Awkward situation of my GRE scores-for Clinical Psych Canada

[FallGO]

I retook the GRE today, here are my scores: V: 160, Q:159.

In my first attempt in October, I got: V: 159, Q:162, AWA: 4. 

I wanted to improve my writing scores because most of the clinical psychology programs in Canadian universities show the average AWA of the accepted applicants is around 5. 

I spent 20 days preparing for my second GRE, focused primarliy on writing. However, I can't believe it that my Q is lower than my first time, sigh..... I don't know how to send my scores, if my second AWA is better than 4, then I guess the 2nd set of scores is better?  

What do you guys think?

[Teaching Faculty Wannabe]

@FallGO I think ETS has a thing called ScoreSelect which allows you to choose which scores to send to schools if you took the test multiple times. This would allow you to send your highest scores. Here is a link about it: https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/scoreselect/

[FallGO]

Just now, Moods said:

@FallGO I think ETS has a thing called ScoreSelect which allows you to choose which scores to send to schools if you took the test multiple times. This would allow you to send your highest scores. Here is a link about it: https://www.ets.org/gre/revised_general/about/scoreselect/

Thank you! But the thing is my verbal is better in the second time, math is worse than the first time. It's hard to decide what is the highest score. 

[Teaching Faculty Wannabe]

2 minutes ago, FallGO said:

It's hard to decide what is the highest score. 

I think with the ScoreSelect you can send the 160 Verbal, 162 Quant, and the highest writing score without the schools having to know about the other scores. I hope that makes sense.

[FallGO]

5 minutes ago, Moods said:

I think with the ScoreSelect you can send the 160 Verbal, 162 Quant, and the highest writing score without the schools having to know about the other scores. I hope that makes sense.

oh, really! That would be great. However, I'm not sure if that's the case. Here is what I copied and pasted from the website:

 

GRE^® tests all provide the ScoreSelect^® option, which means you can take a GRE test once now, or again in the future, and only send the GRE test scores from whichever test date(s) you want schools to see. Best of all, you always have five years to decide. Here's how it works:

No matter which option you choose:

• You will select by specific test dates, so your scores are all from the same testing session.

Based on what it said, I think I can only select the dates... 

 

Edited November 8, 2018 by FallGO

[Teaching Faculty Wannabe]

4 minutes ago, FallGO said:

Based on what it said, I think I can only select the dates... 

Ahhh, I see. You are right. I found this on Magoosh: https://magoosh.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/203445269-Can-you-explain-the-GRE-ScoreSelect-feature-

So sorry about that! I wish they had something like that, though, but I guess it would be wrong do something like that?? However, with that you can send both tests so they can see both of your high scores.

[FallGO]

1 minute ago, Moods said:

Ahhh, I see. You are right. I found this on Magoosh: https://magoosh.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/203445269-Can-you-explain-the-GRE-ScoreSelect-feature-

So sorry about that! I wish they had something like that, though, but I guess it would be wrong do something like that?? However, with that you can send both tests so they can see both of your high scores.

Thank you! I wish they could have that feature. I may send two scores eventually.. ETS is indeed a money sucker. 

[loffire]

@FallGO Different schools have different policies. Some schools will take the better, some the more recent even if it isnt your best, some will allow you send both and assess based on both. So you might wanna check that out.

Do also remember that just the raw score isnt as important. If you look at the percentiles, your first score (both in their 80s vs your second one with v in high 80s n q in low 70s) might be better since the verbal percentile does not jump much around those scores but the quant does (more people scoring perfect for quant). In short, if your written score goes up, choose the later one, otherwise I'd recommend your earlier one.

Edited November 9, 2018 by loffire

[Jay's Brain]

Hi, you cannot as you found out pick and choose between sections. It's all or none for the test you choose.

With that being said, I also encountered the same dilemma you did. My quantitative went down the second (and third) time I took the GRE, while my verbal went up (my AWA was my highest section and remained consistent). In the end, with advice from my undergraduate supervisor, I opted to use my original set of scores. Small blips in your GRE are not going to be detrimental to the impression you'll give to the admission committee, and, more often than not, the GRE plays a secondary or tertiary role at Canadian institutions. Fit, references, statement of interest and even academic performance are more important. Unless your GRE scores were very low, don't be boggled down by small deviations. They happen, especially when you retake the test!

[FallGO]

21 hours ago, Jay's Brain said:

Hi, you cannot as you found out pick and choose between sections. It's all or none for the test you choose.

With that being said, I also encountered the same dilemma you did. My quantitative went down the second (and third) time I took the GRE, while my verbal went up (my AWA was my highest section and remained consistent). In the end, with advice from my undergraduate supervisor, I opted to use my original set of scores. Small blips in your GRE are not going to be detrimental to the impression you'll give to the admission committee, and, more often than not, the GRE plays a secondary or tertiary role at Canadian institutions. Fit, references, statement of interest and even academic performance are more important. Unless your GRE scores were very low, don't be boggled down by small deviations. They happen, especially when you retake the test!

Thank you Jay's Brain for always being helpful! It really comforts me. I actually decided to send scores to schools immediately after I saw my scores. I think I was quite impulsive, my logic was that I was quite confident about my writing in the second time, so it will get better than the first; therefore my overall verbal and writing will be better than the first time. I basically got A+ in all my stat courses which show my competence in doing math. So, I think the second might be better. I am kind of taking a risk here, I don't want to pay extra money for sending scores. If my writing still doesn't improve, then I have to take the risk. I will send my first scores to all schools as well.