1580 on GRE V+Q but 3.5 for Writing. Retake?

[ORFEboy]

Hi!

I'm a rising senior at one of the ivies and I plan to apply for a master's or phd in industrial engineering or operations research. My gpa is around 3.93 and I just took my first GRE last month. I got 780 for verbal and 800 for math. I'm an international student. The scores look great to me until i got my writing score today. It's a 3.5! I'm pretty shocked.

I wonder if I should retake the exam, request a rescoring or just stay with it? I basically do not want to study for it anymore as I want to focus on research but, if it will be a big obstacle preventing me from getting into top schools like MIT, Stanford, or Columbia, I need to do something.

Thank you in advance!

[cunninlynguist]

No. Don't even think about it. The analytical writing section is far and away the one that garners the least attention from admissions committees. In any case, you could've scored a 1.0 on the AW and your GPA and main GRE scores would probably offset it completely. Moreover, since you're an international student, it makes the AW section even less relevant.

Congratulate yourself on the fantastic scores you received for the sections that actually matter, and don't spend another second worrying about the GRE.

[newms]

Short answer: No.

Long answer: The AW section is one of the least (if not the least) important aspect of your application. Your SoP will give the admissions committee a lot more information about your writing ability that the AW score will. And why would you risk getting lower on the quant and verbal sections?

[lyonessrampant]

Just echoing everyone else! Absolutely do not retake the GRE. Those are amazing scores, and especially as an international student, the super excellent Verbal score far, far overshadows the AW. I'm sure you're going to be a very competitive applicant! Good luck!

[ORFEboy]

Thank you so much everyone! Now the question becomes, should I request a rescore?

[newms]

Thank you so much everyone! Now the question becomes, should I request a rescore?

I don't know if that's even necessary. The 3.5 AW shouldn't hurt you at all. I guess if you want to and have the money, you might be able to get them to bump up your AW score a bit with a rescore, but honestly I don't think it's necessary. I would encourage you to focus on your SoP and research right now, those are significantly (maybe incalculably) more important than the AW score.

[paradigm]

Hi, I just wanted to offer my two cents: I definitely would NOT retake the exam with your score. A 1580 is incredible, and only a 1 or 2 on the AWA would make me seriously consider retaking the exam. As far as a rescore goes, I'd probably do it, since you essentially risk nothing, and since your 1580 will remain intact. (I imagine either you'll be bumped up to a 4 or stay at 3.5). But even a rescore might be unnecessary if you've done well in your writing-intensive coursework in undergrad and submit a stellar SoP.

[cheerfulyue]

Hi! I am an international student who got a 3.5 for AW too. I want to do Political Science but I only got V670 and Q800 for the GRE. My GPA is 3.93 and I have strong letters of recommendation.

Do I still have a good chance to get into a top-tier school?

Thanks!!