Hi All --
I took the GRE yesterday, and didn't score as highly as I would've liked on the quant. section (this after taking a GRE prep course here in DC, and studying a fair amount...i.e., re-learning high school math I haven't taken in over a decade...).
My target schools are international relations/security studies MA programs, including:
1) Georgetown SSP
2) GWU Elliot SIS
3) American SIS
I'm not applying to SAIS since it isn't offered part-time.
I have about 7 years of related work experience (either in a terrorism-focused think-tank or working on homeland security issues for a major DC-based defense consulting firm). I also have some fairly "unique" "extracurricular" activities, namely I've been a volunteer firefighter and deputy fire chief for around 6 years now, I'm on my dept's Board of Directors, etc, etc. My undergrad GPA (majored in IR) isn't as high as I'd like, at only 3.34 (but my major GPA is 3.6).
My GRE scores were as follows, and I'm wondering whether my quant. score is low enough to warrant a retake:
Quant: 150
Verbal: 162
AR: Not yet graded
Of the prorgams listed above, their published "successful applicant" GRE scores are:
1) Georgetown SSP: Q/V: 155-160
2) GWU Elliot SIS: Q: 152 / V: 160
3) American SIS: Q: 153 / V: 160
Given my relatively low Quant. score, but my somewhat longer (than some applicants') employment history, would you advise retaking it in November to try to improve my quant. scores? In other words, is the 150 sufficiently low enough to automatically knock me out of the running?
Any opinions or advice are welcome!