Ask your GRE questions here: How important? Are yours too low? When to take?

<p>I took the new GRE on August 1st. My first time so nothing to compare, but it gave me a range of 100 points on each score. I am happy with the range. Did the old test do a range, and if so how did it compare with the final score?</p>

<p>The old test did not give a range. It gave a discrete, numerical score that, except for the rare occasion, would be the exact same score you later received in the official score report.</p>

<p>I had similar results, the Q just gave me 750 to 800, and then I had a range for verbal (610 to 710). I will be curious to see how it translates to the 170 scale and how graduate schools will look at it.</p>

<p>D just received a range of 710-800 V and 660-760 Q and is keeping her fingers crossed that her Q score won’t get in the way of successful application to competitive biology and public health programs. She has great research experience, GPA and recs should be very solid too. Will be interested to see how it all looks when November rolls around!</p>

<p>I’m applying to several biochem programs this fall, and I signed up to take the chem GRE in November. I know most schools don’t care too much which subject test you take, but lately I’ve been seriously considering paying the $50 to change my test to the biochem/cell and molecular bio test. I’m hoping that a high score will improve my chances because I have a few not-so-great grades in my major classes, including biochem. Since I’m trying to apply for biochem programs, would it make more sense to take the biochem GRE instead of the chem GRE to kind of make up for my weak grades? </p>

<p>The thing is I have some weak grades in my physical chemistry classes too, so doing well on the chem GRE could also be helpful. So what should I do? I really need to make up my mind soon so that I can commit to studying for one exam or the other.</p>

<p>Just my two cents, but I’d guess that strong recommendations or research experience would do more compensate for weak grades than subject test scores. (Even with a good score, grades might look like lack of interest or not working up to your abilities rather than potential.)</p>

<p>thanks for your reply! I have two years of research experience in two different labs, and both of those PIs will be writing letters for me. I think those will be strong recs and my third one should be pretty good too. I know GREs aren’t that important to admissions committees, but I’m just trying to do every little thing I can to improve my chances. I figured a high score on a subject in which I have weaker grades couldn’t hurt.</p>

<p>@funnybounce: if you are applying for biochemistry and think you will do well on that subject GRE, take that one since it answers directly to your intended field. I suspect that it will go further in dismissing weak grades than a straight chemistry test will, although the key is to take the one that you’ll expect to do best on.</p>

<p>When requesting additional GRE Score Reports from ETS to send to my institutions, is there an cost advantage to send them all out at the same time (i.e., use 1 form) or can I send them out “a la carte” as I finish each application? :)</p>

<p>I don’t know if there’s a financial advantage to sending them out en masse or waiting. You’ll have to check the website. </p>

<p>Don’t worry about sending GRE scores before you submit an application. The graduate admissions office (not the department) holds all components until an application is complete – and then it sends the completed package to the program. It’s better to have your transcripts and test scores waiting for your application than the other way around, just because scores/transcripts can take longer to arrive. If you know you’ll be applying somewhere, then you might as well send the scores – unless, of course, you plan to retake before then.</p>

<p>Thanks. Well my reason was not really so that the grad offices got all my components on time, but so I wouldnt waste any money on scores for applications I never finish, etc.</p>

<p>There’s no volume discount for GRE scores - as many or as few as you send at once, it costs the same for each one.</p>

<p>I’m wondering if I should take the chemistry GRE or not. None of the schools I’m applying to require it, but could it actually help my chances at all? Will my application be looked down on if I don’t take it even though it’s not required? My concern is that the test date for it is the day after my prospectus is due for my thesis, so I won’t have that much time to study for it.</p>

<p>I’ve already taken the general test (780Q 690V, took it before it changed) but I still need to pay to send my scores to all of the schools I’m applying to (not nearly enough reports for free)… Is eight schools too many to apply to or do they just not let you send enough for free? Should I do this as soon as possible or send them after I’ve sent the applications?</p>

<p>Im currently a Junior and Im hoping to pursue a Masters in Public Policy concentrating in international affairs or a Master program specific to international policy studies (such as SAIS in Washington DC). I also might pursue a joint program with International Law, but thats a big ‘maybe’. For the Masters program, Im looking to finish with the following:</p>

<p>Political Science major, 3.8+ major GPA, 3.8-3.9 overall, with minors in African Studies and European Studies. </p>

<ul>
<li>Three year columnist for the student newspaper, at least one year as editor of the Opinion page, have also had letters to the editor published in the New York Time and The Times (London) - idk if thats something I would include on a resume or not</li>
<li> Spent Summer 2011 taking courses at the London School of Economics, interning in the United Kingdom’s House of Lords (of which I hope to get a letter of rec from the Baroness I worked for) and the completion of a dissertation which I’m currently submitting to some undergraduate journals.<br></li>
<li> Spending Spring 2012 at the University of Sydney taking courses and most likely participating in an additional internship</li>
</ul>

<p>Completing micro.macro econ, international trade and finance and political statistics to satisfy the requirements of Stanford’s Ford Dorsey school (which I assume will satisfy the econ requirements of any other school) and I speak workable Spanish and French.</p>

<p>Only thing missing is the GRE, which I plan to take in about two weeks, and I feel only somewhat prepared for it. Does anyone have any advice on how important the score will be in regards to my other qualifications for schools such as Stanford Ford Dorsey, John Hopkins SAIS, GW Elliot, Georgetown School of Foreign Service, Tufts Fletcher, Harvard Kennedy IR concentration and the London School of Economics?</p>

<p>I know these are some pretty specific questions and I apologize for such a long post, i dont like listing my resume things I feel like an ass but Im trying to get a sense of how worried I should be about the GRE (and i think it makes it more frustrating just in terms of the stupidity of a standardized test and the fact that this exam is supposed to cover public policy, engineering and psychology at the same time…)</p>

<p>So I am trying to apply to graduate school for this coming fall for biomedical sciences
I had went to an engineering school my freshmen year and did terrible. I switched and came out of ohio state with a cum of 3.3 gre score: 790q 560v 4.0 analytical and I have 3 really good letters of recs. I have been working at UCLA as a tech and I am trying to apply to UCSD, UCLA, UCSF, Cal, Stanford, weil cornell, northwestern and u of chicago. Do you think that im reaching too much? I have a couple publications that are going to be coming out prolly after i get done applying. What do you think my chances are? I am taking the gre bio this october and i am getting pretty nervous about the deadline. Any advice would help.
THANK YOU!!</p>

<p>I just found out I have to pay a $25 late fee to sign up for the Oct. 15 chemistry subject GRE… more than a month before the test. Seems off to me.</p>

<p>Hi. I am a senior undergraduate student in SUNY at Buffalo, and my major is Electrical Engineering. My current GPA is 3.83 and my GRE score is Q-720, V-710, writing-3.0. I am planning to apply some top graduate school, and I have checked their websites. For EE or CSE major, it seems like most accepted student have quantitative score 760 or higher. Will my quantitative and writing score be a problem? Thank you very much for your advice.</p>

<p>(Sorry, I just see this after I posted mine on forum.)</p>

<p>Did badly on my GREs, now I’m freaking out
So I’m interested in the labor studies and employee relations program at rutgers and I did fairly badly on my gres, got a 490 on verbal and a 510 in quantitative and a 4 on my essay.</p>

<p>my overall gpa is 3.0 and I have no research experience, though I’ve been working a while as an assistant HR manager.</p>

<p>have solid recommendation letters as well.</p>

<p>do I have a chance at all?</p>

<p>GREs are the least important part of the application, so therefore some of you who are freaking out are doing so unnecessarily. That said, programs do expect applicants to meet a threshold, especially if the rest of their application does not make them stand out over others.</p>

<p>@pinkyrabbie: it is true that top engineering programs expect their applicants to get close to 800 on the quantitative section. They don’t seem to care much about writing and verbal, although your verbal score is excellent. If you have time to study and retake, I suggest that you do it. Otherwise, just try to make yourself stand out through the rest of your application.</p>

<p>@icedevil: no one can give accurate assessments about chances for graduate programs, especially if they aren’t familiar with a particular program. It’s possible that the Rutgers program does not have high GRE scores among its applicants or that the committee only glances at them. The only way to find out whether you can make it is to apply.</p>

<p>Hey…</p>

<p>I have a 1490 GRE
800Q 690V 5.5 AWA</p>

<p>I’m applying for Computer Science at Stanford. Is this too low for it?</p>