<p>I got a 630 on verbal and 800 on quant but I got a 3.5 on AWA.
My GPA is 3.89/4.0. I have two internship experiences (6 months each), and undergrad research experiences. I am planning to apply to Industrial Engineering at top 10 schools(Like Stanford, Gatech, columbia, cornell..etc) as an ms/PhD student.
What is my chance of getting in?
I am really worrying about a low GRE writing score..</p>
<p>3.5 is low, even for engineering. I would check with some prospective schools and see if they have any hard cutoffs - otherwise you may be able to get by, especially if your SOP is solid. The schools know that the AW is a little arbitrary.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t say that the AW is “a little arbitrary” – it measures real skills and is, in many ways, more practical than parts of the verbal. It measures not just writing ability but also critical thinking skills. That said, the AW also the least important score of the three. If you were going to tank on one section, you picked the right one.</p>
<p>Given your excellent profile otherwise, I’d bet that the admissions committees will take a close look at your SOP to make sure that you aren’t a superficial thinker or confusing writer. You cannot undo the AW, but you can write a clear, concise personal statement that might allay any fears they might have about your communication skills.</p>
<p>I’d also guess that a lot of those schools would love to have you, AW score and all.</p>