Registration for the current version of the Graduate Record Examinations� (GRE�) General Test, has been closed in China and India, officials of Educational Testing Service announced today. 

ETS is a non-profit organisation, which develops, administers and scores more than 24 million tests annually in more than 180 countries, at over 9,000 locations worldwide, 

The closure was the result of large numbers of people registering to take the test before its retirement at the end of July, and the need for a representative population of test takers to test when the revised General Test is introduced in September 2007. 

The closure comes on the heels of the GRE Board's recent announcement that the revised GRE General Test will be offered for the first time worldwide in September. 

Important dates

• The current GRE General Test will no longer be offered after July 31, 2007.
• Registration for the revised GRE General Test begins on July 1, 2007.

• The first test dates will be September 10, 15 or 16, 2007 (depending upon location), and September 29, 2007.

ETS has also announced plans to ensure that graduate student applicants in China and India who need scores reported for graduate admissions deadlines before early November 2007 will be able to take the current General Test in order to meet graduate school deadlines.

"In order to ensure that we have an appropriate population to set the score scale, we are monitoring volumes in large-volume countries, and we may have to limit test registrations for the current General Test in some international markets to ensure that we have a representative sample in the September administrations," says Suzanne Ortega, Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost, University of Washington, Seattle, and Chair-Elect of the GRE Board.

"The closing in China and India are part of our efforts to improve the test's usefulness to students and graduate schools worldwide. We apologise for any disruption caused by this transition process, "she added.

Scores from these first administrations will be reported in early November after score scales have been established. Scores from subsequent administrations will be reported within 15 to 18 business days of testing.

"Individuals who have already applied for admission to graduate programs, but who are now unable to register to take the GRE General Test in time to meet admission deadlines, are advised to contact the Graduate School to which they have applied," says David Payne, GRE Executive Director, Educational Testing Service. 

"Graduate Schools are being informed to contact ETS regarding these applicants, and ETS will make every attempt to arrange for testing for applicants affected by this transition, " he adds.

Web site: http://www.ets.org/gre/