Aramsey

Hello everyone! I'm looking for a little advice regarding my GRE test scores and whether I should retake the test or not. A little background: I am a biology major looking into master's programs in wildlife biology or marine biology. I want to use the master's program as a stepping stone to see whether I would like to go on to earn my PhD or if a master's will suffice for what I would like to do long-term. I earned a 3.55 GPA as an undergraduate which included many statistics courses that I did well in and which are useful in my field. On the GRE, I scored a 160 (84th percentile) for verbal reasoning, a 5 (93rd percentile) in the writing portion and a 153 (53rd percentile) in quantitative reasoning. I feel great about my writing and verbal scores but I did not do nearly as well in the math as I would have liked. From my understanding, I cannot just retake the one section but instead have to retake the entire test which leaves me questioning whether I really need to retake it. So, my question is whether I should just attempt to apply to graduate programs as is with my GPA and current GRE scores or if I should attempt the test again? I honestly don't want to retake the GRE and pay the fee again but I also want to get into graduate school (think state schools on the West coast). What is everyone's experience and opinions? All information is welcome and appreciated!

I am planning on attending graduate school focusing on either Zoology or Wildlife Biology starting Fall 2014, however, I'm having issues finding opportunities to gain experience in those fields where I am living currently. I am an Army spouse and moved with my husband to Fort Irwin, CA shortly after receiving my B.S. in Biology. Since this post is located in the middle of the Mojave Desert, there are not many opportunities available in my field. I started off applying for biology jobs, but when I found out that there are not any, I started working in a non-biology related field for the duration that we are here. I am now trying to find volunteer opportunities, even those not located in Fort Irwin. I am willing to drive as far as San Diego or Los Angeles in order to get involved in a project. So, my question is whether or not any of you could share some leads for volunteer positions that I may follow up with? I am extremely interested in marine life and wildlife biology but, at this point, I am willing to do just about anything in order to stay active in my field for the rest of the time I am down here. Any information you guys can provide will be greatly appreciated!