In 2020 ETS launched its GRE “at home” service for test-takers worldwide. The home-based test was born out of necessity when the pandemic caused test-centers to shut down globally. As you can imagine, it wasn’t long before ETS found itself in rough waters due to reports of rampant cheating on the home-based version of the test.
Many people, including me, saw this coming when the home-test was initially announced. Delivering a standardized test over the internet is undoubtedly prone to a whole host of problems. When you take away in-person supervision, certain people will take advantage of the vulnerabilities in the system. And sure enough, they did.
The question now remains, is ETS going to continue its home-based GRE test, or is it going to halt it given that the pandemic restrictions are loosening now.
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Is the GRE at home here to stay?
In November 2020, ETS issued an update on its website stating that the TOEFL and GRE “at home” tests are here to stay for the foreseeable future.
“In response to the needs expressed by institutions and test-takers, ETS is pleased to announce that the at-home TOEFL iBT® test and GRE® General Test are here to stay and will become a continuing part of each brand’s product portfolios.”
The update went on to say:
“7 months ago, we proudly announced that we had quickly introduced a solution for students who COVID-19 had impacted to take the TOEFL iBT test and the GRE General Test at home until in-person testing could resume. The tests have the same content, format, on-screen experience, and scoring as the test center’s tests. And thanks to artificial intelligence and remote proctoring, institutions can feel assured that the tests are administered securely and that the scores are reliable.”
The update also mentions that at the time, nearly 400,000 students had registered for the test. ETS has even time and again emphasized its home GRE’s credibility and assures students and institutions alike that test-scores are entirely legitimate.
However, we know for a fact that cheating is entirely possible on the home-based GRE test. To say that the test is secure thanks to AI and remote proctoring is grossly dishonest. I have covered at length how test-takers exploit the lack of in-person supervision to attain near-perfect scores. Moreover, multiple news articles from India have also shed light on blatant cheating happening at GRE academies.
ETS is yet to address these allegations, and they have published no comments on what it’s doing to combat cheating.
A more recent update, dated Feb 1, 2021, mentions nothing regarding the cheating problem. However, it once again states that the home-based GRE test is “here to stay and is now a continuing part of the GRE portfolio of products. Test takers now have the option to test at home or a center.”
So there you have it. ETS has no plans to discontinue the home test, and we are yet to receive an official statement regarding the cheating.
Should I take GRE at home or the test center?
At this point, it doesn’t matter where you take the test. The home-based GRE test is recognized by all the universities that accept the regular test. Even though there have been various cheating reports, no university will deny your scores if you take the home test.
On the contrary, I would advise you to take the home-test because it is less hassle and available more readily. Finding a seat at a test-center is usually not an option last minute. If you don’t have a booking in advance, opt for the home test.
All you need is either a laptop or desktop computer with a webcam, speakers and a microphone. If you have both options available, why not take the test in the comfort of your home?
Your scores carry the exact weight no matter which test you take. Every aspect of the test itself is the same other than the delivery. There are no differences in difficulty, format, or time. Hence, I would advise that if you meet the home-based test requirements, then go for it.
What do I need to be aware of before taking the home test?
ETS is aware of the risks involved in a home-based standardized test. ETS has undoubtedly come across the articles that have been written on the instances of cheating. Even though ETS has not addressed the problems yet, they are aware of them.
Due to this, many students have reported that the proctors administering the test are more vigilant than usual. I have even come across Reddit posts by test-takers whose tests were canceled abruptly on suspicion of cheating even though they didn’t do anything.
If you are planning on taking the test, I suggest you go through this article and avoid any actions that can be construed negatively.
Moreover, an important tip is to make sure that your internet is working correctly on test day. It would be helpful if your family members or roommates don’t use the internet while taking the test. This is especially important if your internet has low bandwidth. If any technical difficulties arise on your end during the test, you won’t be compensated with additional time.
If you want to go a step further, run an Ethernet cable from your modem straight to your laptop. This way, you will get uninterrupted internet and hopefully won’t run into any issues. Good luck!