GRE: Should I Retake It?

[litjust]

Greetings,

I hope everyone is well!

I took the GRE a few years ago and my scores (550V & 600Q) were not the best. I'm planning on applying to doctoral programs to begin studies in fall 2012 or 2013, and my scores would still be within the 5 year period. I'm not the best standardized test-taker, plus I'm apprehensive because I would have to take the revised version of the exam. I wonder if my scores are too low to apply for a doctoral program. Additionally, I completed my MAT at Emory, with an overall 4.0 GPA, and I have been teaching for a couple of years. I have also started individual research, I collaborate with national education organizations (directly related to my future research area), and I have started writing for publication. Do any of you feel that these attributes would provide enough support, so that I could avoid retaking the test?

Currently, I have a list of potential schools with the best match between the program/faculty and myself. It's lengthy because I still have not narrowed it down completely, but here it is:

Emory University

University of Texas, Austin

University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana

Stanford University

UC Berkeley

University of Pennsylvania

NYU, Steinhardt

Columbia, Teachers' College

I look forward to any insight

[t_ruth]

If you have actual publications before you apply, it's probably not that important (unless you are under a school's stated cut-off), but if you don't...these are pretty low scores, especially for math. To what percentiles did these scores correspond when you took the test?

[litjust]

Thanks! The ranks were low, 80th and 50th, so I may have to retake it I will have publications out when I apply, so hopefully this will help. I'm looking at Curriculum & Instruction programs specifically, focusing on either Language, Literacy & Culture, multicultural education, and/or urban education. I want to apply for 2012, but if I have to take the test over then I'll aim for 2013...

[noodles.galaznik]

If you really want to know if these scores are too low, then talk to the professors you're interested in working with at those schools. Some may care about GRE scores much more than others. For instance, at my undergrad institution several professors really emphasized that if you wanted to apply to the grad program there, you should focus on having those scores as high as possible. However, with the POIs at my top choice school, they don't really care about GRE scores and LOR carries much, much more weight than the GRE.

Ultimately, it's up to you if you want to retake it or not. Before making any decisions about it, I would contact those professors and schools you're interested in, and get their opinion on it. Good luck!

[litjust]

noodles, I appreciate your suggestion. This is excellent advice and I will use it!!

I've actually been reworking my list of schools, highlighting places with "best match" programs that may place lower emphasis on GRE, or at least statistically admit applicants with lower GRE scores. I feel, I have many other areas that will strengthen my application and I will have solid recommendations from a few professors who I still collaborate with. So now, UW Madison, UT Austin, and UMASS Amherst are my top choices. Plus, I'll throw in a couple long shots just for fun