GREMasterEMPOWERRichC

Hi All, We've launched a new series of free resources at our website (www.empowergmat.com) with the option to set up your own personal Account (so that you can keep track your progress) with no credit card required. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Elvidi, With your Verbal and Essay Scores, you clearly have the critical reasoning skills to score at a high level, so I have to assume that you can raise your Quant Score (you just need to learn to 'see' the GRE Quant in a different way). 1) What materials did you use during your original studies? 2) Have you thought about when you might next take the GRE? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Filmguy80, Based on your post, there are some 'unknowns' that you have to account for: 1) What Schools/Programs do you plan to apply to? Those Programs likely have websites with exactly the type of information that you're looking for. 2) The Professors who are offering you advice... Do they work in admissions (or have some type of intimate knowledge of what an Admissions Committee is looking for)? Or are they just offering a general opinion on your situation? 3) What are the application deadlines for the Programs that you're considering? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Kush, It sounds like your immediate goal is to find free resources, but what are the BIG goals: 1) What is your goal score on the GRE? 2) What Grad Schools/Programs are your 'top' choices? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

TheBumChikiBum, As I mentioned, you might be able to 'spin' your GPA to make it look a bit better; to do so, you have to take ONLY the classes that are relevant to your Grad Degree Program and recalculate your GPA using JUST those grades. IF you can show that you're strong in the subjects that 'matter' to the Degree Program, then you might be able to improve how your GPA comes across in your applications. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi jwalker8, As I mentioned in my prior post, a Q156 is NOT going to impress anyone, especially at those Schools. However, every Admissions Committee at every School knows that not all applicants are great Test Takers, so they will offer invites to applicants who excel in other areas. Since these Schools are all highly competitive, you have to make sure that your OVERALL application is as strong as you can make it AND that you present yourself properly. You might want to consider working with an Admissions Expert on your applications. The earliest that you could reasonably apply to any of these Programs is the 2nd Round (which won't be until December or January). Have you considered retaking the GRE? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi mayank1692, If your second GRE score is much better than your first, then you should absolutely send that second score to all of the Schools that you plan to apply to. Grad School Admissions Departments understand that many applicants will take the GRE more than once, so they won't hold a retake against you (and they'll almost certainly use your higher score when evaluating your application). They're ultimately looking for evidence that you will be able to handle the curriculum, so a higher GRE score (even on a second or third attempt) shows that you have the capacity to learn and improve - these are both 'positives.' GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi fareed ahmed khan, Do you know which Schools/Programs you are interested in? Different Schools will have different 'requirements', so it is tough to say what a 'minimum' GRE score would be without more specific information. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi TheBumChikiBum, Is the 2.7 your Overall GPA or is it the GPA in the subjects that are relevant to your Grad Degree Program? If your GPA was 'brought down' by some non-relevant classes (or some other definable reasons), then you might be able to sell your overall profile a bit better. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi bhavinmackk, You've clearly defined what you're looking for, which is good. Now you have to define your overall timeline and goals. 1) What is your goal score? 2) When are you planning to take the GRE? 3) When are you planning to apply to School? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi nanokid, Grad Schools sometimes see so many applicants that it can be difficult to figure out who to accept and who to reject. However, when an applicant does NOT actually complete the full application process (by sending in an Official GRE Score Report), then that task gets a little bit easier. If you're serious about attending any of these Programs, then you have to show the Admissions Departments that you're professional enough to complete the series of application 'tasks' that they have set for you. At this point, I would call the Admissions Office directly, apologize for not sending in your Official Report sooner, and ask if it's still okay to send in your Report now. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi ew2u09, Raising your GRE scores to this new level will take some serious work, but the GRE is a predictable, standardized Test, so you CAN train to score at a higher level. You'll likely need to invest in some new resources though (and learn/practice some new Tactics). 1) Do you know the exact application deadlines that you're facing? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi stefanw, You made some nice progress between your first and second GREs, so it seems like you have the potential to improve. Since you've named some competitive Schools, having a higher GRE score would likely be quite helpful to your applications. 1) How long did you study before each of your attempts? 2) What resources did you use? 3) When are you planning to apply to School? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi jmk, If you're not comfortable with the math 'work' that you have to do on the GRE, then you have to hone those skills first (and your GRE skills second). As such, I highly recommend Khan Academy (www.khanacademy.org) - it's a free site that makes the learning a bit more fun and 'game-like' (as opposed to the dry, academic approach that most math books take). While that site is vast, you should limit yourself to basic Arithmetic, Algebra and Geometry. Once you've put in some time on that work, you should get back to GRE-centric studies. If you find that the current resources you have are not helping to make the task easier, then you might need to invest in some new materials. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi jwalker8, When you say that you're planning on applying to Top-10 Schools, do you know the exact Schools/Programs yet? The Q156 isn't going to impress anyone, but it might not have to if the rest of your application is strong AND you present yourself correctly. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi ucdguy88, Have you taken either of the Official MSTs (from www.gre.org)? Those MSTs are the most realistic ones on the market (and they're free). While some Test Takers opt to save at least one of those Tests for later on during their studies, it sounds like you might be at a pivotal point in YOUR studies - so having realistic data to work with can help you make the right decisions about how you should proceed. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi JD, That's great news about your Official Score results. That score combination puts you in a strong position to apply to Grad School, so you shouldn't hold back when it comes to your applications. Have you thought about what Schools/Programs you plan to apply to? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi DPDT, After reading your post, I think that you really have to prioritize what's most important to you. Since you barely studied for the GRE, it doesn't make sense that you would be surprised by your scores. The GRE is a predictable, standardized Exam, so you CAN train to score at a higher level. The GRE is also an essential part of the application process for most Grad Schools. So what is MORE important?.... Studying for (and improving) your GRE scores and possibly getting into your Dream School.....OR....not doing any of those things (because you don't think that you'll do well at the Verbal section, so you won't even try). If you're dead-set on not taking the GRE again, then your options are going to be limited. If you're looking for advice that could conceivably 'solve' all of your 'issues', then it's pretty straightforward - you have to take this whole process seriously and study for the GRE. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi aznbeggerap, Yes, I would absolutely report it to ETS (for no other reason than they might have some mis-information in their system that needs to be 'fixed'). When you originally registered, did you receive a confirmation email about the location? If you haven't received any notifications at all, Is it possible that a notification went to a different email address that you might have used (during registration), or possibly your spam folder? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi JISNEGRO, Your last two GRE scores are so similar that they're essentially the same 'performance' (+- a couple of correct answers). This means that you're consistent in the things that you do correctly and consistent in the general mistakes that you make. Since the GRE is a predictable, standardized Test, you CAN train to score at a higher level though. 1) How long did you study before each of your attempts? 2) What resources did you use during your studies? 3) When are you planning to apply to Grad School? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi Somnus, You've named some competitive Schools. Your Q157 isn't a bad score, but it likely won't impress anyone at those Programs. Thankfully, it might not have to. Grad School Admissions Committees know that not everyone is a fantastic Test Taker, which is why the applications include several factors beyond the GRE. Your GPA and your specific work experience certainly make you appear more than qualified to attend these types of Programs. I suggest that you research each of the individual Programs as much as you can (you might even want to contact the Admissions Offices directly). Most Schools offer direct information on their respective websites that will help you get a sense of how your scores/profile 'match up' with the typical students who are invited to attend. If you're really concerned about how your GRE scores compare (or if a School Admissions Officer tells you directly that they're too low), then you should report back here and we can talk through your study options for another attempt at the GRE. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi hnainani, If you're not scoring close to your goals, then you might want to consider pushing back your Test Date so that you can continue to study and improve. 1) How have you been scoring on your practice CATs (including the Quant and Verbal Scaled Scores)? 2) What is your Test Date? GMAT assassins aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi stormborn54, Have you done any research into the specific Schools/Programs that you're interested in? Once you have that list of Schools, you should be able to research each of them so that you can get a better sense of how competitive your GRE Score is. When are you planning to apply? GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi aznbeggerap, That IS an odd scenario (and not particularly professional of Prometric). How long ago did you sign up for the GRE? When you used the Scheduler, did it list any information about the Test Center's current status/location? If you can list the original location of the Center and its current location now, we might be able to do something about it (inform ETS, other Test Takers, etc.). GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich

Hi ew2u09, Since a strong GRE score can help get you into a "better"/higher-ranked School (which would have a big impact on your career and future) and could potentially get you Scholarship money, I would expect that the motivation shouldn't be too hard to come by. With those motives in mind, I have a few additional questions: 1) What Grad Schools/Programs are you interested in? 2) When are you planning to apply to School? 3) What is your goal score on the GRE? For what it's worth, the amount of study time can vary greatly from person to person. Some Test Takers need 3 months (or more) before they hit their 'peak' scores, so you shouldn't base your overall timeline on what one particular person did while studying. GRE Masters aren't born, they're made, Rich