Registration Information

All GW Near You registrations are conducted via GWeb. This system will enroll you in classes and automatically generate your schedule and bill.

For more information on registering for classes, visit the Registration Information page. For a detailed list of fees please refer to The George Washington University Bulletin - Graduate Programs.

The Value of the Graduate Records Examination

The Security Management and High Technology Crime Investigations Programs wish to admit students who will do well in their programs. Many of our students have been out of school for several years. Some feel they are capable of doing the work, but are nervous or apprehensive about taking the GRE (The Graduate Record Exam). They worry that their GRE score will keep them out of a program even though they can successfully do the required work. Students may not realize the GRE is only one of the indicators used in determining a student's potential for success as a graduate student.

What GREs have to do with success as a future security professional:

The General Test measures an orientation to thought and reflection as it expressed in a lifetime of learning

The analytical writing section tests critical thinking and analytical writing skills. It assesses the ability to articulate and support complex ideas, analyze an argument and sustain a focused and coherent discussion. These skills are especially important for computer forensic examiners and security professionals who are preparing investigative reports for court/civil/corporate proceedings and testimony in court.

The verbal section tests the ability to analyze and evaluate written material and synthesize information obtained from it; to analyze relationships among component parts of sentences and to recognize relationships betweeen words and concepts. As a forenic examiner or security professional you are exposed to a vast amount of data on any given topic. Your ability to critically assess the material, determine its credibility, synthesize it and develop concise, accurate determinations from it is crucial.

The quantitative section tests basic mathematical skills and understanding of elementary mathmatical concepts, as well as the ability to reason quantitatively and to solve problems in a quantitative setting. There is a balance among the questions requiring arithmetic, algebra, geometry and data analysis. Security professioinals are often required to develop in-depth risk or threat assessements. These usually require mathmatical computation. As a computer forensic examiner, you may required to have an understanding of mathmatics for a variety of functions for analyzing data on disks and/or networked systems.

Preparing for the Exam:

If you are a returning adult student and you think you can successfully do the academic work but are worried about taking the GRE:

• Take a refresher course: Through self study or by taking a group course, adult students often see a significant improvement in their scores - especially in their quantitative score.
• In reviewing your admissions package, we also give considerable attention to you academic history, your career and community accomplishments and success in other learning experiences.

Other suggestions for Preparing for the GREs

Go to the GRE Official Website: http://www.gre.org.

This website was created by Educational Testing Service (ETS), the test development and measurement company that developed the GRE. From the homepage, select "Test Preparation Materials" from the menu for a number of free guides and practice software for both the General Test and the Subject Tests. Many of the materials can be accessed directly or downloaded from the website.

You may also find the GRE Prep courses and resources in your community at the following places:

• Community Colleges: Adult and Continuing Education Divisions
• Local public and private colleges and universities: Adult and Continuing Education Divisions, Career Counseling Centers, Learning Centers and libraries
• National test prep private companies offering local or online courses (Kaplan, Princeton Review, etc.)
• Public Libraries and Local Bookstores: GRE test prep books and software

Don't let apprehension or fear of the Graduate Records Exam keep you from fulfilling your dream of a career in Security Managenment or High Technology Crime Investigations!

Average for 562 MFS*

GRE Verbal: 526 / 65%

GRE Quantitative: 652 / 62%

GRE Analytical: 4.9 / 67%

GPA: 3.45

*These were for students accepted before 2003.