[nabs-l] taking the GRE

Sun May 27 18:17:00 UTC 2012

If you were taking the GRE without accommidations on the computer,
then your difficulty of question would depend on your answer to the
previous question, and your score would be adjusted to reflect the
difficulty of questions you successfully answered. However, even if
you do the self-voiced computer test, the questions you answer are set
from the beginning. I am guessing that questions of all difficulty are
included. It is something that kind of bothers me. If you use any
accommidation, then you are not included in the statistical
distribution of scores ETS receive, and I am pretty sure this reflects
on your score report. I could be wrong. However, if this is the case,
it definitely adds to the "do you tell schools you apply to about your
disability?" Because if your score report does reflect that, then your
schools don't know why. So disclosing your disability in your
applicaitoon might be helpful just so they know. Like I said, I cannot
confirm this though. I have heard it from other people, but I haven't
looked at my official score report for a long time.

Cindy

On 5/26/12, Mary Fernandez <trillian551 at gmail.com> wrote:
> Dear Ashley,
> Arielle actually answered a lot of these questions already. But to
> elaborate...
> The self-voice test uses a voice that ETS has developed. It is
> synthesized but it is not JAWS.
> You actually choose the answer you want on your computer, and press
> enter to go to the next questions.
> You will have a test supervisor no matter what, someone who will
> oversee the test-taking but not necessarily be your reader. You will
> not be assigned a reader, unless you request one.  However, you may
> choose to have a Braille copy along with your computer test, so that
> you can read the test yourself if you so choose to, and use both
> formats, but you will have to mark your answers on the computer.
> Yes, there is a difference between the computer test and the paper
> and pencil test. Normally, the computer test actually adjust the level
> of difficulty to the skill of the test-taker. But, this is not true,
> at least as it stands now, of the GRE self-voiced test.
> I took the GRE in Oct. of 2011.
> Hope that this helps.
> Mary F
>
> On 5/27/12, Mary Fernandez <trillian551 at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi all,
>> Just to add some thoughts here. First, Ashley, the test is broken down
>> into verbal and math. But each of those two have subsections. In the
>> old test, the verbal includes, two essays, and then two bigger
>> sections with reading comp, sentence completion, analogies and my
>> favorite, antonyms. The math tests you on basiccaly, high school math.
>> Which, while being fairly simple, can be challenging if you haven't
>> seen geometry and algebra 1 in 8 years. As an accomodation you may
>> request the use of a calculator, but the test is designed to be able
>> to be done with pencil nad paper, so you might not use it, and in the
>> long un it might harm you more.
>> Furthermore, Learning Ally and Bookshare both have GRE study
>> materials. So check those out as well. Whether you decide to taek the
>> new test or the old test, using Cracking the GRE and Word Smart IV
>> edition, can truly help you. Bookshare also has the math workout book
>> for the new test. Use your resources and good luck.
>> Mary F
>>
>> On 5/27/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>> Cindy,
>>> So are  there three sections or how many? You said normal time is 30
>>> minutes
>>>
>>> per section.
>>> That would make six sections I think; if the normal test is three hours.
>>>
>>> What does the math assess you on? Do you get to use a calculator?
>>>
>>> Thanks.
>>>
>>> Ashley
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Cynthia Bennett
>>> Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2012 5:33 PM
>>> To: Misty Dawn Bradley ; National Association of Blind Students mailing
>>> list
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] taking the GRE
>>>
>>> Arielle did a great job outlining the the GRE. It is unfortunate if
>>> the self-voiced test is not ready, because the new GRE has been out
>>> for a year. In any case, I would say that waiting for it if you can
>>> would be worth it for the advantages like an instant score. You would
>>> get a braille or large print supplement with the self-voiced test. It
>>> would contain all of the questions. It is a hard copy duplicate of the
>>> computer test. All of the math graphics are in the supplement and very
>>> well done. There are descriptions in the self-voiced test, but you can
>>> imagine that being able to touch raised graphics is much more quickly
>>> understandable.
>>>
>>> I think you can ask for 1.5 or double time. So, with double time, you
>>> would get a little over 6 hours to take the test, and you can use the
>>> 6 hours however you want. With normal time, you would receive about 30
>>> minutes per section, but with double time, you don't have to allot
>>> double the time of each section and then start over. What I am trying
>>> to say is that theoretically, you could use more than double time on
>>> the math part if you needed it and if you could get through the verbal
>>> and writing in less than double those time limits. I read braille very
>>> well and comprehend things very easily and found that I was not rushed
>>> and did not need all of the double time given to me, so I wouldn't
>>> worry too much about whether it is enough unless you have other
>>> circumstances.
>>>
>>> If you do take the self-voiced test, ETS will send you a practice one.
>>> You can go through tutorials before beginning the test which will not
>>> use your test time, but I recommend knowing the keystrokes beforehand.
>>>
>>> Once I got the accommidations process started, they were approved
>>> quickly, but it is advisable to start a few months early. I had to
>>> have a signed letter from an eye doctor and another letter from the
>>> disabilities office at my school. ETS has to communicate with your
>>> testing center of choice to see if they have the right equipment, a
>>> computer with the right specs, so you need to allow for the time for
>>> these communications to take place.
>>>
>>> I bought some used Kaplan books and got a reader to help me with math
>>> review. Be sure you get practice materials that reflect the content of
>>> the new test.
>>>
>>> One thing worth mentioning is that when I came in to take the test, I
>>> brought headphones with me. My testing center was very hesitant, and
>>> they wouldn't let me use them until they called ETS. ETS did allow me
>>> to use headphones, but the testing center gave me a pair of theirs.
>>> So, if you think you might want to use headphones, I would write it in
>>> somewhere on your accommidations application and make sure ETS is ok
>>> with it and that your testing center has a pair that you can use. It
>>> wasn't that big of a deal, but on test day, you will probably feel
>>> stressed and pressured and any little mishaps can seem like bigger
>>> deals than they are. So take care of those things beforehand.
>>>
>>> I will reiterate what Arielle said. The ETS disability office was very
>>> helpful, and Ruth is easily accessible and can answer your questions.
>>>
>>> Cindy
>>>
>>> On 5/26/12, Misty Dawn Bradley <mistydbradley at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>> Hi Arielle,
>>>> So for the self-voicing test, how is the math section done, especially
>>>> if
>>>> there are graphics? Are they described within the self-voiced test? I
>>>> just
>>>> thought that I would ask, because if one does not have access to the
>>>> graphics that a sighted person would have access to, then it may affect
>>>> one's score on the test. I like the idea of the computerized,
>>>> self-voiced
>>>> test.
>>>> Thanks,
>>>>
>>>> Misty
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Arielle Silverman" <arielle71 at gmail.com>
>>>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2012 11:44 AM
>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] taking the GRE
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Hi all,
>>>>> I took the GRE way back in 2007 and many things have changed since
>>>>> then. For the most up-to-date information, I suggest contacting Ruth
>>>>> Loew, assistant director of disability policy at ETS, at
>>>>> rloew at ets.org
>>>>> She has been involved with NABS for a long time and is very interested
>>>>> in helping blind students navigate the accommodations system.
>>>>> I do know that you can get Braille prep materials for the verbal and
>>>>> math sections. You can choose to take the test using Braille, large
>>>>> print or through a reader. There was an accessible "self-voicing"
>>>>> version of the computer test that can be taken independently via
>>>>> computer, but I believe that since the test changed recently, we are
>>>>> still waiting for the new self-voicing version to be finalized and
>>>>> made available to test-takers.
>>>>> If using Braille, I believe the only way to mark your answers is with
>>>>> a reader, at least until the self-voicing test is ready. You are
>>>>> allowed to use a Perkins Brailler to write the essays for the writing
>>>>> section and to do scratchwork for the math section, but you will
>>>>> eventually need to dictate your Brailled essay to the reader.
>>>>> One disadvantage of the Braille test is that it is the "paper-based"
>>>>> test, while the reader-administered and self-voicing versions are the
>>>>> "computer-based" test. Nowadays most of your sighted peers applying to
>>>>> grad school will be taking the computer test, and also the computer
>>>>> test is scored instantly, whereas the paper test takes a while to be
>>>>> graded. However, there are obvious advantages to using Braille if you
>>>>> are a Braille reader. I personally think the self-voicing test is the
>>>>> best option, when it becomes available, as a blind test-taker can
>>>>> complete it independently and there is no risk of having your score
>>>>> affected by a reader's mistakes in recording your answers. However,
>>>>> each person's accommodation decision is an individual one of course.
>>>>> If you decide to use a reader rather than Braille to complete the
>>>>> test, I would suggest doing all your practice and studying with
>>>>> readers rather than with Braille, so you can get used to answering
>>>>> questions and processing the information in this way.
>>>>> Best,
>>>>> Arielle
>>>>>
>>>>> On 5/26/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>> I might need this if I try grad school. Also, how long will the test
>>>>>> take
>>>>>> when you get extended time? What subjects are tested?
>>>>>> How can you mark your answers? I'd opt for braille if they can
>>>>>> provide
>>>>>> it
>>>>>>
>>>>>> in
>>>>>>
>>>>>> braille. But you cannot mark in a braille test.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>>>> From: Reinhard Stebner
>>>>>> Sent: Saturday, May 26, 2012 10:31 AM
>>>>>> To: 'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'
>>>>>> Subject: [nabs-l] taking the GRE
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Are there any totally blind people on this list who have taken the
>>>>>> GRE
>>>>>> and
>>>>>> could give me prep advice as well as how the actual test
>>>>>> administration
>>>>>> was
>>>>>> done? For example, did you have a reader who was provided or did you
>>>>>> use
>>>>>> assistive technology? Also, what prep mete4rials did you use. Thank
>>>>>> you
>>>>>> for
>>>>>> your help.
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Cynthia Bennett
>>> B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington
>>>
>>> clb5590 at gmail.com
>>> 828.989.5383
>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Mary Fernandez
>> Emory 2012
>> "Do I dare
>> Disturb the universe?
>> In a minute there is time
>> For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse."
>> --
>> T.S. Eliot
>>
>
>
> --
> Mary Fernandez
> Emory 2012
> "Do I dare
> Disturb the universe?
> In a minute there is time
> For decisions and revisions which a minute will reverse."
> --
> T.S. Eliot
>
> _______________________________________________
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-- 
Cynthia Bennett
B.A. Psychology, UNC Wilmington

clb5590 at gmail.com
828.989.5383