, they care about recommendation letters and research experience more than test scores and GPA. Scores and GPA matter, but not more than those two. If you want to be a theorist, the GRE and GPA are more important than if you would apply as an experimentalist.

Chill out... you don't HAVE to go to Harvard or MIT to get a good graduate education...

 

[Septim]

Well thanks for the answer wotanub. I definitely want to go to a top university like MIT; however, I have a lack of research experience due to being unsure about which field of physics to study and misguidance. In my graduate education I will make the ultimate decision. I tried optics and lasers first but I was not satisfied with it after attending a few laboratories and pursuing a project. Now I am working on HEP, yet I have still some doubts in my mind.

 

[TomServo]

Okay, I too want clarification. I also plan to take the test twice (you don't get your scores from the first round until *after* the second test date, but I still want to take it twice). What I want to know is, will my selected schools see both scores or will I later get to choose the best one and have just that one sent? With the general GRE, they made it sound like my four chosen target school automatically got my score, is there something I need to do to get those test scores sent out or was it automatic?

 

[wotanub]

You mean the PGRE I take it. What I did was I took both of the tests, but I didn't send any scores until both results were in, and then I only sent the best one. I missed out on the four free ones you get to pick prior to taking the test, but that was the price to pay for paranoia.

I was able to get all my scores in before the deadline with this method last year, but of course, be mindful.

 

[TomServo]

So when they say your scores will be reported by, say, November 28th, that means YOU see your scores on that day (on the website presumably), but if you want them sent to a school then that school won't get them until December or January or something?

 

[wotanub]

There is time to see your scores and get them sent to the schools before the deadlines if you take the November test.