Combined scores and cut offs? Help!

[jilly11]

Hi all,

So I have never heard anything concrete but apparently some schools have a minimum cut off for the GRE (combined score). I just took mine yesterday (V162/Q144) - obviously my Q is very very low but I was expecting this and Q is not my strong point. The scores added together are 306...but I was reading in another post that 320 could be a cut off point?

Am I in danger or just psyching myself out?

Thanks!

[hope4fall2012]

Dont worry about it..

The other person was suggesting that universities could view 320 as the new 1400.. If all universities had 1400 as their cutoff, there would be lots of seriously disappointed people..

Bottom line, even if 320 is viewed as the new 1400 (and we dont know that yet), it definitely wont be the cutoff for majority of the schools

[bdon19]

I feel like 320 as a cutoff is really pushing it. That only gives you a 20 point range to score within, period! Even if you got a 160 (not bad, by any means) in both sections, you'd just make that cutoff mark. I doubt that that can be right.

For example, say you got a 160 in each section, giving you a 320 combined. Based on the concordance tables, that would be a 610 in Verbal and 760 in Quant, giving you a combined score of 1370--much higher than the former cutoff of 1200 at most schools.

And, with regards to the above poster, yes that other person was talking about 1400 as a cutoff--something I've never heard of. Perhaps tacitly, for certain programs, but I doubt it. And, jilly, you're applying to Art History programs. If they're anything like English programs (which I suspect is the case), GRE scores are going to be the least of your worries. So don't sweat it! I'm sure you're fine!!

[Rachel B]

First off, the cut off depends entirely on the program. In my field (Env. science), the cutoff is either 1000 or 1100 on the old scale. So there is no hard and fast rule with cutoffs, just check your specific program.

I was told by two different schools that they expect 300 to be the new 1000. You should keep in mind that it's likely that schools will use the same percentile cutoff, despite the fact that scoring is different.

[jilly11]

Thanks to all of you - I feel much better!

Cheers!

[Missy91]

From what I've been told by professors, if you break 300-310 in your combined score, you'll be fine for most schools. This may just be within my field and also in the southern US, but I had a number of professors tell me this when I asked. I do think 320 is high.

[kaykaykay]

I think no school had an official cut off at 1400. Maybe some had an official cut off at 1000. However, in some fields and for some top schools if you wanted to be taken seriously you had to get above 1400(or more like both scores close to or above 700).

Edited November 11, 2011 by kalapocska