wintergirl Posted November 12, 2011 Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) Checked the My GRE page to see if I could find my registration number for online apps, and I noticed that it showed score reports going out to my 4 requested schools as of today's date. So I called the number and ... yep, they're ready. Mine: 630 - 79%. I think the number score is fine -- yet that percentage??!? UGH. Curious if it's actually as bad as it sounds. Relieved to have my score, but I'm still pissed about how unnecessarily obscure and difficult the test was. Hope other people can get their scores too. I know it's been on my mind every day since we took it. Edited November 12, 2011 by bespeckled
hermia11 Posted November 12, 2011 Posted November 12, 2011 That's not bad! I figure as long as my score isn't embarrassingly low (40% or something), it doesn't really have much bearing for most ad coms. Side note - I just took the November exam today. Anyone else take it too? I had been dreading it after reading everyone's comments on how horrifying the October test was. But I found this one to be pretty standard stuff. I did notice it was heavy on analysis - lots of passages and relatively few quickie ID questions - although I got through the whole exam and had time to revisit some questions. So I imagine this one was easier than the last one?
TripWillis Posted November 12, 2011 Posted November 12, 2011 As much as I want to know (and dread knowing), I'm going to go ahead and be cheap and wait for it to come online. I doubt I did nearly as well as you, bespeckled. My 2 practice tests came in around 530 and I didn't feel much better about the actual test.
ecritdansleau Posted November 12, 2011 Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) I think anything over 600 puts one in a respectable range. I have to wonder about any adcoms more nitpicky than that--the test is just too arbitrary for one to make a big deal out of slight differences in score ranges. Actually, out of curiousity, what are the highest expectations for subject test scores listed on department websites? The only one I was certain about was Berkeley, which says successful applicants "usually" have 650 or higher, and Harvard, which says a "high score (650)" is a positive addition to one's application. Edited November 12, 2011 by ecritdansleau
ecritdansleau Posted November 12, 2011 Posted November 12, 2011 Side note - I just took the November exam today. Anyone else take it too? I had been dreading it after reading everyone's comments on how horrifying the October test was. But I found this one to be pretty standard stuff. I did notice it was heavy on analysis - lots of passages and relatively few quickie ID questions - although I got through the whole exam and had time to revisit some questions. So I imagine this one was easier than the last one? I took the test today (as a lucky last minute standby) because my Oct 15th experience was so awful (although I still haven't gotten my score back), and I actually do think the test today was, generally, much better. Of course, it's pretty subjective since the Oct 15th test will live in my memory eternally as an awful, awful nightmare. The one today was closer to the format in the practice tests. There were actually a few sections of quick identifications through quotes and what not which were almost entirely absent form the October test. I imagine that the raw scores though are averaged out for harder tests, but honestly, the psychological cruelty (as in, slightly different format, requiring different timing strategizing) of the Oct 15th completely threw me off. It's funny, because I spent the last month thinking "I'm ready for the whole test to be reading comp" but then it wasn't, as much. At least today I felt like, okay, I did my best.
bdon19 Posted November 12, 2011 Posted November 12, 2011 ARGH!!!! I just called the ETS number twice, and apparently it has no record of me in the system...but clearly they have some record of me, as my score page says my score reports were sent out today. DAMN THEM.
bdon19 Posted November 12, 2011 Posted November 12, 2011 Well, I finally got my scores. I used my registration number, and that worked. I got a 660--87th%. Not bad, but not great. Meh. At least now I know and I can move on. I'm glad to finally be done with all this standardized test crap at least.
0000000000AAA Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 I just broke down and gave ETS $12 dollars for information that will suddenly become free in 2 weeks. I got a 710-96% percentile. It's a huge relief, and just makes me realize that all that matters now is my writing sample/SOP. Grunty DaGnome 1
TripWillis Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 Wow, you guys who thought you did shitty actually did really well. Where's all my comrades who will join me in crushing disappointment?
Two Espressos Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 (edited) Wow, you guys who thought you did shitty actually did really well. Where's all my comrades who will join me in crushing disappointment? I second this: you all did great. I'd be happy with any of your scores! Edited November 13, 2011 by Two Espressos
rawera Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 I just called. 690, 93rd percentile. Also relieved, and now I feel the sop/writing sample pressure.
Timshel Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 Now I'm DEFINITELY not calling because I am pretty sure I didn't even break 500. LOL. Congrats to the rest of you, though.
0000000000AAA Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 I took the test today (as a lucky last minute standby) because my Oct 15th experience was so awful (although I still haven't gotten my score back), and I actually do think the test today was, generally, much better. Of course, it's pretty subjective since the Oct 15th test will live in my memory eternally as an awful, awful nightmare. The one today was closer to the format in the practice tests. There were actually a few sections of quick identifications through quotes and what not which were almost entirely absent form the October test. I imagine that the raw scores though are averaged out for harder tests, but honestly, the psychological cruelty (as in, slightly different format, requiring different timing strategizing) of the Oct 15th completely threw me off. It's funny, because I spent the last month thinking "I'm ready for the whole test to be reading comp" but then it wasn't, as much. At least today I felt like, okay, I did my best. I'm sort of naive on how this works, but are the raw scores averaged out? And are the percentiles based on the test that we took or on the subject test in general?
xfgdfrmgpo332 Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 That's not bad! I figure as long as my score isn't embarrassingly low (40% or something), it doesn't really have much bearing for most ad coms. Side note - I just took the November exam today. Anyone else take it too? I had been dreading it after reading everyone's comments on how horrifying the October test was. But I found this one to be pretty standard stuff. I did notice it was heavy on analysis - lots of passages and relatively few quickie ID questions - although I got through the whole exam and had time to revisit some questions. So I imagine this one was easier than the last one? I also took it today - a LOT of passage analysis, and mostly renaissance stuff.
0000000000AAA Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 I also took it today - a LOT of passage analysis, and mostly renaissance stuff. eh hem....early modern Phil Sparrow and Safferz 1 1
user_name Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 (edited) congrats. i don't see why the OP is upset about 79%. still sounds good. as for me, with all the money ETS is getting for sending scores (somewhere around 2000% profit for each score report) i don't think i'm going to reward their unethical tactics of intentionally delaying me knowing my score two weeks to milk an extra 12$ out of me. Edited November 13, 2011 by user_name
TripWillis Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 congrats. i don't see why the OP is upset about 79%. still sounds good. as for me, with all the money ETS is getting for sending scores (somewhere around 2000% profit for each score report) i don't think i'm going to reward their unethical tactics of intentionally delaying me knowing my score two weeks to milk an extra 12$ out of me. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I'd rather lie in pigshit than condone that. What a horrible company. Colleges must be in bed with them somehow.
ecritdansleau Posted November 13, 2011 Posted November 13, 2011 I'm sort of naive on how this works, but are the raw scores averaged out? And are the percentiles based on the test that we took or on the subject test in general? Different tests have different raw scores which pertain to different scaled scores. For instance, one of the old subject test exams I had to practice with had a raw score of 185-189 for a scaled score of 700, 97th percentile. I have another old test for which raw scores of 190-193 convert to a scaled score of 700, 97th percentile. I have another one that is 188-191 for a 700 (95th prcentile). So, they're pretty close, but there is slight variation.
Jbarks Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 Congrats! It sounds like a lot of you guys did great. I keep wavering on whether I should call; I should just do it, rip off the band aid. The test itself was just so traumatic.... .
Rupert Pupkin Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 What exactly is their logic for charging here? The scores have already been sent to the free score report schools. We don't have a right to know? As much as I would like to find out, I refuse to hand over any more money to these con artists. and...and...and... 1
TripWillis Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 I just spent $161 more dollars on ASRs today. That makes a grand total of $401 so far. That is just unfreakingbelievable. How can it cost that much? How?
ecritdansleau Posted November 14, 2011 Posted November 14, 2011 I just spent $161 more dollars on ASRs today. That makes a grand total of $401 so far. That is just unfreakingbelievable. How can it cost that much? How? It is really ridiculous. I find the whole system of score reporting so extremely counter-intuitive. The GRE markets itself as "take the gre now, even if you might not apply to graduate school for a couple of years" and yet, they expect you to use up your four score reports the same year as you take the test: there's something awry about this logic! For the test fee alone, the test taker as consumer should have the option to enter in the four departments to send out the included score reports when one pleases/decides. Not to mention, departments change requirements at the last minute (like, cough, NYU this year with the subject test--anyone who registered for the Oct 15th subject test would already have had to have put NYU on the score report listing). But ultimately, the score reporting is almost automatically set up so that you'll have to pay extra. If I were able to decide what score reports to send to which departments NOW instead of merely the moments when I took the GRE general and subject, I wouldn't have to order additional score reports. It's a great system for ETS. Why English departments continue to condone it I'm not entirely certain.
TripWillis Posted November 15, 2011 Posted November 15, 2011 "Scores temporarily unavailable" -- think we'll get an early Thanksgiving gift?
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now