Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
Test day for any type of standardized test can be stressful. Add in the pressure you may feel, knowing that you need to score well to get into the school of your dreams, and it’s easy to have anxiety about test day. That’s why it’s helpful to know what the test logistics look like.
The more you know about what the day of the test looks and feels like, the easier it is to feel comfortable with the whole test-taking process. Everything from knowing what type of ID to bring, to if you can have snacks, and how often you can use the bathroom helps in removing the feeling of the unknown about test day.
| GMAT | GRE | |
| Signing in | To sign in, you’ll present your ID, scan your hand, and sit for a photo. You’ll sign some paperwork, and then put your things in a locker. Both tests will also have a fairly extensive process to make sure you are not bringing any type of cheating material into the testing room. You will be expected to turn out your pockets, roll up your sleeves, and pull your pants up to show your ankles. It’s no joke. | To sign in, you’ll present your ID and sign some paperwork (no hand scan). The photo happened before entering the actual exam room. There will also be a small locker for you to put your personal items. See notes on the GMAT about the search process. |
| Identification | The GMAT requires a scan of your palm or fingers every time you enter and leave the test room. (If this doesn’t work well, you’re screwed. I just read a horror story online of someone wasting their entire 15-min break trying to scan.) | No scanning- just have a government-issued photo ID ready to present. |
| Scratch materials | You’ll be given a bound set of a few legal-size yellow laminated graph-paper sheets. The first side has instructions taking up the top few inches of space. The sheets may be a bit dirty if the clerk hasn’t cleaned them thoroughly. Beware. | You’ll be given a single double-wide yellow paper, folded in half, giving you four 8.5×11 sides to work with. The first side has instructions taking up the top few inches of the page. If you run out of space, you can raise your hand and get more paper. |
| Writing utensil | Two dry-erase pens. Test these out before starting, to make sure the ink works. | Two wooden pencils. Test these out before starting — it’s MUCH more likely that the pencil lead will BREAK than that the dry-erase pens on the GMAT won’t work. |
| If you need something during the test | On the GMAT, you cannot leave your seat unaccompanied. You have to raise your hand and wait for the administrator. | On the GRE, you can just get up and leave the room if you need something. |
| Sending to schools | You select the schools to which you’d like to send your scores BEFORE you take the exam. | You select schools AFTER you have seen your scores, which makes it VERY different. You can search the schools by location, and select up to four. Each school allows for a department selection as well — most schools instruct you to leave this blank. You can send to more schools later, online, for $27 each. |
| Your results | You will be shown your scores the moment you finish your final section. If you are really unhappy with your score, you can then choose whether to cancel those scores, and there will be no record of you having taken the exam. You will be given a printout with your score as you sign out from the exam center. | You have the chance to cancel your scores BEFORE you see them. So, this is really only if you really know you bombed. This is the only way to have the scores not show up on your account. You will have to wait 10-15 days to receive your official score, including the score on your analytical writing. But the GRE will give you your unofficial score on the verbal and quantitative sections immediately once you are complete. Pro tip: write these down because you will not get a handout like the GMAT. |
| Breaks | You can take two breaks on the GMAT, but they go fast (see below) | Only one 15-minute break on the GRE, but you’re given 60-second breaks between sections otherwise. These are useful to readjust yourself, breathe, or get new paper/pencils. |
Break timing
You will NOT be able to use your entire expected break time so do not count on this. At the exam center, your break time will be taken up by walking out of the room, signing out with the administrator, going to your locker, fidgeting with the lock, chugging water, then walking to the bathroom and all the way back again.
Give yourself between three and five minutes to sign back into the room. You have to show your empty pockets, lift your pants to show your ankles, roll up your sleeves, show that you’re not hiding anything on your glasses, etc. Then you have to do the hand scan for the GMAT, or sign the log for the GRE. It takes time. And there could be other people in line. Don’t let it mess with your nerves.
How to dress
Dress comfortably. These tests are mentally draining, so you don’t need extra physical discomfort on top of that. Minimize pockets — every pocket must be checked by the administrator every time you exit/enter. Don’t wear lots of layers or scarves/vests — everything will slow down your re-entry process.
Don’t wear any jewelry at all — watches, earrings, necklaces — it’s all a distraction.
Wear comfortable shoes that you can take on and off easily.
Water and snacks
You will be parched. It’s a delicate balance of drinking enough to not feel dehydrated, but not so much that you will need to waste time to use the restroom during the test. You will only be able to drink during your breaks as you cannot bring a water bottle into the testing room.
Most people I’ve spoken with also said they didn’t eat anything during the test. But better to have some easy to eat snacks in your locker and not need them, then want them and not have any.
Arrival time
I suggest arriving 30 minutes early to get all your personal stuff situated, get signed in, and take a last-minute restroom break. While you signed up for a specific time, that doesn’t mean that the test only opens then. The test starts when the administrator has you ready, once you feel ready, and once you press the button to start.
Before you hit the button, take a few deep breaths, calm yourself, and get your mind right after the hassle of signing in.
Restroom breaks
Locate the restrooms before the test so you know how to get to it during your break. You don’t want to waste time here.
Other People
The one major variable you cannot control are the other testers and whatever their peculiar habits and behaviors may be. Your testing center may offer some type of ear protection to block out noises. The first place I went to had full-on ear muffs.
I personally like a little bit of noise to help me concentrate. Too much silence will weird me out, so I like the background noise of the other test-takers shuffling about.
If you struggle with any type of diagnosed learning disorder, you may qualify for extra time. If this fits you, definitely reach out to the testing service beforehand to get what you need. Timing is everything on these tests.
The hands-down best test prep course I took was the Princeton Review. I studied for the GRE while on deployment, so I was flush with cash and willing to try out a few services. None compared to Princeton Review’s self-paced online course. It had lots of exercises to try, provided multiple practice exams that looked and functioned exactly like the real test, and the videos were truly helpful with me re-learning a lot of math I had not used since high school.
And remember, it’s just a test.
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