<p>I'm an Art History student looking to get into a good art history grad program. Unfortunately my GPA is below average (3.2). What are the odds my GRE scores v-710 (98th percentile) m-730(80th percentile) would make grad schools forgive my C's in chemistry and german (I did perfectly fine in French)? My major GPA is 3.8. Is it possible, with those scores and that GPA, to get into a top-10 Grad school program. (UVA, Penn., Chicago)</p>
<p>On the side i have a research internship at the Denver Art Museum and fairly solid letter's of rec.</p>
<p>I guess the final and ultimate question is - what is more important GPA or GRE?</p>
<p>GPA is more important. Period. I have only ever heard of two real uses for the GRE - first to provide cross-university comparisons for things like fellowships, second to disqualify those who show great grades and yet cannot handle basic math and grammar on demand. The only time I have ever heard of a great GRE score impacting admissions is when the department is depending on university fellowships and needs “competitive” grad students - happened to my wife, one department only accepted those with 1400+ GRE’s because that was the expected cutoff for non-departmental fellowships.</p>
<p>The other aspects of your package will be looked at more carefully than your GRE or GPA. But I guess in specific order, then your GPA is more important than the GRE. However, if you have a solid statement of purpose, excellent and well-researched writing sample, and strong LORs, you’ll be competitive enough (especially that you have a headstart on German and French!). Your GRE, in this case, may be more useful in terms of getting university-wide fellowships.</p>
<p>Departments only care about your gpa in the courses related to your proposed field. Look at your transcript and figure out a major specific gpa, that will tell you a lot more about your competiveness. Talk to your Art History professors as well. Your professors/advisor are the ones writing your letters of recommendation and can tell you which schools they will write their best ones for. Make use of the resources you have at your school.</p>