Thinking of taking the GRE with only a WEEK to study? Disaster or should I go for it?

[StuckandScared]

I took the LSAT last fall, applied to law schools over the winter, really thought this was what I wanted to do with my life. Got accepted, picked my school, graduated from undergrad in May...Moved across the country...and started law school last month. And it sucks. And I hate every moment, of every day. I don't like the environment, I REALLY don't like the people I go to school with (not that it's such a big deal, but you end up working with them usually once you're out of school), I don't like what I'm learning, I hate the inhuman element of the law (which has prompted all my family to ask me "HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY BE SO WRONG? HOW DID YOU GET HERE? DID YOU NOT THINK THIS IS WHAT THE MATERIAL OF LAW SCHOOL WOULD BE LIKE?"). This just doesn't feel like me. There's more I could say and maybe I will later, but I have a class in a little while...

 

Anyways, I never took the GRE. And I should have. My bachelors degrees are in biology and psychology (yes I graduated with two in may), and I really really am starting to think I should have applied to a masters in counseling or genetic counseling program (that would combine the strengths of my bio and psy background)--And I never even gave it any thought. I was so hell bent on law school, I never even CONSIDERED for a second, other options.

 

Anyways, if nothing else..I need to take the GRE. But there is a problem. Where I'm going to law school at, the GRE is not offered at a time I could squeeze into my schedule because I have class 5 days a week. The only time I can take it and squeeze into my schedule is a farther drive out, and is only offered once a week.

 

I was planning to take it a week from now. But I have to ask..Is that a disaster waiting to happen? From anyone who's taken the GRE? Anyone taken the GRE and the LSAT? Comparatively which was more difficult? I studied for the LSAT for a month, while also taking over 20 credits of undergrad, and scored above average.

 

I took a practice GRE from Kaplan's website just as a "cold run" to figure out what my diagnostic would be without having ever seen the material, and I got a 280. My quant score needs to come up--but thankfully, doing physics and biochemistry equations through the spring, and bio and chem calculations early in the summer haven't left me too out of practice.

 

Anyways..I could wait and not take it next week, but THEN we have midterms and a big memo due the first and second weeks of October, and law school is time intensive--I can't commit much time to additional study for the GRE while also reading 100 pages a night for law school and briefing and drafting memos and outlines. Then in November everyone starts kicking into finals mode, and the first HALF of December I have finals. The programs I would want to apply to for grad school give you the best chances if you apply by December.

 

SO...That's a longwinded...Is it worth just taking next week to see how I do? Is it possible to study sanely for the GRE for a week? I have a class cancelled tomorrow, which equates to less reading over my day and weekend, so I can use those extra couple hours to devote to quantitative study.

[RCtheSS]

It certainly won't be pretty. Here is a 1-week study plan from Magoosh (recommended) that may help out.

 

http://magoosh.com/gre/2011/1-week-gre-study-guide/

[GeoDUDE!]

I didn't study and scored Q:163 V:161 AWA:5.0.

 

Its not even close to as hard as the LSAT. It's high school level material. You can do it with out studying (maybe take the power prep practice tests).

[isilya]

I didn't study and scored Q:163 V:161 AWA:5.0.

 

Its not even close to as hard as the LSAT. It's high school level material. You can do it with out studying (maybe take the power prep practice tests).

I only did 2 verbal/quant practice tests and then half-heartedly looked at some writing topics the morning of the day I took the test and ended up with scores nearly the same as yours (161V/162Q/4.5). I agree, not much studying is needed!

 

OP, if your quant is lacking, I'd suggest just doing a bunch of practice problems where you can get feedback on the ones you got wrong. I disagree with the people who say you need some sort of "strategy" for the quant section -- I did slow, tedious, inefficient calculations and still finished every quant section with a few minutes to spare. I think the best advice I can give is to just relax! I feel like most people are capable of getting great scores without too much work if they can just calm down and not psych themselves out.

 

Also, see if you can find GRE score averages for admitted students at your prospective programs; this will help you to see where you stack up.

 

Good luck!

[StuckandScared]

I went for it.

The math score was really really horrific, but the verbal I can live with. Quantative: 142. Verbal: 159. I guess that's what happens when you're in law school full time and trying to study for the GRE--it's kind impossible. I also haven't seen geometry in a long time.

Is a 159 decent for a first try on the verbal? Percentile wise it looks okay. I looked up the reqs of all the potential programs I'd want to get in and my combined score is high enough to satisfy the combined score requirement.

[StenoLubr]

dude, your quant score is pretty low...

[jujubea]

What kind of program do you want to go into?  Sciences? Humanities? Med?  That will make a big difference as to how to interpret your scores.

 

I'm surprised at the people who say no studying is required -- perhaps if you're fresh out of high school, or a math-heavy undergrad program, yes.  I'd hazard to guess that most of the rest of us need to study...

[Monochrome Spring]

I wrote a during my application season about increasing GRE scores. I don't know how feasible it would be to raise your quant score that high in only a week or two, but I think you need to work on relearning the quant basics before you can try take it again.