there is still HOPE even with low GRE score.

[sunflower246810]

I read gradcafe, but I never posted. This is my first post.

I always see question with "what are my chances?" & most of these people have perfect GPA & GRE score.

So, when I was applying for graduate school, I was so worried.

I have a low GRE score, but I got accepted to all the grad schools that I applied!

I applied to UT Austin, Georgia tech, UF, & UCLA. They all accepted me.

So, I just want to let other people know that you have a chance & GRE is just one part of the application.

My major is engineering.

My GRE score is Verbal 147, Math 159, & Writing 4.0

[bellefast]

Congrats, it makes me feel there is HOPE

[takethiswaltz]

Definitely. At least in the field of English literature, the most important components of your application are the Statement of Purpose and Writing Sample. I was nervous that a dismal score on the quantitative section (on the 30th percentile) and a mediocre 4.5 on the AW section would ruin my chances of being accepted, but I was very surprised to find out that even some of the most competitive programs do assess your application materials holistically.

[quick1]

Congrats. But no offense that is a pretty week GRE score for most competitive PhD programs in clinical psychology. I've seen applicants with literally perfect GRE scores and they usually get in. It def depends on the field. I would expect in engineering you'd need a higher Quant score but well done for getting in! That's awesome!

[TropicalCharlie]

Sunflower, congratulations! In your opinion, what factors led to your admission to these wonderful schools?

[sunflower246810]

Thank you all!

& Good Luck to everyone!

@quickinstinct

: I don't know about psychology. I think it is really depended on your field. But for engineering, I think GRE is just one part of the application.

@TropicalCharlie

: I have a strong GPA & statement of purpose. & decent experience for what I want to do.

[chaetzli]

I had similar scores and was rejected everywhere!

[Sorawit]

Wow Sunflower, congrats!

I think I have pretty mediocre verbal score (145) and maybe that's how I got 3 rejections out of 5 PhD public policy programs. I'm Thai and I know my English is far from perfect, but do you think I still have a shot at this? I don't know if Public Policy programs care that much about my Quan score though (162) because my AW score was not good either (3.5).

Edited March 8, 2012 by polaromonas

[Airwick]

I was accepted to both the Stanford and Harvard Ed.M. program with AW: 3.5 & 4.0

I encourage everyone not to dwell on low scores

Edited March 9, 2012 by Airwick

[ANDS!]

All depends on ones major.

[GRAPEFRUITS]

Congrats. But no offense that is a pretty week GRE score for most competitive PhD programs in clinical psychology. I've seen applicants with literally perfect GRE scores and they usually get in. It def depends on the field. I would expect in engineering you'd need a higher Quant score but well done for getting in! That's awesome!

Don't you think that it's the fact that the type of applicant that would prioritize having perfect GRE scores would also spend the time to make the best possible application package that they could, so that it's the whole application being superior rather than the perfect GRE scores that get them into these programs?

[Science_Girl_]

Thank you.

I'm going through a somewhat similar thing, slightly different scores but poor. I'm honestly on the edge of not applying, but this make me feel like I ought to tough it out.

What did the rest of your app look like? Authorships? Work experience? I'd like to think these factors offset a standardized test score.

The GRE is only one part. Thanks for reminding me.

[PhdApplicant311]

On 3/9/2012, 7:40:36, GRAPEFRUITS said:

 

Don't you think that it's the fact that the type of applicant that would prioritize having perfect GRE scores would also spend the time to make the best possible application package that they could, so that it's the whole application being superior rather than the perfect GRE scores that get them into these programs?

I don't know Grapefruit, sometimes you prioritise and things don't work out. I killed myself over getting excellent research experience, working much harder than was expected and now I am getting excellent recommendation letters. I moved on to the next task in perfecting my application and that's working on my GRE and my scores have just been getting progressively worse after every test (specifically in quant), so I am not sure if a less than perfect GRE score reflects your effort. I think we all start with different baselines and sometimes it's hard to make up. If you never really paid attention to math at school, 3 months of a gruelling gre prep is not going to take you to 160. I think many, if not all, adcoms recognise this. I find it rather appalling when I read websites (Cornell, for example) say similar things about best candidates putting their best foot forward....