Randomness Or Vent?

[Medievalmaniac]

The funding issue is the main reason why I'm so gung-ho about the subject test, and was so pleased about my second round of general GRE scores (that, and I have this intense need to prove that being 9 years out of school DOESN'T MATTER - I CAN STILL STUDY MY ASS OFF!!). Many state funded U's give out TAships and funding based on GRE's. Sux, horrible, unfair, but it exists. Obviously, the GRE's are less important in programs where acceptance automatically means funding.

It's not just state schools anymore, as we know from my unhappy situation. Even some of the private schools only have X number of TAs, and they generally go to the high scorers also.

[PaperChaser]

It's not just state schools anymore, as we know from my unhappy situation. Even some of the private schools only have X number of TAs, and they generally go to the high scorers also.

But some schools fund everyone! (I promise!) As far as high scorers, I sure AS HELL was not one....I can conceive that PERHAPS the schools that offered me funding offered ALL their admits funding, but tomato tomato to me! I did get a decent scholarship to law school, and I will agree that it had to be based solely on my LSAT score.

I'll be the whiny kid who says "schools should fund all their admits." Or at least offer the opportunity for MERIT-based funding after the first year, which some schools do.

[muffinlit]

I guess what bothers me is that the numbers game apparently means more than actual passion and preparation - it doesn't matter if you ACTUALLY know anything, as long as the paper trail looks good. It's such a false indicator. Seriously. I was talking to a friend of mine who is going for twentieth century American literature the other day. She's fully funded at a top 20 school. SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHO DOM DELILLO AND TOM WOLFE ARE. But, she had a 3.8 UGPA and good GRE scores. Really? I mean, really??? Shouldn't she at least have HEARD of those two, as a twentieth century American lit studies major?

This makes me want to cry... as someone who wouldn't even imagine wasting my money on a top 20 school. You must educate her for fear she makes a fool of herself in the fall.

Edited March 28, 2010 by muffinlit

[intextrovert]

The funding issue is the main reason why I'm so gung-ho about the subject test, and was so pleased about my second round of general GRE scores (that, and I have this intense need to prove that being 9 years out of school DOESN'T MATTER - I CAN STILL STUDY MY ASS OFF!!). Many state funded U's give out TAships and funding based on GRE's. Sux, horrible, unfair, but it exists. Obviously, the GRE's are less important in programs where acceptance automatically means funding.

Generally, it's the university graduate schools, not the individual programs, that use GRE scores to determine scholarships and funding (obviously there are exceptions, but I'm pretty sure this is generally the case). And in that case, it's not going to be the subject score they look at, but the general test scores. Since they are using that as a standard to determine funding across disciplines - from biochemistry to comparative literature - they won't look at subject scores, as not all students have those and at any rate don't have the same ones.

Basically, it seems to me that as a general rule, departments, knowing what actually matters in producing successful scholars, will look at the more nuanced and intangible standards of comparison - writing sample, SoP, and LoRs, in other words. And voila! Admissions itself is based mostly on that. Not that the objective stuff doesn't matter at all to them, but it's the grad school that will force them to standardize things by using numbers. But when you go beyond the department's admissions decisions into something university-wide like graduate school fellowships and funding, what will matter will be the most standardized standard possible, which is the General GRE (flawed as that is!). Of course, a lot of individual departments get to fund at their discretion, and will then go again to the more substantive intangibles to determine funding.

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

Generally, it's the university graduate schools, not the individual programs, that use GRE scores to determine scholarships and funding (obviously there are exceptions, but I'm pretty sure this is generally the case). And in that case, it's not going to be the subject score they look at, but the general test scores. Since they are using that as a standard to determine funding across disciplines - from biochemistry to comparative literature - they won't look at subject scores, as not all students have those and at any rate don't have the same ones.

Basically, it seems to me that as a general rule, departments, knowing what actually matters in producing successful scholars, will look at the more nuanced and intangible standards of comparison - writing sample, SoP, and LoRs, in other words. And voila! Admissions itself is based mostly on that. Not that the objective stuff doesn't matter at all to them, but it's the grad school that will force them to standardize things by using numbers. But when you go beyond the department's admissions decisions into something university-wide like graduate school fellowships and funding, what will matter will be the most standardized standard possible, which is the General GRE (flawed as that is!). Of course, a lot of individual departments get to fund at their discretion, and will then go again to the more substantive intangibles to determine funding.

True. For funding, the general is more important.

However,I'm trying to aim for a completely brilliant app package . (I don't want another round of rejections, and I'm aiming high) I've recently discovered that it's actually a full-time endeavor just to prepare for creating one of those hahahahha (done with general GRE - thank god I don't have to take those again, subject test, summer graduate seminar, fall graduate seminar if same prof offers, and Latin classes in the fall and spring, while working on SOP and writing sample and working 4 jobs. yay).

[muffinlit]

True. For funding, the general is more important.

However,I'm trying to aim for a completely brilliant app package . (I don't want another round of rejections, and I'm aiming high) I've recently discovered that it's actually a full-time endeavor just to prepare for creating one of those hahahahha (done with general GRE - thank god I don't have to take those again, subject test, summer graduate seminar, fall graduate seminar if same prof offers, and Latin classes in the fall and spring, while working on SOP and writing sample and working 4 jobs. yay).

You will love Latin-- just don't get discouraged if the 18 year olds are better than you while they smell like a bar and look like they haven't changed their clothes in a day... perhaps I'm projecting.

[Branwen daughter of Llyr]

You will love Latin-- just don't get discouraged if the 18 year olds are better than you while they smell like a bar and look like they haven't changed their clothes in a day... perhaps I'm projecting.

It's an online class - I'll NEVER HAVE TO SEE THEM (and who knows, maybe I'll be better than they are?? )