should i retake the GRE??

[mguj1130]

So I just got back from taking my GRE and didn't do as great as I hoped. I got a 620 V and a 760 Q. I'm happy with my verbal score but I was hoping my quant score to be 780+. I am applying this fall for bioengineering PhD programs. Will a 3.92 GPA and significant research experience with great LORs make up for the quat scores? I want to apply to top schools an their averages are usually 770-780. Ugh I'm really frustrated because I scored 790's on both PP exams and was really banking on getting at least a 780....

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated..

[socme123]

I'm not in your field, but in general, the problem with retaking to get higher than a 760 is that the chances are better that you'll do the same or worse. Averages are averages, not baselines, and you're only 10 points off the average. That means people with scores lower than yours are probably getting in.

If I were you, I'd get over the GRE disappointment and focus on the statement of purpose and schmoozing people for fantastic LORs.

[fuzzylogician]

If they're averaging 770-780 that means that they accept some people with 800, and others with 750-760. So yes, it's a bit below the average but I don't think it's anything to worry about. It'd be much wiser to spend your time working on other parts of your application, like your SOP or writing sample (if you need one), than on retaking the gre. The gain from retaking the test can't be that large compared to the gain from improving those other parts.

Edited June 10, 2010 by fuzzylogician

[mguj1130]

thanks for the input...i guess i wont retake it. plus the averages for the verbal section are around 550 so i did much better in that, although i know the quant is more important

[UnlikelyGrad]

thanks for the input...i guess i wont retake it. plus the averages for the verbal section are around 550 so i did much better in that, although i know the quant is more important

I disagree.

My sister is an engineering prof (different sort of engineering, but at a top school in her field). When we were discussing my GRE scores before I put in my applications, she said, "Almost everyone who applies here has an 800 Q. I always look at the verbal score to differentiate candidates."

I think your Q score is close enough to average to make it in, and your V score will raise eyebrows (in a good way). And, of course, make sure you have solid LoRs and a good SoP--if those are lousy, it doesn't matter how good your GRE scores are!

[mguj1130]

I disagree.

My sister is an engineering prof (different sort of engineering, but at a top school in her field). When we were discussing my GRE scores before I put in my applications, she said, "Almost everyone who applies here has an 800 Q. I always look at the verbal score to differentiate candidates."

I think your Q score is close enough to average to make it in, and your V score will raise eyebrows (in a good way). And, of course, make sure you have solid LoRs and a good SoP--if those are lousy, it doesn't matter how good your GRE scores are!

Thanks for the insight! That definitely makes me feel a lot better. I know for a fact that two of my LOR will be excellent because they wrote letters for me when I applied for summer REUs and I will take extra extra extra care to perfect my SOP!

[meecat]

Browse the application pages of various bioengineering programs you are interested in and check to see if they publish average GRE scores of admitted applicants. I just randomly found the UPenn Bioengineering page and it lists that successful PhD applicants had an average score of 611 in Verbal, 778 in Quantitative, and a 5 in writing. While it may have been more helpful to see a range of scores instead of just averages, you get some idea of the competitiveness of the successful applicant's score. I would wait and see what you scored in the writing section before assessing whether or not to definitely retake the exam. If you score less than a 5, I would say definitely retake it. You don't want to score below average on the two most important sections for an engineering PhD (quant & writing). If you score a 5 or higher, then I would say it is up to you, but you got to realize that you'd still be at an inherent disadvantage at 18 points below the average in Q. Consider that the listed average for admitted Masters students on the same page is still 764 for the quant section (and 4.5 in writing).

So honestly, I would recommend retaking it, especially if you want to apply to the top ranked schools. A 778 average tells me that the majority of successful applicants got a 780 or higher. Many probably got a 770, and fewer below that. Not saying it would be impossible to get in, but when it comes to applying to grad school why not give yourself the best chance possible of getting in by improving one of the few components of your application that you have 100% control over?

Edited June 12, 2010 by meecat