University : GRE Scores Not Received from ETS

Experience regarding GRE Score reporting shared by AS.

I don’t know if anyone has come across this situation, I searched HSB for similar incidents but didn’t find any, so I decided to post this.

I’m a recent grad applying for admissions in colleges in the US to pursue MS during summer/fall 2012. This is my first time applying for colleges abroad. I didn’t go through any admission consultancy because I just felt that since it’s my dream and my responsibility, therefore I would be the best person to prepare my application.

Planning – Fall 2012

I like to plan ahead; therefore I had given my GRE during July and TOEFL during September. I submitted all my scores way in advance i.e. GRE during July and TOEFL in October.

I planned to apply to around 8 colleges. Seven  Universities have the same deadline by December end whereas one University had it on November.

I decided to concentrate on that alone for a while. After two months of carefully planning and writing my SOPs, resume, getting LORs, couriering transcripts and LORs. I took a week to find the best and most reliable courier service.

It took me a month to get LORs from my professors, so I had to go to college many times to remind them personally (I could have called them but I wanted to make sure that the job is done). Finally, after proof reading the documents several times I submitted my application.

Incomplete Application

Two weeks later, I checked my application status. It was updated. Unfortunately it said APPLICATION INCOMPLETE!

How could that be? I thought.

Then I checked below. All three recommendations received. Transcripts received. Toefl received. GRE NOT RECEIVED.

• How to use Online GRE Score Reporting

I was shocked! I sent my GRE scores through ets 3 months back. So I contacted the university and ETS through email.

The university replied in about 2 hours. I told the university that I reported scores 3 months back and the date of report is mentioned in my GRE Account.

The mail stated that they haven’t received my scores so far and that they have searched all the other departments. They even asked if I registered in another name. I was frustrated. This is not my fault, so it hurt me more. I guess I’m unlucky.

Phone Call to ETS – GRE

I even mentioned the exact institution code. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t call ETS through my phone, I tried the international code, and it didn’t work.

I have dialed so many international numbers, so I figured that the number couldn’t be reached. Time was precious every second counts because if my GRE scores don’t go soon I will be shifted to round 2. The plus side is that they had round 2.

Then an idea struck, I called my sister who lives in New York to call ETS.

She called them and put me on conference so I could talk to them. Someone with a very strong American accent spoke to me. I didn’t understand a word. It took me some time to grasp. That’s another funny story that I’ll share later.

Finally, he told me that ETS will consider this as a “one time exception” and resend the scores within 48 hours to the mentioned university.

I asked if he could send a message to the university stating that they did send the scores and that it was reported (in other words- it was ETS ‘fault’). He said that’s not possible but if I had a GRE Account I could take a screenshots of the scores and send that to the University I thanked him and hung up.

GRE Score Reported (Again)

Good news was that I did have a GRE Account.

Finally I sent a mail to the university saying that ETS offered to resend the scores again. I also attached screen shots of the score report as proof to state that I did report the scores way back.

I got a response the next day, saying that if they get the scores before December 5th, 2011 they’ll consider me for first round else I’ll be forced to move to round 2.

• Revised GRE Score Reporting

Now I had to wait to know if ETS sent my scores and if the University received them. 2 days later ETS has reposted the scores. However the university didn’t receive them.

2 weeks later still my application status remained unchanged, so I contacted the university and they once again told that no scores have been received.

Frustrated, I mailed ETS regarding this issue, they haven’t responded yet. I also sent a mail to the university with all my GRE details and application details to see if they could provide any alternative.

However after 2 days, I received a mail that my application was complete, gre scores have been received.

HURRAY! I informed ETS the same. At last problem solved.

But now I have 6 more Universities to apply to.

Share your problems using Online GRE and TOEFL Score reporting tool.

The problem is that all these Universities have only one deadline ie, there is no round 1,2 etc. I’m considered a very unlucky person.

Lets hope the scores are reached other universities. For now I gotta concentrate on my application and worry about that later. God please help me.