Scores on the GRE Literature Subject Test

[eekemelye]

Hello all!

I'm hoping to apply to English PhD programs this cycle, and am just wondering if anyone has any concrete information about what scores we should be aiming for on the English subject GRE (I'm taking it in a couple weeks, and freaking out a bit, since there really aren't that many diagnostic test available). A somewhat intensive Google search has so far yielded very little information, and my current impression is that it matters a bit less than the other elements of the application, but I'm still very uncertain about this all.

Thanks so much in advance! 

Edited August 24, 2018 by eekemelye
typo

[victoriansimpkins]

From what I've heard and experienced, the GRE subject test is nearly impossible to nail down. I have a friend - in a PhD now - who bombed the test the first time (it was comprised of nearly all Greek poetry, of which she only knew 3 works confidently). She retook and every question was different (the new focus was on obscure Bible quotations) and she still did poorly. That being said, she got in to several programs who require the subject test (with a not-so-stellar score) but was waitlisted or rejected from others who didn't even require it. On the other hand -- I have a friend who earned a 170 on the GRE general, did fairly well on the subject test (his focused on canonical works which he had read most of), and was shut-out this past year. There are many other factors which I've heard adcoms focus on more (writing sample, SOP, LORs). I'm not personally taking (or worried about) the subject test any more, as none of my programs of interest require it. I know this probably doesn't assuage your nerves, but I feel confident in saying that there are ways around the subject test if you really don't want to take it, and a lot of programs don't seem to be requiring it anymore (jury is still out on what they truthfully mean by "recommended but not required").

 

[havemybloodchild]

The only school I applied to that mentioned the Lit test as far as score expectations go was UT Austin, which said: "Questions about an applicant’s preparation and readiness tend to be raised when the GRE Subject Test in Literature score is below the 60th percentile."

I took the test last year and scored in the 54th percentile, I believe.  I didn't include the results in any application that didn't require them based on Austin's statement, but my advisor said the test is ridiculous and and my score wasn't a terrible one.  Especially since my areas of interest are not old white guys, which 99.8 % of the questions on the test pertained to.  But...who knows?  I'm sure every school weighs the scores differently.  Anyways, that's all the info I could find, I hope it helps!