One of the most common questions we receive through the Blog, on Facebook and Twitter by first time RGT entrants is “How do I enter myself or my students into an RGT exam?”

To help provide guidance with this question, here’s an outline of the RGT’s exam entry procedures so that you will know how to enter an RGT exam and which exam is right for you and your students.

How to Enter an RGT Acoustic, Electric, Rock or Bass Guitar Exam

Each of the grade handbooks includes at the back the official exam entry form for the relevant grade and instrument. This entry form includes a unique printed entry code that enables you to enter online for your exam via the RGT website www.RGT.org. Note that each entry code is unique and can only be used once, so please keep yours secure until you need to use it. Alternatively, you can complete, cut out and post the entry form from the back of your grade handbook to the RGT office. Using the entry code online or sending in the official entry form are the only methods of making an entry for an RGT exam.

Variations on entry methods

• Teachers can make multiple entries for their students online at the RGT website. Alternatively, if they prefer, they can submit by post their own summary sheet of all their students’ entry details – providing that an appropriate entry form from the relevant handbook is attached for each and every entry.
• There are special ‘re-entry forms’ that are sent any candidates that did not achieve the pass mark in an exam.
• There are also ‘sibling entry forms’ freely available for entries from the same family e.g. brother and sister. A letter of request should be submitted, together with proof of the family connection.

Rationale

There are two main reasons why RGT adopted the system of having the exam entry form available only within the handbooks.

Rationale 1:

To ensure all candidates are fully aware of the exam requirements: our research over the initial years of running the exams showed that the vast majority (over 90%) of candidates who failed the examinations were those who had not obtained a grade handbook!

Examiners frequently reported instances of candidates who seemed completely unprepared for many sections of the exam – simply because they had not had the handbook to read.

Failing candidates is not something any examiner likes to do: the purpose of the exams is to reward and encourage students, not discourage them.

By requiring students to obtain the handbooks this situation can be redressed for the better.

Rationale 2:

To discourage illegal photocopying of the books: organising specialist exams across the whole of the UK and many countries overseas, with specialist examiners, is an extremely costly process which is only made feasible by the funds raised through handbook sales.

Unfortunately, some people had taken to illegally photocopying the handbooks in bulk, thereby potentially undermining the continued viability of this specialist exam system.

The inclusion of the official entry form, which is available only within an exam handbook, aims to prevent such illegal and unethical actions.

If you have any questions regarding how to enter an RGT exam, post your comments in the section below.