Will a Lower than Avg. GRE Quant Score Screw me Over?

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>Hi, </p>

<p>I'm applying to electrical engineering phD programs this year (top 20 schools). </p>

<p>I'm a senior at a top-5 (according to USNWR) electrical engineering program with a 3.8 GPA. I've done research in a math-intensive area (wireless communications) over the past year (and through the summer under an NSF REU), and will (presumably) have strong letters of recommendations from professors whom I know well outside of classes. </p>

<p>Unfortunately, I got a 750 quantitative on the GRE (it was an off day), and I know this is lower than average for most EE phD programs. </p>

<p>Is this going to f__k me over in grad school admissions? I know that Cornell has a min. GRE q-score of 750. Will my relatively low score be a deciding factor beyond that? </p>

<p>I've gotten A's in every math-intensive course here, be it in electrical-engineering (i.e. probability theory, digital communications, and digital signal processing) or in math itself. Will the adcoms take this into consideration? </p>

<p>Thanks in advance for any feedback.</p>

2

<p>Of course they are going to ignore your 3.8 GPA, research experience, letters of recommendation, and solid A’s in “hard” classes and deny you based on a score that means you’re only in the top 15% or so. Fortunately, common sense is not an admission requirement.</p>

3

<p>Yeah you specialized in wireless communications and they’re going to doubt your precalc abilities.</p>

<p>You’re clearly an EE major.</p>

4

<p>Where did u do ur master from?</p>

<p>Well, if you really did well in all the areas, then just based on your quantitative scores I dont think that they would outright reject your application. GRE, though important, is but one aspect of your application. Keep your spirits high man and perhaps you could take GRE again, cuz some universities consider only the higher scores (e.g. GT).</p>

<p>By the way I am also applying to top 30 for fall 2010 in EE with majors in communications and signal processing.</p>