Scottielass

Thanks for posting this link. Great info. This makes me even more sure of my grad school choice.

The only reason to take the GRE is for grad school. As an employer, I would be concerned seeing those scores. It would mean you're likely a short-term prospect as an employee. The only time I've ever seen a reference to grades on a resume is graduating with honors.

For a second, I thought you were talking about one of my professors. Professor X is notorious for running up to the last minute with deadlines. I waited nearly 8 weeks for a summer grade for an independent study they advised. I gave my request in late October. I have some backup letters, but I know Prof. X will give me a phenomenal LoR. We've worked on a lot of special projects, too, so it's important to have this recommendation. I know it will get done, but it is irksome. All of my other recommenders submitted my letter within 3 weeks of my request. Thankfully my deadline isn't for another couple of weeks. Keep in mind there may have been a mix up or something personal going on at the time. Our profs have their own commitments besides us. Our LoRs may be our first priority, but are likely a blip of the radar for them. Polite persistence is definitely the way to go.

I only applied to one school because I couldn't afford to apply to fall-back institutions. I spent about $300 for the total process. $80-GRE (half-price waiver) $50-Application fee $35-Transcripts/Postage (3 institutions @ 2 transcripts per) $100-Campus Visit (travel cost & other expenses) $20-Thank you cards/postage for campus visit and recommendation writers (who got a little pack of chocolate, too) $30-Portfolio supplies (cds, labels, stationary, postage, etc.) $5- Clear nail polish (To stop biting my nails from the stress) Acceptance to my #1 school- Priceless

X's approach to blahblahblah will support my academic goals because... Be specific. This is the best advice I've received.

I use my middle initial on every piece of professional correspondence just for this reason. I wouldn't want someone confusing me with some slacker who happens to have the same name . Though this did remind me to google myself. I haven't done that in a while. I'm still fairly anonymous (except for a couple of articles I wrote), and that's not a bad thing.

If your GPA is really, really good you might balance out your score if it's close to the cutoff. I completely empathize with your situation. I had horrible time management with the Quantitative section. I know I timed out on one, maybe two questions.

It's a blessing and a curse with the water. Four hours is a heck of a long time without anything to drink. I took my ten minute break after AW to get out of the room, stretch my legs and drink something. But I wouldn't have kept water with me at the station. I would be paranoid needing to use my precious Q-V test time for a restroom break. If it's a truly medical issue, talk with your test center ahead of time. They may make some accommodations.

I am only applying to one Master's program for numerous reasons. Like many of the other posters, I am a non-traditional student. My SO has an amazing & stable job, so picking up to move for grad school really isn't an option. Thankfully, there is an terrific program for my field about 1 1/2 hours away. Not an ideal commute, but worth it. I am starting to panic, though. While my GRE and GPA definitely meet the cutoff, they aren't stellar. I am finishing my undergrad and I am making up for some deficiencies in my grades from more than a decade ago. While I have 3.996 in my last 75+ credit hours, I am still only at a 3.13 overall GPA, thanks mostly to mediocre performance in my core liberal arts classes. The GRE was just brutal for me. I have such a hard time giving up on a question and guessing. That led to serious time issues at the end. The good news is I am triple major with 3.68-3.89 in those programs, I have six glowing LORs, a great Personal Statement and a kick-butt electronic portfolio. I'm trying to remain confident, but the little insecurities are weighing on me at the moment . If it wouldn't work this year, I would rather wait a year and re-apply than apply to a program that wasn't the ideal fit for my future goals.

How recently did you visit the campus? If it was in the past week, I would say it is definitely appropriate. I wrote thank you notes the day after my informal visit. I believe that the hand-written thank you is quickly becoming a lost art. Email is immediate, but I think a hand-written note shows genuine thoughtfulness.

Back Fracture. If you notice, this takes us back to the beginning again

This was so much fun. Thanks to OP for sharing. I wonder if I can put this at the end of my electronic portfolio. Like a bonus feature .