Hi everyone,
I'm applying to Masters programs in international affairs (SAIS, SIPA, Fletcher, all the usual suspects) and recently received my full GRE scores. My Q/V scores are 710/660, which I feel is decent, but my AW score is a shocking 4.0. The rest of my application is strong (graduated magna cum laude from an Ivy League school with a double major in IR and economics, speak 2 foreign languages, worked abroad my first year out of college, and am currently working for an international development NGO in DC, where I feel that I'm doing quite well and have been promoted in the past year). I know that work/academic experience speaks for itself and I can prove my writing ability in my statement of purpose, but I'm sill very worried that a 4.0 writing score is far too low. Plus, a 660V isn't stellar either, even though it's in the 90+ percentile.
From all the personal experiences out there with the application process, do you think the low AW will hurt my application? Should I retake the GRE just to improve it?
Thanks!