168(V)/148(Q) non-native speaker from Europe

[lukasodb]

Hello all,

I'm looking to apply to a top 20 department (but not Chicago and not UCSD) in the US. My interest lies in applied ethics and political philosophy, specifically the ethics of immigration. Also, I'm Dutch and English is my second language, though I should add that I have a master's from the University of Edinburgh.

So, here's my issue. I scored a 168/148 on the GRE, which I feel ambivalent about. I'm happy with the verbal score, but I think I could have done better on the 148. On the first math section I kind of lost track of time and I was a bit flustered, and I think I left at least 6-7 questions open because of that. I know, rookie mistake, but it happened. I think I could have scored maybe a 150 if I hadn't left those questions open and if, mor generally, I had adopted a more calculated strategy (roughly, skip to the easy questions like data analysis and then tackle the harder ones). My prep time was also quite short, about two weeks. To be sure, I realize that something like a 152-153 is probably the highest I could get—I'm just not a math wizard. However, that's still that's a lot better than a 148, which is the 30th percentile.

Now, my question is, is there a chance some departments will overlook my poor quant score in virtue of my very good verbal score? I've heard people getting into MIT with a 48 on quant. On the other hand, I know the average applicant scores about a 153-155 on quant. What do y'all think? Your input is much appreciated!

(Note that I have browsed through other topics, but since I only found one guy in a somewhat similar situation—'somewhat' because although he scored 166/146, he was a native speaker— I thought I'd start a new topic.)

Edited December 7, 2018 by lukasodb

[hector549]

6 hours ago, lukasodb said:

Hello all,

I'm looking to apply to a top 20 department (but not Chicago and not UCSD) in the US. My interest lies in applied ethics and political philosophy, specifically the ethics of immigration. Also, I'm Dutch and English is my second language, though I should add that I have a master's from the University of Edinburgh.

So, here's my issue. I scored a 168/148 on the GRE, which I feel ambivalent about. I'm happy with the verbal score, but I think I could have done better on the 148. On the first math section I kind of lost track of time and I was a bit flustered, and I think I left at least 6-7 questions open because of that. I know, rookie mistake, but it happened. I think I could have scored maybe a 150 if I hadn't left those questions open and if, mor generally, I had adopted a more calculated strategy (roughly, skip to the easy questions like data analysis and then tackle the harder ones). My prep time was also quite short, about two weeks. To be sure, I realize that something like a 152-153 is probably the highest I could get—I'm just not a math wizard. However, that's still that's a lot better than a 148, which is the 30th percentile.

Now, my question is, is there a chance some departments will overlook my poor quant score in virtue of my very good verbal score? I've heard people getting into MIT with a 48 on quant. On the other hand, I know the average applicant scores about a 153-155 on quant. What do y'all think? Your input is much appreciated!

(Note that I have browsed through other topics, but since I only found one guy in a somewhat similar situation—'somewhat' because although he scored 166/146, he was a native speaker— I thought I'd start a new topic.)

I know someone on these boards scored a 144Q and still got into some good PGR programs (a 144 is the 16th percentile, by the way). Yeah, a 148Q is still a bit low, but I don't think I'd sweat it too much since your verbal is high (and assuming your AWA is also good), as long as the rest of your application is strong. Also, I suspect committees would be more concerned if you were applying and trying to do something like logic with a low quant score.

Edited December 8, 2018 by hector549

[lukasodb]

6 hours ago, hector549 said:

I know someone on these boards scored a 144Q and still got into some good PGR programs (a 144 is the 16th percentile, by the way). Yeah, a 148Q is still a bit low, but I don't think I'd sweat it too much since your verbal is high (and assuming your AWA is also good), as long as the rest of your application is strong. Also, I suspect committees would be more concerned if you were applying and trying to do something like logic with a low quant score.

Thanks hector549, that's reassuring. As a follow-up question, I was wondering, can departments see that your GRE score was your first time you took the test? 

Edited December 8, 2018 by lukasodb

[dgswaim]

My Q score was 149 and I got in at a bunch of good places. I wouldn't spend too much time worrying about it.

[hector549]

17 hours ago, lukasodb said:

Thanks hector549, that's reassuring. As a follow-up question, I was wondering, can departments see that your GRE score was your first time you took the test? 

No, I don't think so. The score report to my knowledge just contains the score information and date of the test for whichever test scores you chose to submit.

[lth]

When you send your GRE score from the ETS website, you select a specific test to send. This means that the program to which you are applying has access to this test only. 

[lukasodb]

On 12/12/2018 at 11:33 PM, lth said:

When you send your GRE score from the ETS website, you select a specific test to send. This means that the program to which you are applying has access to this test only. 

Thanks for clearing that up lth.