Damn you, ETS!

[asleepawake]

Ok, ETS, I am officially over you. WHY has my percentile dropped a point since I took the test just a few months ago? Seriously. And my quantitative dropped 5 percentile points. This is not acceptable. I wish I had sent out my scores earlier.

LOL and my lit test dropped a point. ETS, you're the worst.

Apparently my writing score went up, though. Too bad nobody cares about writing scores.

Edited September 25, 2012 by asleepawake

[ProfLorax]

In an offensively bad French accent

ETS, we fart in your general direction!

[Two Espressos]

Ok, ETS, I am officially over you. WHY has my percentile dropped a point since I took the test just a few months ago? Seriously. And my quantitative dropped 5 percentile points. This is not acceptable. I wish I had sent out my scores earlier.

LOL and my lit test dropped a point. ETS, you're the worst.

Apparently my writing score went up, though. Too bad nobody cares about writing scores.

This happened to me too! My verbal and quantitative scores dropped, the former by one percentage point (frustrating), the latter by like 8%. My writing score went up by 5%, but no one cares about that. I'm pissed about the verbal score reduction.

[asleepawake]

This happened to me too! My verbal and quantitative scores dropped, the former by one percentage point (frustrating), the latter by like 8%. My writing score went up by 5%, but no one cares about that. I'm pissed about the verbal score reduction.

Oh my gosh! And my quantitate from 2009 is down by 10 points (11 from the original score I got in 2009, 10 from the score I had last year). I do not believe people have gotten this much better at math. Why are my old scores being compared to new scores where people have calculators and different types of questions?

Anyway... screw ETS. We're going to do just fine.

Edited September 26, 2012 by asleepawake

[waparys]

My verbal score was fine, but I got a 3 on the analytic writing! That's 11th percentile. And I thought I aced it. Anyone else with an analytic writing disaster? Also, any thoughts on whether or not such a crap score will affect my chances? Thanks.

I got somewhere in the 40s in terms of percentile. And I consider myself a writer! I was shocked! But I'm kinda over it. I figure if they take my AW score at face value rather than looking at my writing sample, resume, etc., then that's their loss.

Speaking of which, I know the topic must be out there somewhere, but I can't seem to find it. How do you go about choosing a writing sample and do you make any changes? If anyone could link me to the relevant topic(s), I would GREATLY appreciate it! Thanks and DON'T LET THE ETS GET YOU DOWN!

[Stately Plump]

Speaking of which, I know the topic must be out there somewhere, but I can't seem to find it. How do you go about choosing a writing sample and do you make any changes? If anyone could link me to the relevant topic(s), I would GREATLY appreciate it! Thanks and DON'T LET THE ETS GET YOU DOWN!

Your writing sample should be your best piece of academic writing. It should be related to your proposed area of interests; if it isn't, there should be a viable reason, and I would even mention why you chose said piece (but really, send a writing sample that is in your field). And yes, make changes. Revise, revise, revise. Rewrite entire sections, if they are weak. Rearrange paragraphs. Ask for multiple people to read and review it, incorporate their feedback, then have them do it again. I wrote my writing sample for my senior seminar in the spring, revised it several times over the summer and into the fall, and only finished revising with maybe two weeks left before I started submitting applications. By that estimate, I probably spent about 11 months working on my writing sample.

A stellar writing sample will you get in even despite poor test scores, weak undergrad, and potentially even a shaky LOR.

[waparys]

A stellar writing sample will you get in even despite poor test scores, weak undergrad, and potentially even a shaky LOR.

Right. No pressure then...

Thanks, though! I'll use one that's been marked up and graded and, after I've made those changes, will pass it on to someone else. Thanks again!

[Two Espressos]

Oh my gosh! And my quantitate from 2009 is down by 10 points (11 from the original score I got in 2009, 10 from the score I had last year). I do not believe people have gotten this much better at math. Why are my old scores being compared to new scores where people have calculators and different types of questions?

Anyway... screw ETS. We're going to do just fine.

I read on the ETS website that scores taken before July 2012 were adjusted with the new data. Do they readjust this data yearly, or do I only have to suffer through one recalculated score?

[thestage]

P.S. I followed my lit professor's advice and simply selected B on all math questions... That resulted in a resounding 2%. Ha!

you really should have just tried. some schools say that they view a huge discrepancy between verbal and quantitative like that in a negative light, others use combined scores as a funding cut-off line, and I'm sure more still mean what they don't say. at any rate, how does it look to an admin committee to see someone simply not bother to try on something that takes ninety minutes of their time? the test itself is a joke, I got 65th percentile (not great, sure, but it won't sound any alarms) and I hadn't taken a math class in nine years at the time of the test. I applied no formulas or any other specialized knowledge (and I use this term loosely) to any question. frankly, I was rather embarrassed that I was able to do as well as I did.

[Two Espressos]

you really should have just tried. some schools say that they view a huge discrepancy between verbal and quantitative like that in a negative light, others use combined scores as a funding cut-off line, and I'm sure more still mean what they don't say. at any rate, how does it look to an admin committee to see someone simply not bother to try on something that takes ninety minutes of their time? the test itself is a joke, I got 65th percentile (not great, sure, but it won't sound any alarms) and I hadn't taken a math class in nine years at the time of the test. I applied no formulas or any other specialized knowledge (and I use this term loosely) to any question. frankly, I was rather embarrassed that I was able to do as well as I did.

I agree with this. Guessing your way through it was a bad idea. Granted, I did terribly on the quantitative portion (56% before the readjustment in July, 48% after-- goddamn terrible), but I'm glad that I actually tried, especially if I have to deal with funding cut-offs.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Two Espressos

[ProfLorax]

you really should have just tried. some schools say that they view a huge discrepancy between verbal and quantitative like that in a negative light, others use combined scores as a funding cut-off line, and I'm sure more still mean what they don't say. at any rate, how does it look to an admin committee to see someone simply not bother to try on something that takes ninety minutes of their time? the test itself is a joke, I got 65th percentile (not great, sure, but it won't sound any alarms) and I hadn't taken a math class in nine years at the time of the test. I applied no formulas or any other specialized knowledge (and I use this term loosely) to any question. frankly, I was rather embarrassed that I was able to do as well as I did.

Yeah, I agree. I have already signed up to retake the test on October 26. Turns out, my lit professor's advice was sadly out of date. I'm now looking at that first GRE as a (very expensive) practice test, and using the time until the 26th to do everything I can to improve both scores. I'm glad to hear that the math section isn't as daunting as I expected.

ETA: It's funny. Yesterday, I did an activity in my developmental reading class to prompt students to reframe their past failures as moments of learning. They reflected on the failure, and then what wisdom they gained from it. This lesson encouraged me to do the same about my recent GRE bomb. My wisdom? That I really want this. And I can't let my disgust of standardized tests get in the way. I don't think I realized how badly I wanted this until I saw how low my Verbal and Math scores were. I am now super re-focused on this whole process, and I'm spending every awake minute that I'm not grading or working on strengthening my application.

Edited October 2, 2012 by proflorax

[ProfLorax]

Oops-- accidentally double-posted!

Edited October 2, 2012 by proflorax

[nhswrestle]

Just retook the GRE for the second time after four months of studying daily. Scores were almost exactly the same. 155V 152Q. Needless to say, I am furious at the amount of time and money I have wasted on this exam. Considering taking it a third time, but the thought of wasting another $175 is less than appealing.

[Two Espressos]

Just retook the GRE for the second time after four months of studying daily. Scores were almost exactly the same. 155V 152Q. Needless to say, I am furious at the amount of time and money I have wasted on this exam. Considering taking it a third time, but the thought of wasting another $175 is less than appealing.

I can't tell you whether or not to retake the exam a third time, but I definitely wouldn't recommend studying for it anymore. Personally, I know that studying for the exam intensively wouldn't have done me any good, except perhaps for the quantitative portion.

[nhswrestle]

I can't tell you whether or not to retake the exam a third time, but I definitely wouldn't recommend studying for it anymore. Personally, I know that studying for the exam intensively wouldn't have done me any good, except perhaps for the quantitative portion.

Yeah, I agree. If I were to take it again I wouldn't waste any time on it that could be devoted to other aspects of my application.

[yellow.wallpaper]

English isn't really my first language.

I was wondering if admissions would take that matter into consideration.

Also, I've been scoring 155V/150Q in Practice tests for the GRE. With plenty of study, I think I can get to a higher percentile.

What do you guys think?

[waparys]

English isn't really my first language.

I was wondering if admissions would take that matter into consideration.

Also, I've been scoring 155V/150Q in Practice tests for the GRE. With plenty of study, I think I can get to a higher percentile.

What do you guys think?

I get the impression non-native English speakers are treated no differently from native speakers. You're meant to show that you are just as linguistically capable as your peers. Sorry if that's not the news you were looking for. Good luck, though! Keep working at it.

[Two Espressos]

I get the impression non-native English speakers are treated no differently from native speakers. You're meant to show that you are just as linguistically capable as your peers. Sorry if that's not the news you were looking for. Good luck, though! Keep working at it.

Yeah, I second this. You're going for graduate work in English, so you need to be natively fluent.

[yellow.wallpaper]

Yeah, I second this. You're going for graduate work in English, so you need to be natively fluent.

Yes, I did get that impression also. I just basically wanted to know how admission officers looked upon this, but I agree.

Thank you!

[ProfLorax]

I just got out of my second time taking the General GRE, and I wanted to quickly thank thestage and Two Expressos for gently, yet justifiably, chiding me for guessing on the math section. I actually tried on the math section today, and although my score isn't amazing (150), it's a hell of a lot higher than my old score.

But the coolest part is that my Verbal increased too! I really think that forcing my brain to work on the math questions actually helped my mind stay active and alert for the Verbal section.

So, thanks friends for pushing me to break out some old school math techniques. I will now never (god I hope I'm not jinxing myself) have to face another exponent or square root or area problem again!

[sebastiansteddy]

I took the GRE yesterday. As I was leaving, the administrator said "thank you for choosing ETS." I replied "...did I have a choice?"

ANYWAYS, I am glad the test is over, my scores are good, I am (hopefully) NEVER taking a standardized test again.

[ktwho]

Please someone tell me how little the GRE really matters. OMG. I HATE the new one. I don't know what happened!!!! I've ALWAYS scored in the 700's and this time--152 with Quant of 144! What in the world?! I have ONE more shot before deadlines--by the skin of my teeth--to retake it but would rather spend the mental energy on my SOP and paper (in Spanish)! Should I retake it?

I know my essays will be 5+.

[waparys]

I took the GRE yesterday. As I was leaving, the administrator said "thank you for choosing ETS." I replied "...did I have a choice?"

Like I've said before--we just have to play the admissions game. Some win, some lose. But we have to play to stand a chance.

[ProfLorax]

I took the GRE yesterday. As I was leaving, the administrator said "thank you for choosing ETS." I replied "...did I have a choice?"

ANYWAYS, I am glad the test is over, my scores are good, I am (hopefully) NEVER taking a standardized test again.

Isn't that feeling the BEST?!

Please someone tell me how little the GRE really matters. OMG. I HATE the new one. I don't know what happened!!!! I've ALWAYS scored in the 700's and this time--152 with Quant of 144! What in the world?! I have ONE more shot before deadlines--by the skin of my teeth--to retake it but would rather spend the mental energy on my SOP and paper (in Spanish)! Should I retake it?

I know my essays will be 5+.

Boo! I know how you feel. Something to consider before signing up again: can you pinpoint a specific way you can change your approach to the test? Preparation, day of ritual, emotional status, etc? If you can figure out what you can specifically change to improve your scores, retaking the GRE may be worthwhile. However, this is really hard since ETS doesn't provide detailed reports of the scores. Did you take the old test (with the score in the 700's) within the past five years? If so, could you send that one instead?

Like I've said before--we just have to play the admissions game. Some win, some lose. But we have to play to stand a chance.

In my post-GRE fatigue (four hours of testing plus four hours of travel to and from test center), I swore you wrote the Game of Thrones tagline (in the game of admissions, you either win or you die), and my first thought was: SHIT JUST GOT REAL WITH PHD APPS. But then I re-read it and accurately comprehended your meaning, and your post is a terrific analogy.

I need a nap.

[ktwho]

I totally read it that way, too. Ha!

Well, a couple of factors:

I had to miss work to take it....and it's literally my birthday. So, on top of being overextended this semester with work, I just didn't feel at ease going into it. I should have taken it this summer. Otherwise, well, I had two verbal sections and three math sections and I just felt really, really rushed for time on verbal. As in, I didn't even get to the two last questions in the second verbal section. There was SO much reading comprehension and very, very little vocab. One aspect that I believe threw me off is that there would be two or so sentence completions and then maybe a reading passage or THREE and then sentence completions. There was no pattern at all as to what question would follow, so I felt like I had to reset my brain with every question.

For the next month, I will be taking practice tests with timers--just as I used to do with my private students--and be sure that I allow time for every question. Now that it's a modified CAT, you'd think that they could give you a little feedback on your scores.

Taking it again will be cutting it REALLY close. If it took fifteen business days, then the results would arrive on Dec. 14, which is one of the school's deadlines.

From what I understand from one of the school's I'm applying to is that the GRE doesn't matter so much. Since it's a language program, they're more interested in assessing your ability in the target language, however, since I used to score highly, I'll be taking it again.

I took it the last time in early 2007, so, no, I can't send in my old scores. The deadline is July of 2007. .

Maybe I skipped too many questions...I don't know. Thanks for the ears, guys. Writing that out helps.