Should I retake my GRE with this kind of score? Is it competitive enough with that GRE and 3.1 GPA？

[donnay]

Hi,

I have a 3.1 GPA from life science. If I want to get into a grad school rank 15-30, is my GRE score competitive enough? I want to know if I'm competitive not if I can get in, Thank you!

GRE: 680V, 700Q, 3.5

Thank you!

[lyonessrampant]

I don't mean this to be mean, and I'm in a different field (English), but your Quant score is just a tad over mine. . .so I think someone in the sciences should have a higher score, especially when your GPA is pretty low. From what I understand, the objective factors of an application (GPA, GRE score, subject score) are more important in the sciences, so I think if I were you, I'd retake the GRE, especially if you've graduated already and can't improve your GPA. If your field requires a subject test, you really need to rock that test to show that you know your field, even if maybe your GPA isn't very high. Do you have research experience, lab time, references from respected profs in your field? Yes to the previous questions can overcome GPA/GRE scores, but if you have time and think you can boost your quant score, I'd retake it. Good luck!

Edited May 7, 2011 by lyonessrampant

[Mal83]

I'm in a different field as well (global affairs), but here are my stats just so you can compare...

undergrad GPA:3.35 in International Studies

GRE scores: V570 Q550 W 4.5

Experience: Peace Corps volunteer: 2 years, study abroad: 1 semester, 1 short term over the summer

Accepted to one school, waitlisted at my first choice (top tier for IR), and rejected from another...

So my numbers aren't stellar...but I have great experience that pertains directly to my field and my BA couldn't be anymore suited to what I'll be pursuing in grad school. How important is the GRE in my field? It counts for something for sure, but really the Quant score isn't nearly as weighty in International Relations as it would be in the sciences or mathematics. I don't know about retaking it, I really don't know that much about applying for science grad programs, but when I look at your scores I think they're really good. Although I'd say that the writing score could use a bit of a boost, but again, not sure how much if at all that will play into your applications. But based on what I've learned in these forums and what the previous poster said, perhaps taking a subject test will be the best course of action. Or if you don't want to go that route, maybe take another class that directly relates to the subject matter of your program of choice, doing well in an extra class always gives your application a fresh boost and if you can get a letter of recommendation from that professor, all the better. But you do need to do the research first, what schools and programs are you most interested in? Look at their requirements and stats, maybe your stats will fit right in or start asking admissions about what they might recommend. Why take the GRE all over again when a subject test would serve you better? Start thinking along those lines.

[Xanthan]

It's impossible to say how competitive you are without knowing the rest of your app. How much research do you have? What kind of letters? What kind of coursework does your 3.1 GPA represent?

As for the GRE score, personally I think it's fine. If your GPA was closer to 3.5, I'd say not even to bother retaking it. Since your GPA is a bit low, retaking it may be marginally helpful, but only if you can score significantly higher (30+ points in each section). Even then, I think it would only be a very small boost to your app.

I got into multiple top 30 programs in the biosciences with a lower GRE than that, including a substantially lower quant: 630Q, 700V. You'd probably be better off spending your time tweaking your SOP, convincing schools that your research interests match their strong suits.

[donnay]

I don't mean this to be mean, and I'm in a different field (English), but your Quant score is just a tad over mine. . .so I think someone in the sciences should have a higher score, especially when your GPA is pretty low. From what I understand, the objective factors of an application (GPA, GRE score, subject score) are more important in the sciences, so I think if I were you, I'd retake the GRE, especially if you've graduated already and can't improve your GPA. If your field requires a subject test, you really need to rock that test to show that you know your field, even if maybe your GPA isn't very high. Do you have research experience, lab time, references from respected profs in your field? Yes to the previous questions can overcome GPA/GRE scores, but if you have time and think you can boost your quant score, I'd retake it. Good luck!

Hi! Thank you for your information. I am going into bio-science. I will definitely retake the test, subject test, probably not going to take it. Thanks!

[donnay]

I'm in a different field as well (global affairs), but here are my stats just so you can compare...

undergrad GPA:3.35 in International Studies

GRE scores: V570 Q550 W 4.5

Experience: Peace Corps volunteer: 2 years, study abroad: 1 semester, 1 short term over the summer

Accepted to one school, waitlisted at my first choice (top tier for IR), and rejected from another...

So my numbers aren't stellar...but I have great experience that pertains directly to my field and my BA couldn't be anymore suited to what I'll be pursuing in grad school. How important is the GRE in my field? It counts for something for sure, but really the Quant score isn't nearly as weighty in International Relations as it would be in the sciences or mathematics. I don't know about retaking it, I really don't know that much about applying for science grad programs, but when I look at your scores I think they're really good. Although I'd say that the writing score could use a bit of a boost, but again, not sure how much if at all that will play into your applications. But based on what I've learned in these forums and what the previous poster said, perhaps taking a subject test will be the best course of action. Or if you don't want to go that route, maybe take another class that directly relates to the subject matter of your program of choice, doing well in an extra class always gives your application a fresh boost and if you can get a letter of recommendation from that professor, all the better. But you do need to do the research first, what schools and programs are you most interested in? Look at their requirements and stats, maybe your stats will fit right in or start asking admissions about what they might recommend. Why take the GRE all over again when a subject test would serve you better? Start thinking along those lines.

Congrats for being accepted into the schools you applied! Thank you for posting your stats, they are helpful. I'm most interested in Weill Cornell, hopefully I can get in after getting a better Q score.

[donnay]

It's impossible to say how competitive you are without knowing the rest of your app. How much research do you have? What kind of letters? What kind of coursework does your 3.1 GPA represent?

As for the GRE score, personally I think it's fine. If your GPA was closer to 3.5, I'd say not even to bother retaking it. Since your GPA is a bit low, retaking it may be marginally helpful, but only if you can score significantly higher (30+ points in each section). Even then, I think it would only be a very small boost to your app.

I got into multiple top 30 programs in the biosciences with a lower GRE than that, including a substantially lower quant: 630Q, 700V. You'd probably be better off spending your time tweaking your SOP, convincing schools that your research interests match their strong suits.

Congratulations! I hope that I can get into top 30 too! What program did you applied and get accepted??

[MoJingly]

I had your score on the quant and a lower score on the verbal and a 4.0 AW and didn't have any problems. Every program is different, but the GRE isn't the end-all for most.

[skazoo]

"Competitiveness" for life science is weighed more on experience and recommendation than GPA and GRE. Therefore, if the exp/rec is good then you don't really have to worry about GPA/GRE unless it's really, really horrible and does not make the cutoff (<3GPA <60%GRE Q or V. They don't care about AWA), and your score definitely made the cutoff.

About GRE: Your verbal is very good. However, in life science, adcom told me that they weigh Quant heavier than Verbal. Therefore, it'll be better if you have >80% Q GRE (740ish) to mitigate your low GPA. My GPA is exactly the same as yours and I had 800Q, and the adcom told me that the Q score did mitigate the low GPA in their decision since my Q GRE is the best 5 out of the 250ish applicant and my GPA is in the low-mid of the applicants.

If you have good research experience and recommendation, and if you don't have time/money to retake, then I'd say no. If you have money/time to retake, I'd say it might be worth it. But if you don't have good exp/rec, then I'd say retake until you have >80%.

My stats:

Life sciences major

2.9 GPA, 3.1 major GPA, upward trend (2.7 average in first and 2nd years, 3.2 in 3rd, and 4 in fourth year).

800Q/530V/4.5AWA.

2-3 years research exp with 2 papers (pending)

LoR from 2 research profs and 1 class prof (1 is very very influental prof)

Got in top 15-20.

Hope this helped.

Edited May 11, 2011 by skazoo

[donnay]

"Competitiveness" for life science is weighed more on experience and recommendation than GPA and GRE. Therefore, if the exp/rec is good then you don't really have to worry about GPA/GRE unless it's really, really horrible and does not make the cutoff (<3GPA <60%GRE Q or V. They don't care about AWA), and your score definitely made the cutoff.

About GRE: Your verbal is very good. However, in life science, adcom told me that they weigh Quant heavier than Verbal. Therefore, it'll be better if you have >80% Q GRE (740ish) to mitigate your low GPA. My GPA is exactly the same as yours and I had 800Q, and the adcom told me that the Q score did mitigate the low GPA in their decision since my Q GRE is the best 5 out of the 250ish applicant and my GPA is in the low-mid of the applicants.

If you have good research experience and recommendation, and if you don't have time/money to retake, then I'd say no. If you have money/time to retake, I'd say it might be worth it. But if you don't have good exp/rec, then I'd say retake until you have >80%.

My stats:

Life sciences major

2.9 GPA, 3.1 major GPA, upward trend (2.7 average in first and 2nd years, 3.2 in 3rd, and 4 in fourth year).

800Q/530V/4.5AWA.

2-3 years research exp with 2 papers (pending)

LoR from 2 research profs and 1 class prof (1 is very very influental prof)

Got in top 15-20.

Hope this helped.

Thank you very much! Your Stats help a lot! I will definitely retake the GRE again and try to get at least 760 in Q. But I also worry that I will have a lower V score on the second test.

Is your school ranked 15-20 higher or lower than cornell weill in that respect? I really want to get into that school!

Thank you!

[donnay]

So I took the GRE again and got 640v and 790Q! Where should I apply now!?