Successful Math Major and did AWFUL on GRE Quant

[gcjohns]

Hi All,

I took GRE General this past weekend and scored a 730 Q. I am a mathematics major at a top 50 university with a 3.9, and typically the highest grade in each math class at my school. I am currently doing research at UCLA in applied and computational mathematics and I have been a tutor for calculus throughout all of my undergrad. What gives with the score? I got 780-800 on all practice tests and must have royally screwed myself on this past test because I can't even apply to the Top 20 Programs I was interested in for Masters Financial Engineering now. I want to retake the test (obviously), but has anyone else on here had a similar experience? I feel as though four years of hard work have been completely washed out by 45 minutes of basic algebraic computation. Any advice? Do I still have a shot at GOOD grad program for MFE?

-GJ

[mechengr2000]

I am not sure what your question is. Why not just retake the GRE?

I am sure you know that it does not test Math knowledge, but rather critical reasoning. (I scored 800/800).

Were you stressed out during the exam? What happened? What was your attitude going in?

Edited July 11, 2011 by mechengr2000

[gcjohns]

I am not sure what your question is. Why not just retake the GRE?

I am sure you know that it does not test Math knowledge, but rather critical reasoning. (I scored 800/800).

Were you stressed out during the exam? What happened? What was your attitude going in?

Very stressed. Problem is the next GRE I take will be the new one and so I wont even know what my scores are until Nov. 1. A lot of my apps are due before then.

[mechengr2000]

Very stressed. Problem is the next GRE I take will be the new one and so I wont even know what my scores are until Nov. 1. A lot of my apps are due before then.

Dang! OK. Hmmm

Since you were a Math major, and you have all those other things supporting your ability to do math, I think you are in the clear. 730 is not bad, though it may feel that way to you now because both you and I know you could get an 800 if you were feeling better that day.

Your fine dude. Good luck!

[lyonessrampant]

Aren't there a few more test dates before August 1? It doesn't sound like preparation was your problem, just nerves, so get back on the horse ASAP and get that score back where your pre-test scores were! If that's not possible, I probably wouldn't retake it but maybe address it in a few sentences in your SOP.

[economeager]

The problem here sounds like your anxiety. Put effort into managing that rather than more brute force prep. I suggest mindfulness and breathing meditations, as well as doing vigorous exercise often and engaging in positive self-talk and affirmations.

[finknottle]

Hi All,

I took GRE General this past weekend and scored a 730 Q. I am a mathematics major at a top 50 university with a 3.9, and typically the highest grade in each math class at my school. I am currently doing research at UCLA in applied and computational mathematics and I have been a tutor for calculus throughout all of my undergrad. What gives with the score? I got 780-800 on all practice tests and must have royally screwed myself on this past test because I can't even apply to the Top 20 Programs I was interested in for Masters Financial Engineering now. I want to retake the test (obviously), but has anyone else on here had a similar experience? I feel as though four years of hard work have been completely washed out by 45 minutes of basic algebraic computation. Any advice? Do I still have a shot at GOOD grad program for MFE?

-GJ

Ditto. 730 in math. Physics and Computer Science major. I did a few silly things though. In one of the DI questions, I didn't scroll till the bottom, and didn't have some crucial data. Wasted about 5 mins on that question trying to produce data out of thin air until I finally scrolled and could do it in 30 seconds. Hence, I couldn't complete the paper. I remember another ambiguous question. Something like 1/(1-x) vs. 1+x for 0<x<1. Clearly, in the limiting case(x->0) (and only in the limiting case), both would be the same, but later they diverge and the former would certainly get bigger. But I chose 'can't say'. So not sure if GRE expects you to take limits. Stuff like that. I am writing it again. Hope I don't mess it up again.

[kp12746]

Ditto. 730 in math. Physics and Computer Science major. I did a few silly things though. In one of the DI questions, I didn't scroll till the bottom, and didn't have some crucial data. Wasted about 5 mins on that question trying to produce data out of thin air until I finally scrolled and could do it in 30 seconds. Hence, I couldn't complete the paper. I remember another ambiguous question. Something like 1/(1-x) vs. 1+x for 0<x<1. Clearly, in the limiting case(x->0) (and only in the limiting case), both would be the same, but later they diverge and the former would certainly get bigger. But I chose 'can't say'. So not sure if GRE expects you to take limits. Stuff like that. I am writing it again. Hope I don't mess it up again.

Math major here going into a PHD program and I disagree with your answer.

Knowing its between 0 and 1, you can say the denominator is not 0, and so 1-x is defined...

so multiply 1+x by (1-x)/(1/x) and you get:

(1-x^2)/1-x

which for 0<x<1 is clearly less than 1/(1-x) since (1-x^2)<1 (since their denominators are the same, this is true)

That's the pure math way to do it, however on the test if I were you I would just plug in a value in (0,1) and see what happens. If you plug in a half you would see the first value is 2 while the second value is 3/2. Since there isn't any tricks you can run into here, it'd of been a safe bet to just choose 1/(1-x).

Also in your "limiting case," that is also not correct. Zero is not included in the interval, so in no way does x=0 matter. At all other points in the interval besides x=0, the first is bigger, and therefore 1/(1-x) is again the right answer.

**thought I was posting on my account, but turns out my girlfriend was logged in, sorry about that.

Edited July 15, 2011 by kp12746

[finknottle]

Math major here going into a PHD program and I disagree with your answer.

Knowing its between 0 and 1, you can say the denominator is not 0, and so 1-x is defined...

so multiply 1+x by (1-x)/(1/x) and you get:

(1-x^2)/1-x

which for 0<x<1 is clearly less than 1/(1-x) since (1-x^2)<1 (since their denominators are the same, this is true)

That's the pure math way to do it, however on the test if I were you I would just plug in a value in (0,1) and see what happens. If you plug in a half you would see the first value is 2 while the second value is 3/2. Since there isn't any tricks you can run into here, it'd of been a safe bet to just choose 1/(1-x).

Also in your "limiting case," that is also not correct. Zero is not included in the interval, so in no way does x=0 matter. At all other points in the interval besides x=0, the first is bigger, and therefore 1/(1-x) is again the right answer.

**thought I was posting on my account, but turns out my girlfriend was logged in, sorry about that.

I didn't multiply and divide by (1-x) as you did, which makes things clearer. However, the limiting case x->0 is still a valid case. Obviously for all other points 1/1-x is greater, but even if you use mathematica, matlab etc. to evaluate 1/(1-x), x->0, you'd get 1. And same is the case with 1+x. Yes, comparing 1 and 1-x^2 in the numerator makes it clear that the former is bigger. But unless you can remember to use that trick in the exam, there is no way you can tell the difference for the limiting case. In any case, it was a tad ambiguous for a GRE question.

[Agradatudent]

Anyway the idea is for it to be ambiguous. The limiting case as you put it is not in the interval. As x approaches zero the first function will still be bigger all the way until x =0. Since they want you to be in that interval, a gre strategy to employ without knowing my trick is to simply plug in a number. As someone has mentioned this does not test mathematical ability persay but more critical reasoning within the context of math.' class="bbc_url">@I'm on my iPad so this is the only way I've found to respond using it.... The twitter thing.

Anyway the idea is for it to be ambiguous. The limiting case as you put it is not in the interval. As x approaches zero the first function will still be bigger all the way until x =0. Since they want you to be in that interval, a gre strategy to employ without knowing my trick is to simply plug in a number. As someone has mentioned this does not test mathematical ability persay but more critical reasoning within the context of math.