AW score

[njslp2019]

So I got a 154 Q and 153 V on my gres but was very surprised by my AW score of a 3. I’m wondering if it’s worth  taking it again as I’m nervous I may not break 300 the second time but my aw score is not good at all. Does anyone know if AW scores are really taken into account anyway? I have a good gpa, lor, and experiences but I don’t want this to get in the way of competitive nj  admissions or a graduate assistantship. 

[soontobeslp2018]

9 hours ago, njslp2019 said:

So I got a 154 Q and 153 V on my gres but was very surprised by my AW score of a 3. I’m wondering if it’s worth  taking it again as I’m nervous I may not break 300 the second time but my aw score is not good at all. Does anyone know if AW scores are really taken into account anyway? I have a good gpa, lor, and experiences but I don’t want this to get in the way of competitive nj  admissions or a graduate assistantship. 

Your GRE scores don’t make or break your application. Use your personal statement to showcase your writing abilities. I got a 3 on the AW and my personal statement saved me according to the admissions committee 

[BADASSALICE]

if you want to do a thesis in graduate school a 3 on AW is probably not acceptable. I think it depends on the program if they focus on AW or not. Research oriented programs probably will look at AW more

[earresponsible]

I'd say it's definitely worth retaking, especially if you are going after a GA position. Increasing your scores will make you more competitive against other applicants and landing a GA position could save you thousands of dollars in tuition. I took the GRE two times, getting a 3.0 the first time on AW. The two essay questions I had were unfamiliar topics. So for my second GRE, I studied the expectations and tips for AW, which helped me get a 4.5. It is a huge percentile increase, and I know you could easily do it. Don't worry about breaking 300 a second time, you will be more familiar with the test environment the second time around should you choose to repeat the test. Good luck!!

[earresponsible]

On 12/22/2018 at 1:53 PM, soontobeslp2018 said:

Your GRE scores don’t make or break your application. Use your personal statement to showcase your writing abilities. I got a 3 on the AW and my personal statement saved me according to the admissions committee 

I think the GRE is a terrible indicator of one's predicted success in grad school. Unfortunately, some schools weigh GRE scores heavily into applications, while others do not. In terms of graduate assistantships, they are typically awarded based on merit (i.e. GRE scores, GPA).

[njslp2019]

I decided to retake the test and got about the same scores to break the 300! thanks for the advice, I'd definitely recommend anyone else to do the same. I figured out that I messed up the argument essay so I definitely should have improved in writing, I definitely couldnt have done worse

[kataphora]

Congratulations!  I'm so glad to hear you were able to maintain your Q/V scores and improve your writing I think you definitely made the right choice. Best of luck on your applications!