The GRE Literature Subject Test

[tingdeh]

I just got my score today and suffice it to say that it is HORRIBLE.  Lower than any person in this thread posted as their score.  I really hope the subject test score doesn't matter much.  

 

Just got it back today, too. 580. Hopefully this slides through with the rest of my strong written application...

[purpleperson]

Just got it back today, too. 580. Hopefully this slides through with the rest of my strong written application...

 

Mine's a lot worse than that.  Mine's a score that says I know nothing about literature.  Which is strange because I know plenty -- at least in conversations with other literary friends, I'm not dramatically different than they are in terms of general knowledge of theory, time periods, or basic ability to interpret texts.  But perhaps the scores don't lie...I'm just...a low-scoring subject test GRE person.  I did skip a lot of questions, because I was told you were supposed to if you weren't able to eliminate any answers.  Anyway, I'd be more freaked out if I thought the Subject Test GRE mattered to most programs.  But most I'm applying to don't require it.  The ones that do...well, I'm hoping they don't care much about it.  Most of my classmates say they bombed it and got into programs anyway, but then again, I don't know what they mean by "bombed."  They could mean they got a 600.  

[champagne]

I did skip a lot of questions, because I was told you were supposed to if you weren't able to eliminate any answers.

WARNING: Anecdotal coming up. It sounds like you know your stuff at least in the cocktail party sense that should allow to well on the types of questions the GRE Subject asks. I noticed that when I took it, even though I was afraid of losing a quarter of a point on a missed answer, being more cavalier about my inferences allowed me to do much better when I was taking practice tests. Even if you aren't sure an answer is wrong, you can usually logically determine at least one incorrect answer from the five listed based on temporal or linguistic clues. Being humanities folks, I think we tend to overthink things on standardized tests, and that can be a killer on the Literature GRE when being a good guesser is absolutely essential.

 

Of course, I did pretty shite as well on my test, so all of my advice might be moot. 

Edited October 29, 2013 by champagne

[purpleperson]

WARNING: Anecdotal coming up. It sounds like you know your stuff at least in the cocktail party sense that should allow to well on the types of questions the GRE Subject asks. I noticed that when I took it, even though I was afraid of losing a quarter of a point on a missed answer, being more cavalier about my inferences allowed me to do much better when I was taking practice tests. Even if you aren't sure an answer is wrong, you can usually logically determine at least one incorrect answer from the five listed based on temporal or linguistic clues. Being humanities folks, I think we tend to overthink things on standardized tests, and that can be a killer on the Literature GRE when being a good guesser is absolutely essential.

 

Of course, I did pretty shite as well on my test, so all of my advice might be moot. 

 

Yeah, it's hard to know what is meant by being able to eliminate answers.  Not sure if that was supposed to mean with absolute certainty or something other.  In any case, I won't be re-taking.  Actually, I can't re-take.  Do you all think one should "explain" low GRE subject scores somewhere within one's application, or do you think it's one of those things that is better left ignored and not commented on?  And when I say "explain," I don't mean make excuses.  I just mean some simple statement that I believe my general knowledge of literature is better than what my subject test score indicates.  I wouldn't put down the test or say it was anything negative.  Thoughts?

[dvl215]

Question 1)

I took the October 2013 test and got a 620 (73%). I'm not elated but I'm not broken up about it. I'm a little worried only because I'm applying mainly to top 25 schools (according to the US News Ranking). Of the schools I've looked at it (that are in the stratum), only two explicitly indicated the kind of score they're looking for. Berkeley said their average was a 650 (88%), and UT-Austin was looking for anything above 60%. Has anyone seen any other specific numbers mentioned on other schools' websites?

 

Question 2)

Some of the schools I'm applying to do not require the Subject Test, but encourage you to send your score if you think it'll improve your application. Do you guys think a 620 will add anything? I'm inclined to not send. 

[gatz]

Question 1)

I took the October 2013 test and got a 620 (73%). I'm not elated but I'm not broken up about it. I'm a little worried only because I'm applying mainly to top 25 schools (according to the US News Ranking). Of the schools I've looked at it (that are in the stratum), only two explicitly indicated the kind of score they're looking for. Berkeley said their average was a 650 (88%), and UT-Austin was looking for anything above 60%. Has anyone seen any other specific numbers mentioned on other schools' websites?

 

Question 2)

Some of the schools I'm applying to do not require the Subject Test, but encourage you to send your score if you think it'll improve your application. Do you guys think a 620 will add anything? I'm inclined to not send. 

 

I think you have to weigh it against the way that your transcript and stated interests come across. I placed more emphasis than I probably should have on studying for the lit GRE, but I wanted to prove that I had been doing a lot of outside reading beyond the somewhat narrow breadth of what shows up in my transcript and writing sample. I included it a bunch of places that didn't require it (but not the ones who asked specifically not to send it!) even though it was not a phenomenal score. Also I spent $150 on it so there was mostly likely some sunken-cost reasoning going into it to...If you feel confident that you can show breadth without it, no need to send it in my opinion.

[gatz]

also, to (not) answer your first question, I refer you to the beautifully noncommittal UCLA FAQ:

 

What are the department's minimum scores for the GRE general and subject test in Literature?

There are no minimum scores required, but a combined score of 1300 (GRE verbal and subject test in literature) or individual scores of 650 can be used to gauge performance.

[madhusirmani]

Sorry to hear the test was so frustrating for you, truckbasket.

One reason I second recommendations for websites like the vade mecum and hapax legoma (sp?) are that the study information comes from crowdsourcing, not the ETS. Actual English grad applicants who have taken the exam write these sites, and other applicants share corrections/updates/comments to help the webmanager improve them.

So yes, my advice to those still studying would be to put a lot more stock by some of the websites fellow gradcafe'rs are suggesting, and less by some of the prep books out on the market.

Hi,

 

I've a few questions on GRE English Litt subject test, could you please answer them for me?

0)Should I take only GRE Subject Test or both GRE General and Subject to get to a College for PhD?

1)Is the test required for an international student(like me) to pursue PhD in US?

2)What scores are considerable to enroll in a good college?

3)What are the pre-requisites/groundwork to do a PhD in English Literature?

 

Thank you!

Edited July 29, 2014 by madhusirmani

[ProfLorax]

Hi madhusirmani! Welcome to our community. You are asking good questions, but I'd say they are the type of questions that suggest that you are just starting your grad school application journey. Lots of people can give you good advice here, but I really encourage you to find a professor at your university who can fully explain the grad school application process in the United States. We strangers on the internet can give you some great advice, but it will be so helpful to meet with a professor who knows the field and knows your work early on. You can also ask your professors to get you in contact with professors or grad students from your country who studied or are studying in the US. After that, go to the English Department websites at some universities that interest you. See what they list as the requirements and such. I found that looking at twenty different programs (that I wanted to go to!) and their application requirements helped me better understand my field and the process. And for more info about the subject test, go ahead and search for"GRE subject" in the lit/rhet/comp forum. You'll find lots of discussions about scores and preparation. 

 

Good luck! And once again, welcome! 

[cloudyword]

This might appear a bit late, but let me know if anyone is taking the GRE literature test this October and would like to team up to crack it! I hope to spend more time on my SOP and WS in the following months, and it's probably the case for most applicants out there, so... I guess a study group would be more efficient to get this standardized test done. Anyone? 

[meh16]

Yeah, I'd be interested cloudyword!

[imogenshakes]

Hi all,

I've been stalking this thread for a couple of weeks, and I just wanted to say a huge "thank you" to those of you who shared your advice about the GRE subject. I'm feeling much better about the test having utilized some of these resources (and also...those three old tests are a lifesaver when it comes to practice!) in the past month while I've been studying.

And, while I don't mean to just keep posting in an old thread (ha), I feel better about continuing this one (considering the subject matter) than just starting ANOTHER new one. So, forgive me if this isn't exactly how foruming goes in Gradcafeland. 

Question, though, for those who have time. I hear word that the more recent versions of the test administered in the past two or three years are more focused on speed reading than passage identification, so while I'm feeling pretty good about my breadth of knowledge (that has been my focus this past month, brushing up on my unfamiliar areas), I do want to be prepared for this quick-paced analysis. What would you all suggest doing to prep for the speed close reading? I'm a pretty fast reader in general, but the idea of having to analyze an obscure or unfamiliar passage and choose the "correct" (don't even get me started on that) answer in less than a minute is a bit terrifying (actually, that's the understatement of the century). I know I can identify what ETS believes is the "right answer" for those types of questions, because I scored 99th percentile on both practice tests that I took (granted, one was from 1983 but still); not timed, just by slowly working through the problems to get familiar with the types of questions and answers (and still applying the POE and ID tips that Princeton Review suggests). I'm going to take one for real tomorrow, timed and everything, and I'm hoping things go just as well, but I know the time and pressure are going to get to me, and in the last couple of weeks before the test I want to focus on prepping for the speed.

Eh. All of this is the long way of just asking for more advice. 

Anyhow. Looking forward to any advice you can spare on the subject (pun intended), and thanks in advance. Also, best of luck to those who are taking it this fall!