GRE Double Panic

[Emelye]

I'm taking the old GRE for the first time in July and then the revised one in August (DON'T ask me why - I'm still kicking myself over it, wondering what I was thinking). I'm taking the computer-based test, and ETS is super unclear about instructions on what to do on the test day. Do I need an admission ticket, or is that only for the paper-based test? Because, if I do need one, I can't find it anywhere online. Also, do you get to see your scores right away (like with CLEP tests)? And what is a considered a "good" score for the old GRE? I had a CR-760 and M-650 (and W-800, but no one cares about that...) on the new SAT, and I'm hoping for a comparable score on the GRE. So, would a V-750/Q-650 be a decent score to aim for on the GRE? (FWIW, I'm applying to English Lit MA/Ph.D programs for Fall 2012.)

Thanks!

Em

[stackoverflow]

You don't need an admission ticket for the computer based test, but it may be a good idea to hold on to your confirmation number (it was emailed to you when you registered for the test) just in case. As for scores, I'm not sure about your specific department but if you did that well on the CR and math on the SAT, I would guess that you could get a similar score on the Verbal and much higher (probably around 720) in Math. These are good goals but you should just aim for your best after looking at what the test material entails.

[Tdearr]

I'm taking the old GRE for the first time in July and then the revised one in August (DON'T ask me why - I'm still kicking myself over it, wondering what I was thinking). I'm taking the computer-based test, and ETS is super unclear about instructions on what to do on the test day. Do I need an admission ticket, or is that only for the paper-based test? Because, if I do need one, I can't find it anywhere online. Also, do you get to see your scores right away (like with CLEP tests)? And what is a considered a "good" score for the old GRE? I had a CR-760 and M-650 (and W-800, but no one cares about that...) on the new SAT, and I'm hoping for a comparable score on the GRE. So, would a V-750/Q-650 be a decent score to aim for on the GRE? (FWIW, I'm applying to English Lit MA/Ph.D programs for Fall 2012.)

Thanks!

Em

Hi Em,

As stackoverflow mentioned above, you won't need an admissions ticket with you on test day for the computer based test. The only thing you will need is your ID (and it can’t hurt to bring your confirmation number. Make sure you have valid picture ID that includes a signature (they are strict about what constitutes valid ID so you might want to check out this page on their site to make sure you bring the right thing: http://www.ets.org/g...al/test_day/id/). I actually wrote up a little piece on what to expect on the GRE test day that you might find useful. You can check it out here:http://www.manhattan...post36563.html

In answer to your question about scores, if depends on the criteria of the program you are applying to. I would recommend trying to research the average GRE scores at the specific institutions that you are planning to send applications to. In general, my advice is... don't be surprised if your math score is higher than your verbal score. One area of concern for many students (especially for English majors like yourself) is the disparity between their two scores. However, I would like to point out that there is a huge disparity between the two scales, so it isn't strange at all to see a 790 Math and a 690 Verbal… even for an English major. In fact, based on the percentiles, a 690 verbal is harder to get than a 790 math!

A 730 Verbal puts you in the 99th percentile of Verbal scores, so don't get too freaked out over a low 700s score on that section. For more on the relative "value" of GRE scores, check out the percentile chart on page 13 of this pdf published by ETS: http://www.ets.org/M...pdf/994994.pdf

Also, on the current GRE, you will get your scores right away on the computer (for the Q and the V that is, the analytical writing won’t be scored right away). However, the new GRE will take a few months to score as they calibrate the new scales, so you won't get scores from that until November. I hope that helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Best,

Taylor

Edited May 31, 2011 by Tdearr