PhdApplicant311

Carefree, congratulations! You're done with it. And not a bad score at all given that you weren't sure you had enough time.

Sorry I didn't read - only one school. Can't you apply to a few more at least?

Dear doctor-to-be, I think this is probably common enough for people who've been out of school for long. I am having the same problem. I have excellent work experience, I am going to get great references and I thought, having given myself 3 months for the GRE, I will ace it (or at least do well enough in Quant), but it didn't exactly work out that way. If I were you, I would SERIOUSLY consider applying. Don't wait for better GRE scores. Even among the top universities, at least half of them would give more importance to - as Brown describes it - 'qualitative' aspects of the application. Don't get disheartened by the GRE scores. Try your best for the second GRE round and if you get the minimum of 305 - good for you. At least you made the cut-off. If not, still apply. I think given how great the rest of your application sounds, you have a good chance. REALLY! Apply.

@bumchikibum would you be kind enough to share a link to the post please? Thanks!

Thanks phillyhed! I'd be grateful for anything over 150!

I don't know Grapefruit, sometimes you prioritise and things don't work out. I killed myself over getting excellent research experience, working much harder than was expected and now I am getting excellent recommendation letters. I moved on to the next task in perfecting my application and that's working on my GRE and my scores have just been getting progressively worse after every test (specifically in quant), so I am not sure if a less than perfect GRE score reflects your effort. I think we all start with different baselines and sometimes it's hard to make up. If you never really paid attention to math at school, 3 months of a gruelling gre prep is not going to take you to 160. I think many, if not all, adcoms recognise this. I find it rather appalling when I read websites (Cornell, for example) say similar things about best candidates putting their best foot forward....

How is this even possible? I was hoping after every test and review and then re-test my quant scores would get better - the number of questions i get right do but not the scores. 5 more days left and I was hoping I would have reached the 155 mark at the very least by now! Please help what can I do? Should I just accept I have no aptitude for maths, while verbal scores count the most, I am not even sure of getting over 160 in verbal which would somewhat make-up for the worsening quant scores. Manhattan 1 Quant: 151, Verbal: 156 Power Prep 1: Quant 147, Verbal 156 Manhattan 2: Quant 152, Verbal 159 Manhattan 3: Quant 150, Verbal 158 Magoosh: Quant: 149, Verbal 163 Power Prep 1: Quant: 145, Verbal 161 (Took this today and for the first time got the most number of quant questions correct - 23/40 and was expecting at least 155, got a shock of my life when I saw 145!!!!)

Cafewriting, I'd say that's a nice big jump on Verbal, and Magoosh Quant questions can be tougher than they are on the exam, as attested by many users. Good luck! I am also trying to get through the day reviewing all the topics again. Btw, don't skip Data Interpretation, that's a guaranteed set of 4 questions at least on the test (a minimum of 2 in each section).

Cafewriting, I have 10 more days to go as well (Nov 19th really but I am assuming 10 days, I am also pregnant so I have 'off-days'!) and my practise test scores are just like your real test scores and am really nervous. I have been prepping diligently but over the last few days my brain has frozen. I am unable to even do basic addition and I seem to have forgotten all the rules I learnt a while ago. I am not able to solve problems and when I see the explanations, I go, "of course!" I seem to know the stuff but I am not able to do it. I was going through the Manhattan 5 LB problems topic by topic, 10-15 problems in each topic. Now, I am wondering if I should just stop for a while and if it's worth spending two days cramming all the basics again through Manhattan Guides, Magoosh Videos and the Empower Videos, and then start practising again. BTW, if you haven't taken practise tests, start taking them ASAP. You will feel much more confident, given all that you've done so far, you're probably not as far behind as you think you are. Unhelpful post but I thought I'd just share what someone in a similar position is going through. Good luck! And whatever you do, just don't stop studying. It's incremental and all adds up.

Thank you Rich!

Thank you Greenlight! UPDATE: I've just been revising inequalities from the Manhattan 5 LB book and I feel so silly for asking this now! This is a super simple inequality problem as it turns out.

Thank you GvH... wish you luck this year! I am sure things will go well. Thank you Brent, I do look at your videos from time to time. Thing is my GRE exam is on the 19th of next month so I don't really have the time to focus on each topic before moving to the next. I am trying my best though, we'll see how it goes. Thanks for putting up all those videos for free btw!!!

Dear Mockturtle and StrongTackle, Thank you for your response. Mockturtle is right! StrongTackle, I chose the exact same answers and I had also missed the 'disagree' which was so cunningly put there. The other thing I realisd after reading your answer was that if you think about it deeply, champions and venerates doesn't exactly mean the same thing. That's something both of us missed! Venerates means to respect deeply and champions means to support.... isn't it? But then again, abhors means to hate and repugnates means "to stand firmly against"... Oh well! One question at a time to conquering the GRE! Thanks guys.

Dear GvH, I cannot thank you enough for your response! I feel the same way and it's nice to hear you say this. I agree the Magoosh questions are good practise and I am going to try different ways to solve their problems. I am just curious, I see you're applying for a PhD... other than the GRE are you facing other 'stumbling blocks' while putting your application together? A mediocre GPA (3.5), from a top-notch school in the UK though, a lack of publications and conferences are bothering me. I've been looking at all the rejects from previous years that applied to the same programme with high GPAs, publications etc and I am wondering if I stand a chance. Lately though, I have been thinking that if 4.0 GPAs with publications and other awards are rejected - perhaps one needs to pay real close attention to the "good fit" aspect. I have some fantastic recommendations (also from a high profile ivy league prof!) and a good resume... I am hoping paying real close attention to my application and a trying to come across like a perfect fit could help. Assuming, my GRE prep doesn't fail me!! I don't know!!!

It is classified as 'Devilish' by Manhattan Prep! Many in the government disagree with a plan to debunk the low budget grassroots effort to expose the frivolity of Project X; the government employee’s union, with a newly elected leadership that more closely reflects the opinions of its members,__________ Project X.championsveneratesfights againstis partial toabhorsrepugnates