When COVID disrupted the standardized testing industry starting back in March 2020, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) led the way in providing solutions for graduate school applicants by taking the GRE online.

Initially deemed a stop-gap solution while in-person test centers were closed due to the pandemic, the online version of the GRE has gained considerable traction and usage and will remain a permanent part of ETS’s portfolio, as announced by the organization earlier this month.

Here’s what the ETS had to say:

7 months ago, we proudly announced that we had quickly introduced a solution for students who had been impacted by COVID-19 to take the TOEFL iBT test and the GRE General Test at home until in-person testing could resume. The tests have the exact same content, format, on-screen experience and scoring as the tests given in a test center. And thanks to artificial intelligence and remote proctoring, institutions can feel assured that the tests are administered securely and that the scores are reliable.

Since launching the at home tests in March, we at ETS have learned a lot, and have been making continuous improvements to the products and experience. Early on, the tests were only available on PCs, but we quickly expanded that to include Mac® computers. We worked diligently to increase accessibility for people with disabilities and health-related needs. We increased test taker convenience by increasing testing capacity and reducing the registration deadline. We also addressed test takers’ needs to better understand the new delivery method and registration process by posting videos, developing registration checklists and hosting Facebook® Live events. And, as test centers began reopening around the world, we informed test takers that the decision to test at home or in a test center was theirs to make.

More than 400,000 individuals have registered to take the at home tests for the TOEFL iBT test and GRE General Test in 163 countries and territories since March. We have learned through surveys that many test takers prefer to test at home, and now they can choose whether testing at home or in a center will work best for them.

Whether you decide to take the in-person or at-home version of the GRE, we’ve got you covered with the industry’s top-rated GRE prep courses.

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