The GRE Literature Subject Test

[Globalist]

Hi Everyone,

 

I scored in the 50th percentile on my practice test at home, then studies for one month, using this website:

 

http://lasr.cs.ucla.edu/alison/hapaxlegomena/WhatYouNeed.htmlhttp://lasr.cs.ucla.edu/alison/hapaxlegomena/WhatYouNeed.html

 

and the norton anthology of british literature.  It was recommended to me to read and take notes on all the intros.  It was a major pain and a ton of work, but my score went up into the 80th percentile when I actually took it.

 

My professors have implied that more and more the lit subject test is NOT a make or break score for your total application process, however the websites of the top schools that require it were mentioning their accepted students were scoring in the high 600s, so that's what I aimed for just in case.

 

Hope this helps.

[crazyhappy]

Hi, does anyone know when ETS will list the October date for the test this year?  I'm trying to send abstracts to conferences, and I don't want to have to pull out of a conference because I have to take this test!

Thanks!

[toasterazzi]

Hi, does anyone know when ETS will list the October date for the test this year?  I'm trying to send abstracts to conferences, and I don't want to have to pull out of a conference because I have to take this test!

Thanks!

 

I wish. I emailed them a month or so ago to try to find out, and they said they wouldn't have a new schedule until after the scores for the last test came out or something like that.

[champagne]

I scored in the 49th percentile, which got me into 5 schools, only one of which required the Subject Test. However, my (brilliant) friend scored somewhere below the 20th percentile and got in to all but one of the programs he applied to, including top 5 and top 8 programs (according the USNWR anyway).

 

I would only encourage you to take it again if and only if you think you will spend the time really reading the material and immersing yourself in the eras that the majority of the test covers. If you just would take it again just to take it, I wouldn't bother. It's such a waste of money and time in the first place.

 

Ha! This is what is so dumb about the literature test. It forces you to gorge yourself on cursory knowledge of a wide variety of texts only to regurgitate them for three hours on a Saturday. It is the exact opposite of education. It's rote memorization for the purposes of further filling ETS's coffers. In fact, it forces people that are (usually) very deep readers of texts--that might even, like me, read slowly--to deny the instincts that have probably lead them to great previous success in their academic careers. Surely, it does more bad than good for programs. It's the same bullshit obsession with standardized test scores in undergraduate admissions. "Oh no. We don't need to hear about why you need an education. We just need to know how many questions you got right on a test that you didn't want to take. That should suffice for us determining whether you belong at our institution or not." It makes normally considerate and knowledgeable people banal. It's terrible.

 

tl;dr: ETS is stupid, and I hate them.

Edited May 15, 2013 by champagne

[crazyhappy]

I wish. I emailed them a month or so ago to try to find out, and they said they wouldn't have a new schedule until after the scores for the last test came out or something like that.

 

 

YUK!  Thanks for letting me know.  It makes it hard to plan things with most of the conferences taking place on weekends in Oct and Nov!

[toasterazzi]

YUK!  Thanks for letting me know.  It makes it hard to plan things with most of the conferences taking place on weekends in Oct and Nov!

 

Exactly! It's pretty annoying. Hopefully, they'll get it sorted out pretty soon.

[Ozymandias Melancholia]

For those who took the subject test last month, scores are up. I did relatively well but still below my general expectations. 74th percentile. 

 

[no_foam_cappuccino]

NEVER TAKE THE GRE SUBJECT TEST IN LITERATURE MORE THAN ONCE. I don't care how bad you think you did. My score was embarrassingly low -- lower than the 20th percentile -- and I got into one of my top choice programs. I honestly just see it as a hurdle you have to jump, and if your score isn't impressive, then find a way to compensate. Instead of retaking it, use that money to apply to a couple extra schools. Taking it more than once is just not worth the money and the emotion. 

[Two Espressos]

Or, in my case:

 

NEVER TAKE THE GRE SUBJECT TEST IN LITERATURE

 

[toasterazzi]

YUK!  Thanks for letting me know.  It makes it hard to plan things with most of the conferences taking place on weekends in Oct and Nov!

 

They finally updated: http://www.ets.org/gre/subject/register/centers_dates/. I think I'm gonna shoot for the September date...*sigh*...

[crazyhappy]

They finally updated: http://www.ets.org/gre/subject/register/centers_dates/. I think I'm gonna shoot for the September date...*sigh*...

Wow, a September date, crazy.  Thanks for the update.  I will also take that Sept test. 

[toasterazzi]

Yeah I was hoping for an earlier date because I want to get it out of the way hehe. Plus, earlier in the semester is less hectic for me, so there's that as well.

[BunnyWantsaPhD]

So how much are you guys studying for this thing? I'm awful at standardized tests and even studying produces anxiety so I don't know what to do about that. I really just want to apply to places that don't require this test so I can avoid it. But, I'm thinking about giving it a shot... is going in blind a bad idea? I mean, I have a BA and an MA in English, how bad can it be?

[toasterazzi]

I'm going to do some review of story summaries, terminology, etc., but I'm not studying heavily for this test. For one thing, most of the schools I'm considering applying to don't require the scores and one flat out said that we should not send the scores lol. Additionally, it doesn't seem like the schools that do require the scores for the subject test are expecting people to do exceptionally well.

[Datatape]

I found the Princeton Review's Cracking the GRE Literature Subject Test very helpful.  It breaks down stuff you should know backwards and forwards, stuff you should be able to reference, and things you should review if you have the time.  As a 19th/20th Century Americanist, I found it immensely helpful to get in tune with the Brit Lit that comprised the majority of the test.  Obviously, no book can perfectly prepare you for something like this, but there were at least twenty questions on the test I was able to nail because I studied it.

 

With that said, if you have other things going on (finishing up classes, writing your thesis), this should be the absolute last thing you worry about.  The subject test is unquestionably the absolute least important aspect of your overall application and should be treated as such.  Do some studying for it when you have the time, take it, get it over with, and then move on with your life.

[Metaellipses]

I scored in the 98th percentile using a pretty simple strategy.

 

I used these two sites pretty exclusively (one of which has already been linked)

 

http://lasr.cs.ucla.edu/alison/hapaxlegomena/TheList.html

 

http://people.duke.edu/~tmw15/

 

I found the second site (which hasn't been linked on this thread yet) to be more comprehensive. It was the single most valuable contribution to my test preparation because it has a mobile version that I could just send to my kindle. You can get it at the top of the page I linked - click "Mobile Mecum." I kept that document on my kindle for five months and read it for around two hours a day. Every time I finished, I'd start over again. As I neared the test date, I kept parts of it bookmarked that were giving me the most trouble (Contemporary American Prose and Poetry mostly) and I'd just review those.

 

Other than that, I read through the Norton Anthologies. It's not important to read them through completely or to even read thoroughly. Just read the period headings to get a sense of historical context and brush up on authors you're unfamiliar with by reading their little author bio. It's also good for skimming poetry but the Mobile Mecum also has complete poems. I found the Mecum to be better for actually reading the works that will be tested.

 

The Princeton Review's practice tests are good and there are also old versions you can find online (the two sites above link them all, I'm pretty sure). I also used this really crappy book of practice tests http://www.amazon.com/GRE-Literature-English-REA-Preparation/dp/0878913467/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1369592270&sr=1-2&keywords=REA+literature+subject+test+GRE.

 

It's HORRIBLE because it's really a lot harder than the actual test and some of the questions (around 2-3 per test) don't even have answers that makes sense. But if you've run out of practice tests to take, it's better than nothing. I took a practice test a week leading up to exam to help me focus.

 

The greatest piece of advice I can give is to use Mobile Mecum on either your phone or your e-reader instead of making flashcards. It saves you time and it's compact and portable (I would read it on my break from work and on the bus!) Its only shortcoming is that it won't have the most recent contemporary texts that are tested. So pay special attention to Norton's contemporary sections in both British and American.

 

As other posters have stated, this test is the least important part of your application. But by using the above strategy, I was able to nail it by doing only around 2 or so hours of studying a day for it. On your day off (if you have one - I was lucky enough to have two since I only worked a 40hr week and wasn't a student) just take the practice test and don't bother with the reading. Rinse and repeat!

 

Edit: And I completely forgot to link a really amazing site I found when I was studying for the subject test. http://www.librivox.org is the audiobook version of Project Gutenberg. It has (most) public domain books available in audio with no ads and it's completely free. I used it to listen to the first chapter of books on my hit list while I was at the gym or driving. Listening to just one chapter should allow you to recognize the first sentence of the text (which the test sometimes asks you to identify) and give you a good feel for the author's style.

Edited May 26, 2013 by Metaellipses

[somethinbruin]

So how much are you guys studying for this thing? I'm awful at standardized tests and even studying produces anxiety so I don't know what to do about that. I really just want to apply to places that don't require this test so I can avoid it. But, I'm thinking about giving it a shot... is going in blind a bad idea? I mean, I have a BA and an MA in English, how bad can it be?

 

I will freely admit that I did not study a whole lot for the GRE subject exam. I did however use the Princeton Review Cracking the GRE Lit test book that Datatape recommends. I would not recommend going into it blind. I also have a BA and MA, but it was so unlike any exam you take in school. When was the last time you took a multiple choice exam in English Lit classes? I think my Brit and American Lit survey classes had a few multiple choice questions on their exams before the essays, but that was my freshman year of college, so those days were long gone. So I would at least spend time with a review book of your choice. At least that way, you'll have gotten some information on how the test is structured and can come up with a strategy for how to take the test.

 

I spent maybe three weeks casually reviewing the Princeton Review book. I would have hit it harder if more of my schools required it (only one did and it was a longshot school). Also, I was well aware that the way the subject test is set up is far, far outside of my wheelhouse. I suck at memorization/quote identification, and I can't remember the last time I had to read early and middle English. Both figured prominently. I am a much better researcher and writer than I am test-taker. I overthink standardized tests/multiple choice questions and then after a while I just sort of don't care anymore. The test was so absurd and non-indicative of your abilities as a scholar that halfway through I contemplated just turning it in because I couldn't muster the energy to care. The whole thing was an exercise in futility. 

 

When all was said and done, I did thoroughly average. Not bad but not great. Pretty much what I expected. I got a high enough score to be considered for the school that required it (which I didn't get into, but not because of my GRE subject score, I'm told. It was more of an area-of-focus issue. They were looking for Americanists this year, and I'm anglophone/Brit in concentration).

 

So I guess in summary, I would say to give the test some attention, just so you have an idea of how it is set up and how to maximize your score. But I wouldn't spend too much time re-reading works you've already read. The payoff isn't that great, and not that many schools require the test in their applications.

[BunnyWantsaPhD]

Thanks for all the advice, you guys! I'll take it all into consideration and see what I can do. I have a feeling I'll probably just wind up applying to places that don't require it. I really just don't think I can muster up the energy needed to devote to it (even if I don't study that much). We'll see...

[somethinbruin]

Thanks for all the advice, you guys! I'll take it all into consideration and see what I can do. I have a feeling I'll probably just wind up applying to places that don't require it. I really just don't think I can muster up the energy needed to devote to it (even if I don't study that much). We'll see...

 

Everyone else in my master's program did that. None took the subject test. All got into strong PhD programs.

[BunnyWantsaPhD]

Everyone else in my master's program did that. None took the subject test. All got into strong PhD programs.

 

That's reassuring! I think that's the route I'll probably take...

[champagne]

Thanks for all the advice, you guys! I'll take it all into consideration and see what I can do. I have a feeling I'll probably just wind up applying to places that don't require it. I really just don't think I can muster up the energy needed to devote to it (even if I don't study that much). We'll see...

 

FWIW, it's actually pretty interesting to go back and fill in gaps in your literature knowledge that you may have missed throughout your career. If you're a nerd like me (And let's face it, we're all hopeless geeks), the hardest part won't be getting up the gumption to study but to have fortitude to stay on task and study things that actually have a chance of being on the test. I found myself digressing quite a bit looking at critical and related texts instead of just gaining the basic knowledge needed for each work.

 

Also, if you are still planning on taking it, I definitely wouldn't go into blind. I talked to a friend who did the MA program at Georgetown (extremely talented and smart) that took the test blind in his third semester and scored 68th percentile. If you're going to do it, it's worth at least having a little bit of preparation since the test material is so impossibly gargantuan.

 

Lastly, Vade Mecum and Hapax Legomena are GREAT synopses of the texts that will be on your test, but, ETS being as crafty as they are, the test seems as if it has adapted to circumvent the cursory knowledge that is available one these sites and guidebooks. I found my test to contain much more theory than I was prepared for. They were all big name theorists. It just kind of threw me off guard, and I think that's what caused my less-than-satisfactory score. 

[egwynn]

I felt that mine was light on theory.  I read in my GRE book that everyone always says that there was a lot of what they're not familiar with because that's what they remember.  I think that that is probably true, because I felt like there was a ton of modernist whatever on mine and I have almost no interest in that particular whatever.

 

To the OP/whomever is debating taking it: despite what everyone else has said, I would take it.  And I would study for it, but I also wouldn't make myself sick over it.  If you're familiar with the kind of bullshit they pull on standardized tests, you're already halfway there in terms of prep.  I scored in the 80th percentile with--let's be honest--not a hell of a lot of studying.  I studied for like three days the second time around (this includes the time I spent to compile my materials).  I was 2/3 of the way through a master's program that didn't require it and I had done almost all of my coursework in drama, early modern, or 18th century.  I've never taken a modernist-concentrated course, I actively avoid reading Faulkner, I hadn't read any Romantics or American literature in 2 years or more, and I'm not super keen on poetry written after about 1850 so I basically have a Jeopardy-level knowledge of that.  

 

I got into 4 really good PhD programs, and all but one of them required the subject test.  I'm going to a top-10 program in the fall.  Avoiding the test means eliminating options from the start, and this is a difficult enough process that I think that's a really bad idea.  If you take it, bomb it, and would rather cut off your legs than take it again, you can apply places that don't require it and you can elect to send only your general scores to your programs.  So no one but you and ETS need know that you embarrassed yourself on the GRE subject test.  If you can spare the money and the stress, take it.

[BunnyWantsaPhD]

All good advice. Maybe I'll take a couple of practice tests and see how I fare on those... 

 

I've just never been good at standardized tests and always hated trivia games. I took one glance at a practice test a couple of months ago and just panicked and shut the book. I'll give it another shot. 

 

The most important thing to my applications this round (yes, I've applied before) is fit. So, if I find programs that have perfect fit and require the test, I'll make myself take it. 

[toasterazzi]

The spare money will definitely be a factor in whether I end up taking it. I'll have limited funds and most of it will be going toward actual application fees, sending the transcripts, sending the GRE scores, etc. I've only come across a couple programs that interest me/seem like decent fits that require the test, but I've got like 15 that don't require it. I'm still leaning toward taking it possibly, but it just might not happen.

[BunnyWantsaPhD]

In case anyone is curious, 28 out of the top 50 programs (rankings according to the US News) DO NOT require the subject test. It might be 30 out of 50 but two of the websites I was trying to look at weren't working. 

 

I'm still in the process of deciding which programs to apply to, but I have a feeling that there's plenty to choose from that don't require the test. I'm not taking it as of this point--unless there's a school that I absolutely must go to. We'll see...