youngcharlie101

Hi, all. Thanks for helping me get through a difficult night. Your messages meant a lot to me. Thank you. My GRE was an epic failure, and I never have felt so defeated. I contemplated not applying to grad school this year because of my low Verbal score. I graduated with my MA from Columbia back in May, and I was set to go to Syracuse for my PhD in anthropology, but it was an unfunded offer. Also, as you can tell, my health is not exactly in the best position. I have severe anxiety that left me hospitalized twice. That's why I decided to take a year off school and reapply. Back in July, I signed up for an online Manhattan Prep course. It was an EXPENSIVE gift from my grandparents, but I felt that it would be worth it. I read each book from cover to cover, practiced some problems on Magoosh, and took some practice tests. My practice verbal score was a 157, and I wanted to get it higher. My goal was a 162. Well, I took the GRE on October 16th, and I bombed miserably. I had three panic attacks the night before, I had a death in the family the week of the test, and every section left me in tears. I scored a 152 on the verbal, and I never felt so defeated. I set another test date for November 6th, which is roughly three weeks from now. I don't know if I should take it, and if I will see an improvement. I NEED to get that score up, otherwise I can say goodbye to this application cycle. My first application due date is December 17th. If I don't score high enough, should I just reapply next year and get some GRE therapy? What other study tools besides Magoosh should I use? How can I devise a strict study schedule for myself? Thanks in advance, all.

Thanks!

I've been studying for this exam since June, and I took a class and memorized thousands of vocabulary words. I took some practice tests today and ended up with a 155 or 156 on the verbal. I'm an anthro student who needs to get into the high 80th or 90th percentile for Cornell. That's my number one choice. For reading comp, I freeze. I got my MA from Columbia, but the esoteric passages really freak me out. I felt like I was getting better at it, but now I'm slowly deteriorating. Is it because I'm over stressed? I got all the questions right in the Manhattan books, but I got a 155 on the power prep exam. I am beyond infuriated. I can't breathe and I feel like jumping off a bridge. I don't know what more I can do, and I feel like I shouldn't reschedule it. I take the exam on Thursday. Should I just cancel the exam and submit my already sad scores of 151 Verbal?

I want to apply for a PhD in anthropology, and I spoke to some departments who said they want letters detailing how well the professors know me and my work. What else can I ask them to include aside from prior research, my interests, my ability to undertake grad work, etc?

Thanks so much.

Sorry. I meant to say that I'm freaking out about math. I'm going to work harder at verbal, but I worry that math is equally as important.

I'm an anthro student, and I've been constantly told that a high verbal score will enhance my application. I took a class for the GRE, not really focusing much attention to the math. I've always been bad at math. Math: mental abuse to humans. My verbal score right now is a 156, and I'm working to get it higher. My exam is in a week, but perhaps I was told wrong about the math section? Some of the schools I'm applying to require an 80-90th percentile verbal score, but they say nothing about math. What should I do? Should I delay the exam till November? But I have soooooo much to work on for my personal statement and writing sample. Also, I feel like the time I spend studying this weekend should be spent on trying to increase that verbal score. Any advice will be appreciated. Thanks!

Lol! You guys are awesome. I definitely need to have some thicker skin for grad school.

Thanks everyone!

I went to New York yesterday for a graduate info session. The presenters were two PhD students and two professors from the department who look at all the applications. I introduced myself to them and asked some solid questions about the program, but I was wondering if I should send them a thank you note? I don't want them to get the wrong idea about me, and I sure as hell don't want to ruin my chances of getting admitted.

What were your likes and dislikes? Did you find them more valuable than the content already posted on websites?

awesome.

Next week, Columbia and CUNY are hosting graduate admissions fairs with presentations and panels. It serves as a perfect opportunity to meet potential advisers, speak with the admissions committees, and get a better understanding if the department is the right fit for me (anthro). But I do have a problem. I'm actually auditing a course at Rutgers Newark to keep my mind intellectually stimulated on my year off from school. I'm also learning about their department and whatnot. The admissions fairs are the same day as my Rutgers class next week. Should I miss class? I already missed class once because of a psychological breakdown that left me in the hospital. My professor thinks I had car trouble, but I was in the hospital for anxiety. If I miss the admissions fair, do I burn a bridge? What do I do? HELP!

I took a manhattan prep class. My grandpa gave me the money, and he told me it would be a good investment. I finished the class last week and am keeping up with practice problems and tests. My main focus is the verbal portion of the GRE since I'm an anthropology grad student. I also have magoosh, but on the practice problems, I keep getting some answers wrong. My verbal score range is currently 153-157 on practice. What else can I do to prepare?

Wikipedia too?

Did you have a favorite book or online tool you used while writing a thesis or dissertation?

You're amazing! Thank you so much.

Thank you. Yes, I'm on medication and attending therapy once a week. It was really bad at one point where I had to go to the hospital. But I'm taking this year to reapply and get healthy. Thanks so much for helping me out. It means more to me than you know! I just gotta study for the GRE a bit more.

Hi, everyone. I'm having a bit of a panic attack. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I spoke to my professors at school, and they agreed to write me strong letters of recommendation for a PhD in anthropology. I'm just worried that my CV isn't good enough. My thesis was a semi-finalist at a competition, and I have presented many papers. I have over 80 hours of volunteer work at a school where I served as a teacher to young teens and children. I just graduated in May with my MA in anthro from Columbia with a 3.9 GPA. Still, I am not published, and I have minimal research experience. I have a solid research proposal, and I studied the faculty at each school I wish to apply to. I am arranging campus visits next week and I am reaching out to the people there. I took a Manhattan Prep course for the GRE, and I take it in a month, but my math sucks--and the clock is ticking! I'm really nervous about this exam because I did terribly on it before: 153 Verbal, 144 Quant, and 5.0 Writing. I need to get those scores up because I am a horrific test taker. There are just so many factors weighing against me, and I'm worried that I won't be competitive enough. I took this year off school to hone my application and get healthy, but I feel as if I'm being counterproductive. I have a severe anxiety disorder that hospitalized me twice. What else can I do to make this application cycle stronger for me?

Wow, this is awesome feedback! Thanks so much, everybody. Forgive me, my anxiety tends to kick in every so often.

It would be awesome to hear your stories. I'm a recent grad from Columbia with an MA in anthro. I'm currently taking a year off school for health-related reasons. I got into a PhD program at Syracuse, but it was unfunded, so I rejected the offer and took a year off to get healthy. I have severe anxiety and depression, so it was the right move for me. I'm currently taking a course at Rutgers in Hispanic Urban cities. I spent the summer taking an online Manhattan Prep GRE course, and my exam is ONE MONTH AWAY. Cue panic. I still do not feel ready for the exam, and I need to do well. The schools I'm applying to are quite competitive. I cut back my hours at work. I work till 12:30 every day, but my afternoons are spent running off to my Rutgers class or driving back to New York to speak with my advisers and letter recommenders. I feel like I have no time to study for the GRE, and to be honest, I'm on thin ice at work. I keep asking for personal days just so I can meet up with my professors. A part of me wants to leave my job, but I like having the source of income. Plus, life will only be this crazy till December when applications are due. I know for a fact that I'm not ready for the GRE. I need more time. So, should I quit my job and delay my exam till November?

I have one from an undergrad writer, but I definitely need some more from my grad department.

Definitely. I gotta hunt them down!

I graduated with my MA from Columbia, and I asked some of my professors to write my letters of recommendation to the PhD programs in anthropology that I'm applying to. One of my letter writers is my thesis adviser, and the second is a professor I had in American anthropology. I am still worried though. I need a third letter from a professor who is willing to comment on my Spanish-speaking abilities. (I want to go for a PhD in Anthropology with a focus on Latin-American inner city communities). So, I emailed my anthropology professor who taught a course on Spanish-speaking communities. It is SO DIFFICULT reaching her. A lot of the faculty at Columbia do not respond to email. I even came during her office hours, but to no avail. She's never in her office. If I cannot find any other professor of mine to write me a letter, whom else should I go to? I'm interested in going to CUNY's Graduate Center and The New School. Do you feel that I should speak to the faculty there, build rapport, and ask for them to recommend me? Thanks in advance.