Auditing courses in preparation and do math scores matter

[lmaveilhe]

Hi,

I have two questions:

I am taking the GRE in a month. I just took my first practice test today and scored 620-720 verbal and 520-620 quantitative. I will have a somewhat rigorous practice schedule over the next 4 weeks to raise my scores. My question is how important is the quantitative score for Art History programs. My ideal program at the point is the terminal MA at Columbia.

My second question is whether or not auditing PhD level art history courses is advisable to make my application more desirable? I graduated 7 years ago with a liberal arts degree from a not so special state school with a not so amazing gpa. Over the last 7 years I have done my best to make up for this with internships with NY arts organizations, independent curatorial projects, and minor publications. I also audited, with special permission from the professor, a PhD level course with a well-known art historian in critic in NY for which I received an A. Because of the large gap in time between my undergrad and now, I don't see a better way to create relationships with the professors. In this case, would you think it is wise to audit another MA or PhD class at the institution of interest? Do these audited courses give me an edge?

Thanks!

[losemygrip]

In your case, I agree the GRE isn't such a big deal. But at some schools and in certain situations, it is. Some universities use a minimum overall GRE as a gateway to certain fellowships/scholarships. In my case, I had to have a GRE that was in the top 10% of applicants in my field nationwide. That's the total score, not just the verbal. I don't know how they determine all that--maybe the College Board sends them stats.

Also, if you're coming from a "not-so-special state school" high GRE scores can be a great equalizer. If your GRE is better than their applicant from Swarthmore, it lets them know that your education was just fine at Not So Special State.

[Prep4Audit]

Thank ,,

Can you provide me more details for preparation of The Auditing Course.

[m-ttl]

In your case, I agree the GRE isn't such a big deal. But at some schools and in certain situations, it is. Some universities use a minimum overall GRE as a gateway to certain fellowships/scholarships. In my case, I had to have a GRE that was in the top 10% of applicants in my field nationwide. That's the total score, not just the verbal. I don't know how they determine all that--maybe the College Board sends them stats.

Also, if you're coming from a "not-so-special state school" high GRE scores can be a great equalizer. If your GRE is better than their applicant from Swarthmore, it lets them know that your education was just fine at Not So Special State.

 

I would just check if Columbia's program has minimum cut-offs. If they don't I would worry a little but not so much about Quant scores. I bombed mine and came from "not so special state school" and it apparently didn't matter that much, but I didn't apply anywhere with cut-offs. I'm inclined to think that A.) most committees don't care overly much if you can do algebra and B.) an amazing application in total is more important to them, eg: SOP, rec letters, experience, etc. 

 

AFAIK, the auditing won't actually affect your not-so great GPA though, so you'd need letters probably from said professors as your recommendations explaining you were an A student? I'm not sure how that would end up working out! 

[Borden]

I applied to two schools that didn't even ask for my GREs, wahey, and my hilariously awful quant score and not-special state schools didn't keep me out of one of the other ones I applied to that did. Ah, quant.