SoFi Blog

Taking a standardized test can feel like an anxiety-inducing task that you’d really rather skip, but if you plan on applying for graduate school you might have to buckle down and take the GRE. Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) are a part of many graduate school applications.

The GRE is administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), which is responsible for the behind-the-scenes creation and scoring of around 50 million tests in more than 180 countries.

Prepping for the GRE can feel like a daunting task, but breaking it down into steps can make the process of taking the GRE less intimidating. While this information is subject to change, here are some tips about how to take the GRE today.

In our efforts to bring you the latest updates on things that might impact your financial life, we may occasionally enter the political fray, covering candidates, bills, laws and more. Please note: SoFi does not endorse or take official positions on any candidates and the bills they may be sponsoring or proposing. We may occasionally support legislation that we believe would be beneficial to our members, and will make sure to call it out when we do. Our reporting otherwise is for informational purposes only, and shouldn’t be construed as an endorsement.

Editor’s note: This post was updated January 2020 to reflect current candidates.

You’d probably be hard-pressed to find a high-profile politician, these days, who’d disagree that a student debt crisis exists in the United States—or that the problem is still growing.

Some 43 million borrowers owe more than $1.5 trillion in federal government loans, according to numbers from the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid. That’s more than $33,000 per borrower on average.

And in the first quarter of 2019, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports 10.9% of aggregate student debt was 90-plus days delinquent or in default.

Finding solutions? That’s where the debate comes in.

Finding the right place to live after graduation can be tricky. Do you pick the biggest city with the most diverse job market, or do you find a smaller city with a lower cost of living? Do you prioritize culture and entertainment or community and family? How important are climate and access to outdoor recreation?

While those are questions you’ll have to answer for yourself, the process could be a little easier with some research. You’ll likely want to consider things like employment, cost of living, housing, and overall job growth in the areas you are interested in moving to after graduation.

The leaves are changing, and there’s a crispness in the air, which means one thing for the homeowner—time to tackle those last-minute home improvement projects before winter hits.

Fall can be an ideal time to update, improve or upkeep aspects of your home. It’s a cooler season than summer, which means less sweat for you, but also less swelling or expanding in the materials of your home.

In a month or so, it might be too late to take on many of these projects. Getting a jump on your to-do list and taking care of these fall home improvement projects means you could be done before winter’s cold weather hits.

If you’ve ever watched Chip and Joanna transform a Texas interior with their signature brand of minimalist, barnhouse chic (i.e. shiplap), you may have been struck with envy—and overwhelm. As beautiful as those HGTV homes look in their “after” shots, it usually takes a lot of work to get them there.

But even if you’ve never so much as cobbled together a piece of IKEA furniture, there are some easy home renovation techniques that will take your space from so-so to stunning, no heavy machinery required.

Here are some home remodeling ideas for beginners, whether you’re looking to spruce up your home for your own purposes or stage it for selling.