<p>son has 4.0 gpa, phi beta kappa, well-rounded, and graduating in may. he's unsure of whether or not to take GRE because he doesn't know if he wants to go to grad school. my advice is, nothing to lose, whether you apply/go soon, later or never. take it while you're sharp and scores will be on your record, current for a few years post-undergrad. advice, please?</p>
<p>It sounds like he’s a very smart, capable individual who can make a decision himself. I highly doubt he’s going to get significantly dumber over the next few years.</p>
<p>rabbitstew ^ haha of course, he can make a decision himself! thanks! </p>
<p>because we have two kids in college, his concern is how grad school would financially impact our family, financially. i’m attempting to find objective, supportive, outside encouragement for him, so that he will not worry and miss opportunities, because of his selflessness.</p>
<p>What would he get a graduate degree in? If it’s a PhD, the general advice is not to go to a program that doesn’t fund him, so in that case, the financial impact on your family should be minimal. If it’s a master’s, it’s more hit and miss with funding, but there tends to be less available depending on his field. But he shouldn’t go to graduate school, regardless, if he’s not sure what he wants to do with the degree.</p>
<p>To be honest, I don’t think it’ll matter much either way. If he wants to take it and can afford to do so, then it won’t hurt him. If studying for the test and taking it would be a burden or would take away from other things, then I would hold off on it. If he doesn’t take it now, then it’s not a huge deal–his scores likely won’t differ significantly if he takes it now or in a couple of years (provided he prepares for it appropriately). The GRE’s pretty similar to the SAT in terms of structure and what it tests (reasoning, vocabulary, some fairly basic math, writing), so he can use how much needed to prepare and how well he did on the SAT as a gauge on what the GRE will be like.</p>
<p>Nothing to lose but $140 and the time spent studying for it!</p>
<p>The GRE is not really a test of anything you learn in undergrad. All of the math and the vast majority of the reading skills are things you learn in high school or before, as it’s supposed to be an aptitude test. I don’t really see any advantage in taking it now if he doesn’t even known if graduate school is in his future. Lots of people take it in their late 20s or into their 30s and do great.</p>
<p>And if finances is a concern for your family, he could spend the time working and saving the money for the exam for later.</p>
<p>thanks so much, guys, for the great advice! he did do well on the SAT, and viewing the GRE as an aptitude test makes sense. oh, i only meant going to grad school was his concern, regarding finances, not the exam itself. </p>
<p>my niece is completing her Ph.D. at dartmouth in genetics and everything has been funded, as you suggested, baktrax. son is not in a “hard” science, so i’ve heard it’s more difficult to even find funding opps. he doesn’t know what he would pursue, so definitely needs to wait until he finds something he’s passionate about, first/IF ever to go to grad school. </p>
<p>he does, however, have a passion for spanish and has been to several spanish-speaking countries. two entire summers and also many mission trips, in addition to a summer working as a micro-finance intern in nicaragua.</p>
<p>again, thank you all, for your advice!! :)</p>