GRE scores for Canadian Psy. D. program

[ar933883]

Hi everyone,

I am looking for input on whether I should re-write my GRE. I scored 159 V ,151 Q, 5.0 AWA and am wondering if my quant score is going to negatively impact me, as it equates to the 42 percentile.  

Reasons not to re-write:

The program I'm aiming for,  a Psy. D. program at Memorial University of Newfoundland, does not have set GRE cut-offs and has a holistic admission evaluation, so the score may not be the end of me. Especially considering the program emphasizes training clinical skills, with research skill development as a secondary outcome. I believe the rest of my application is strong: honours thesis in psych, A- GPA, 3rd author publication and poster presentation, and 4 years of post-undergrad employment in clinical psychiatric research that involved significant interaction with adults experiencing mental health challenges.

Reasons to re-write:

The program is competitive and an advanced statistic courses is involved, so I assume that they want candidates who can demonstrate strong quantitative skills. I have two undergrad statistic courses under my belt, but my grades were a B- and B+, so on paper I do not necessarily demonstrate that my quantitative skills are a strength.

What do you all think? Do you think aiming to improve my quant score will make a significant difference for my application?

Thanks!

Edited October 10, 2018 by ar933883

[PsycUndergrad]

I have a friend who went there but am not overly familiar with the program myself, so take this with a grain of salt. But it’s my understanding that GREs are not emphasized too much and they will look at your whole application rather than tossing it out based on one component. 

But it might be in your best interests to improve your application as much as possible if you’re really aiming for this program. My friend has told me that they reserve most seats for local applicants because the goal of the program is to train psychologists for a part of the country that has a major shortage. If you’re out of province, the standards will be higher. 

[ar933883]

Thanks for your input. 

I agree, and am aware of the school's focus. Having completed my undergrad in Atlantic Canada and enjoyed living out there, I would be committed to working in Newfoundland. I have an interest in underserved communities so would definitely mention this in my application.

[higaisha]

I highly doubt a PsyD program would care about a 40th percentile quant score. Social psych/neuro/clinical PhD maybe, but I know people who've gotten in with that percentile for clinical PhD programs--which are far more research focused.