columbia09

Well oceanography is just a subfield of geology so I didn't think it would be that big of a deal especially since they have a geology concentration

Yea I did worse in the GRE then him lol. But the criteria must be different for a PhD program vs a masters program. Someone applying to a PhD program with a masters probably has a lot more experience in research then someone applying right out of college as an undergraduate.

Yea all my programs I applied to fund their master students if admitted. I know VT doesn't admit students if they can't fund them whether it be PhD or masters.

So I applied to primarily geology programs but for one of my schools I applied to an oceanography department. In my last paragraph where I stated after my masters I wish to pursue balh blah blah, I forgot to change masters in geology to masters in oceanography. I plan on doing their geology concentration for the masters but will this look bad ?

If so can anyone elaborate on this? How much easier is it? Are they more forgiving if you have a low GRE score ?

My advisor just told me not to do it. He just said that I need to take it again and hopefully do better

Amen to this post, amen, amen, amen. I did horrible on my SAT and ACT but I have a 3.83 in college and I have two science majors. To the person who suggested using this as an example, should I really just email the admissions committee ? Where can I put this on my app ? I fear because my GRE might be below "the cutoff", although none of my schools have an official GRE cutoff, that they won't even look at my app. My advisor just emailed me for info to right his letter so I wonder if I should email him saying to put this in there. He wants me to retake it though

Being as that may, the only advice I've received is to retake it. Even if that may be the best advice, some of us, like the OP, can't retake it so what should we do is what I'm asking

On the Stanford application, there's a section that states include anything about your background including sexuality that you'd like the admissions committee to know. I put that I was gay and how I can contribute to my other classmates. Does being gay give you some sort of advantage ? I wonder if I should add it on my other applications as well

He said he couldn't retake people what should this child do ? Here's what I say you do, don't retake the GRE because it'll be a waste of 200$ instead address I your application that your test scores do not reflect how you'll do in grad school. The GRE with the other standardized tests are useless ! They don't reflect ones performance in grad school, I got a 21 on the ACT and currently have a 3.83 GPA with two majors (science majors) and a minor. They are useless and this country is pathetic for giving them so much weight !!!!!

I have a horrible GRE score of V:145 Q:145 and AW:4. I how ever have a high GPA of 3.83 and I also have research experiences with two majors and a minor. I want to say in my personal statement that my GRE doesn't reflect my ability to do well in school. I believe I scored a 21 on my ACT but as you can see I'm doing just fine in college (I go to a top state school by the way). So how do I go about addressing this ? None of my schools have "cutoffs" for the GRE but how true is that in general? Anyway I'm applying to get my MS in geology.

Anyone thing I should do that ?

Yea this is what I thought about too. A lot of applications have sections where you can put in additional information that you'd like the committee to know about. I wonder if I can put this in there.

There isn't enough time for me to take it so I'm going with polishing my application like never before. I asked a couple of my prospective advisors and they all said no strict cutoff score.

Why does this test even matter ? I have research experience, a senior thesis, two majors, and a high GPA. Why is it that this test will keep me from gaining admissions to most if not all my schools? Do they seriously think that the GRE makes a good researcher/student ? ETS itself made a statement stating that schools should not have cutoffs based on GREs and yet schools continue to do so. None of my schools have "official strict cutoffs" but apparently it's all BS. Sorry for the rant standardized tests have kept me from doing a lot of things. I got a 21 on my ACT and I still managed to get a great GPA so I don't know what the value of these scores are other then the fact to throw applicants out that might be horrible test takers but great researchers/students. What happened to the whole holistic approach idea ? I thought grade schools were less concerned about numbers and more about research experiences. Oh well I guess I'll just wait for my 8 rejection letters to come. 4 years of work for nothing, thank you GRE !!!! Again I apologize for this, it's been building up in me all day.

I read somewhere that if you demonstrate competence on at least one of the GRE sections, depending on your GPA, you might make the cutoff? I have a horrible GRE, verbal and math both 145 with a 4 in AW putting me in the 56th percentile. Since I scored better then half of the applicants on AW will I make any cutoffs? I have a 3.83 GPA with two majors and a minor from a top state school I don't want to be rejected everywhere because of this test. There isn't anytime for me to retake it to improve my scores so I'm a bit worried now. I'm applying for my MS in geology

Yea I just have to hope that I'll get into at least one of these schools

So I e-mailed him and he said that I have to do better on the Q section. How much weight does that section hold ? I told him that I don't think I'll have adequate time to prepare in the follow up email.

I want to get an MS and enter the oil industry. That's my ultimate goal and my research interests are micropaleontology and paleoceanography. If I retake the GRE it would have to be over the summer meaning I'll have to apply with these scores if I continue the process. I don't feel that I can properly prepare now with everything going on in my life and work. I think I'm just going to apply with these scores and pray.

Thank you I'm going to speak to my advisor today to get his view on this. I might just wind up applying to the less competitive programs like Nebraska and U Mass.

What schools did you apply to if I may ask ? Did you contact those schools afterwards ? Was it just because of your GRE that you got rejected ?

So my official scores came out today, I'm above the 25% mark for verbal and 21% for math. I got a 4.0 in AW putting me above the 56% mark. So at least one of my scores is in the top half but I'm guessing I'm still in a disadvantage spot.

In all honesty, Nebraska is the program that I really want to try to get into. I spoke to the advisor and he told me everything I wanted to hear so if I could at least get in there I'll be fine. I'll meet with my thesis advisor tomorrow to explain that I received low GREs and what should I do (besides retaking them).

I feel sick now that everything I worked for over the past couple of years will be for nothing because of this stupid test. I don't know what to do at this point

Which is what I was going to ask next, should I include an explanation on my application ? I get panic attacks during standardized tests and I lose focus that's really the reason why I don't preform well.