"New" GRE

[amlobo]

I'm taking the GRE in a couple of weeks, and I'm having trouble figuring out a "goal" as far as scores go. I'm planning to apply to schools in the top 30 (and quite a few in the top 15), and I wondered if anyone had some insight on kind of some minimum scores to shoot for. I've looked through program websites and the results page, but most of the scores are "old" GRE.

I'm taking the GRE this month so I can retake before applying if necessary, but I'm just trying to figure out what is "good enough" before I take it the first time. I have taken a couple practice tests, but just did my first adaptive exam through Kaplan (their "diagnostic" test), and I got a prediction of a 161V (89%)/163Q (86%). I know the diagnostic tests are "harder" on purpose, and these scores seem pretty OK to me... but I have no frame of reference.

Should I be aiming for 95th percentile? And does it matter if verbal or quant is higher? Thanks!

[AaronM]

I think around 90th is a good goal, generally speaking. It really depends on the rest of your stats. If you have a 4.0, tons of research experience, glowing letters of recommendation, you can probably get away with a lower score. If (like myself) your lacking in an area or two, you have to make it up with a good GRE score. As for percentile ranges, some schools have average accepted GRE scores in their admissions/FAQ pages. Since they haven't had time to post their new GRE accepted scores you have to do some converting, but from what I've seen the averages in the 15-30 range (where I'm applying is between 80th and 85th percentile in both and whether quant or verbal is higher really depends on the program.

[amlobo]

Ok, well, you just basically affirmed what I was thinking, anyway. I do need a higher GRE to hopefully make up for my mediocre undergrad GPA, which is why I'm kind of stressing about it. I've been out of college for 6 years, and I feel like I'm out of the loop on some of this stuff. All of my friends who did grad school took the old GRE (and have already finished their degrees, lol), so they are not much help. I think I'm mainly just trying to figure out what score will be "good enough" for me not to have to take the GRE a second time. Sounds like 90th or above is a good goal, if I need to get it above "average" to cancel out that GPA... thanks!

[cogcul]

The wikipedia page on the gre-test has an approximate conversion from the old to the new system: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graduate_Record_Examinations#Scaled_score_percentiles

Here are the stats for Duke: http://gradschool.duke.edu/about/statistics/admitsoc.htm For them it looks like a high verbal score is appreciated (or at least common among admitted students), whereas a good quant score is good enough.

[amlobo]

Here are the stats for Duke: http://gradschool.du...cs/admitsoc.htm For them it looks like a high verbal score is appreciated (or at least common among admitted students), whereas a good quant score is good enough.

Thanks! I have only been able to find a couple of schools that post statistics (or at least they all hide them very well!).

Edited July 9, 2012 by amlobo

[ThisSlumgullionIsSoVapid]

As someone who took the Kaplan courses, my bit of advice: don't underestimate what stress can do to you. However well you are doing on diagnostic exams now expect to do less than that. When you take your practice tests its usually in a stress free environment but when you take the actual thing the stress goes up a few notches.

Also, when you schedule your exam, keep in mind the time of day you are taking it. I took the exam the first time and had an 8am exam but was still a "night person" - this really screwed with me. The second time I took it I got into routine for months of being used to taking exams, doing work, being up and functioning early in the morning and I did a lot better my second time. Get in routine earlier on so that you can predict how your body will respond.

[amlobo]

I actually scheduled my exam for 4:00, which I think should work perfectly. Gives me some time to get my brain running.

Usually stress works in my favor, as I'm a weirdo who operates best under pressure. But, because of that, it's something that I hadn't really thought about, so thanks for the advice. I haven't taken "this kind" of exam in quite a while, so I don't know how I'll react. I have taken two different bar exams in the past 3 years, so I got used to that ridiculously long and exhausting format.

On that same note... how important is the Analytical Writing score? A lot of people don't even mention it when discussing their scores, so I didn't know if it mattered really.

[splitends]

From what I understand, beyond a certain point the analytical writing score is mostly a way for them to check English proficiency in non-native speakers. I imagine that most people applying to top schools will have between 5.0 and 6.0. I don't know how much of a difference a step in the score will make-- they have so many other better metrics by which to measure your ability to write.

Also, I posted this some place else a while ago, but I'll put it up again: http://orgtheory.wordpress.com/2011/05/06/how-i-pick-grad-students/

It's a discussion on a blog run by sociologists about how people evaluate grad school applicants. I think it's just lovely for people in this position to be able to see the way the people on the other side of the table talk and frequently disagree about what to look for in grad admissions, including how much and why GRE scores matter.

My personal advice: The GRE is a giant pain and in my opinion a total scam. Pour as much as yourself as you can into preparing for it, take it once, then never think about it again as long as you live.

Good luck!

[amlobo]

I am hoping to God that I take it once and never think about it again. I just want to get above some still-uncertain "cutoff" to keep my application in the pile and get the adcomm to look beyond my "ok" GPA, ha.

[sciencegirl]

Just a key to taking tests as I did the GREs for the last cycle.. but definitely relax - there is a pressure element that seems to really trip up test-takers on these standardized tests.. and yes, they are scams, and we also know as sociologists that good SAT results skew both towards certain socioeconomic and racial categories... so just don't let your scores define you too much or lose sleep over them.

[amlobo]

So, I took the ETS Powerprep practice test this weekend, and it gave me a score range of 750-800 on both sections. That's a 99% verbal, compared to my 89% from Kaplan. WTH. Let's hope ETS knows what they're talking about... Also... I find it funny that the Powerprep software is still in the "old" scoring, ha!

[amlobo]

Also... I find it funny that the Powerprep software is still in the "old" scoring, ha!

Just for anyone who stumbles upon this... ETS just released Powerprep II last week, which has the new scoring.

[amlobo]

Well, I took the "real" GRE and am not taking it or thinking about it again! Unless I bombed the AW somehow... ok, nope, not even then!

[allhandsonthebadone]

I bet you did great. For someone who survived law school the GRE is LSAT lite.

[amlobo]

I am very happy with my scores I don't want to say it wasn't stressful, but it wasn't nearly as stressful as law school or my job. I was surprised at how relaxed I was in the actual test. Didn't psyche myself out, thankfully!

[Jay14]

The GRE is stressing me so much. My scores are definitely on the lower side, and I have taken them multiple times, I am just horrible at standardized tests. My other stats are good (3.7 GPA, independent research, TA and RA experience and awesome LOR's) but I feel like my GRE scores are going to prevent me from even being looked at! So stressful!