Took GRE Test Today - 163 V, 155 Q - Question on Value Add of Retaking

[bgt28]

I just took the GRE today and got the above-mentioned unofficial score. I feel good about my performance on the essay as well. However, I was wondering what folks think about the value of retaking it to get a higher quant score? I'm going for a PhD in American Literature at some pretty selective schools and want to present a solid profile, especially as someone who has been out of school for almost 10 years. Thanks!

[bgt28]

👀

[John Watson]

If your Writing score is good, I don't really think that it's necessary to retake the test. For PhD studies, it's all about research, and research is totally different from doing a standardized test, or having a good test-taking ability. Doing a PhD and taking the GRE are almost irrelevant, I can say that, among all application materials, the standardized test is of the least significance. The only thing you need to do about the GRE is that you don't get too low a score. Any mediocre score is sufficient.

 

That said, regarding the importance of the GRE, different subjects will demand high performance in different sections of the GRE. It varies from subject to subject. Only STEM programs such as Natural Sciences or Engineering, which have a strong emphasis on the student's Quantitative skills, require a high score in Quant. In your case, you study American Literature, so the Verbal and the Writing sections will be far more important than the Quant section. You Quant score is okay, don't worry about it. However, I'm not sure whether your Verbal score is competitive, and I certainly think that a Writing score of above or equal to 4.0 out of 6 should be a requirement for anyone serious about any subject in Humanities or Social Science. If you do want to retake the GRE, just focus on the Verbal and Writing sections. Good luck!